Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballantine Books, 2019, 368 pp
This book went down like a succession of vodka martinis without any hangover! As you probably know, it is the story of a fictional 70s rock band, their formation, rise and fall. Singer/songwriter Daisy Jones, already trending herself, is injected into The Six by the all-seeing wisdom of record company execs and it works even better than foreseen.
Naturally all of us of a certain age think of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks. This is not them, though the author says she drew on their history as well as The Eagles.
The hardest thing in the world to do is to write a novel or make a movie about rock and roll. "Almost Famous" gets my bet for best rock band movie. This it the best rock band novel ever.
The author precisely nails it all and her hipness quotient never falters: the music, the song writing, the tours, the drug and alcohol abuse, the sex, the music business of the times, the interpersonal angst, the misogyny, and all those intrepid dreamers.
It really was a golden age. Though no musician emerged unscathed, those people and we their fans, made something more exciting and new than pop culture had ever done. At least that is my opinion.
I loved this book! So much!!
I see ONLY GOOD THINGS about this book everywhere, it's made me so curious!
ReplyDeleteIt is so good. Especially if you are into rock and roll, pop music.
DeleteThat's funny - for some reason I had imagined that you had already reviewed this book. I'm not surprised that you liked it so much. It is a terrific book.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you thought that because it was on my Reading Group update post. In fact, that reading group is meeting tonight to discuss the book!
DeleteThis sounds like a great book!! Glad you enjoyed it so much. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteShe certainly did "nail it" (my generation - I was 16 - Woodstock 1969, can't believe it's 50 years!)
ReplyDeleteThose were the days!
DeleteWas checking your blog for new posts and I guess I'd missed commenting on this one... I've been so out of it lately lol. This book has been everywhere! I really want to give it a go!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, you must!
DeleteI have way too many books I want to read RIGHT NOW! This review is not helping ;-)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I though I could safely skip this one, but have changed my mind.
JoAnn, you make me chuckle. You could skip it but not safely. If it helps, I read it in one day.
DeleteI hadn't realised this was a novel - ordering this one now. Cheers
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!!
DeleteI see and hear about this one a lot, but I am going to be kind of honestly shallow and say that the cover annoys me. I can not figure out why though.
ReplyDeleteWhen you figure it out let me know!
DeleteI'm glad this past your test ... with you being in the biz I was curious to see if you thought this legit ... and with the format etc. the author made it *feel* that the band was real by the end. Ha. like a rock memoir.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was naturally worried going in but she did a great job!
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