Books About Music or Musicians

Books & Bites Podcast, Ep. 81

JCPL librarians bring you book recommendations and discuss the bites and beverages to pair with them.

This month, we discuss books about music or musicians, one of the prompts on the Books and Bites Bingo Reading Challenge. From mixtapes to AI, music memoirs to YA novels, we share our thoughts on both music and books.

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The Storyteller book cover

Michael recommends The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl. This memoir describes the passion that Grohl has had for music since he was a kid and goes into his punk-rock roots. He tells stories that are hilarious and heartfelt, from his days in Scream to the rise and fall of Nirvana and the formation of the Foo Fighters and everything in between.

Pairing: KFC and champagne, a staple the Foo Fighters enjoy after special occasions.


Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You book cover

Carrie enjoyed Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. Williams writes about her journey to becoming an artist, from her chaotic childhood to her struggle to get signed by a recording company to her eventual success. If you’ve ever aspired to make art, whether music, literature, or something else, you’ll find her persistence inspiring.

Pairing: Monday’s Red Beans from Melissa M. Martin’s cookbook, Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou.


Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist book cover

Jacquelline chose Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist a YA romance by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. The authors write alternating chapters for each character’s point of view, with Cohn voicing Norah’s point of view and Levithan doing the same for Nick. The characters bond through their shared love of musicians and music. The novel takes readers through a catalog of music from rock and roll to mainstream punk, as the characters navigate New York’s Indie rock scene.

Pairing: Mai Tai Mocktail Party Punch.


More Great Books About Music or Musicians