As the weather changes and days grow longer, what better time than Spring, than to look into some of the newest books currently on the market.
First up, in a post Oscars vibe, take a look back to an earlier release of Charles Elton’s Cimino. Best known for the multi award-winning The Deer Hunter, director Michael Cimino was as dark and complex as most of his films. Elton does a deep dive into the spiraling world of this gifted, yet tortured artist, with a lot of really disturbing details. The real drama started when the cameras went off and life began for the Westbury native.
No one person has dominated sports talk this past decade than Stephen A Smith and his autobiography, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, touches all the bases with an extremely personal look into the man himself. Although one could argue with all of his ESPN work, book tour and podcasts, that Smith runs the risk of over exposure. While this may be a valid point, his work ethic and drive are established at an early age and Smith candidly talks about the stops along the way that led him to this moment. He openly addresses his future goals and what compels him to do more. It’s an interesting read for even the casual sports fan or lover of pop culture.
Speaking of pop culture, Rolling Stone magazine has been at the forefront of it for more than 50 years, sparking conversation and debate along the way. This latest release, Rolling Stone: The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, continues that tradition. Personally i had quite a few issues with the rankings, but then again, that’s the purpose of these types of books. Well-documented and researched, it is a matter of personal opinion and no more.
Another pop culture phenomenon of the past 25 years was HBO;s critically acclaimed series, The Wire. The anniversary tome The Wire: The Complete Visual History is a complete overview of the groundbreaking show. With the recent deaths of two of the series’ most prominent actors, this book offers a much-deserved look back at the show and the people who made it successful.
Finally, the political season seems like it never ends. Chris Whipple’s The Fight of His Life; Inside Joe Biden’s White House takes an inside look at the current presidential administration and lends a particular insight into the transition of power during the last election cycle. Actually torn from the day’s headlines, Whipple takes the reader behind closed doors and offers a fascinating account of what’s happening in almost real time.
