Today we take a look at previous BookTrib posts that engaged hundreds to thousands of readers this past year. We’re taking a look back at some of your favorite posts before we kick off the new year!
The most unforgettable and bizarre year in VMA history was 2009. Michael Jackson was dead, Lady Gaga was gross, Brittany Spear’s made a comeback and Hip-Hop ruled. However, the one thing that is forever etched in the annals of VMA history was the moment Kanye West jumped on stage and interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Video of the Year. Swift seemed genuinely shocked, as were most people in the audience and at home. This single incident could have ended of both careers, but it had just the opposite effect. As a result of this awkward situation, both artists were catapulted into into super stardom. Kanye proved he was bad-ass and Taylor Swift became the darling of America and a model of humility.
With both Taylor and Kanye in the news today, we decided to relive what Variety Magazine refers to as one of “the biggest beefs in VMA history” by taking a literary trip down memory lane of the 2009 VMAs. Four books about some of the night’s most memorable honorees and performers— Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears— were our top picks commemorating that unforgettable moment in MTV history. Celebrate VMA week with us as we read about their lives, loves, tragedies and survivals behind the scenes and away from the spotlight in a world of celebrity many can only dream of.
TAY: The Taylor Swift Story, Jill Parker
This stellar biography by Jill Parker is bound to get you ready for the release of Taylor’s new album, Reputation in November. Parker chronicles Swift’s journey from a country girl with big dreams to super diva who rules the pop and country music charts. It’s an inspiring voyage and you will be clamoring to download Swift’s new single on August 24th.
The Cultural Impact of Kanye West Robert C. Schaller
Love him or hate him, Kanye West’s cultural impact has exceeded even his own ego. A longtime Hip-Hop producer, West found fame for himself following a tragic accident that required major reconstructive surgery just to survive. From his fleeting friendship with Jay-Z and Beyonce to his comments about President Bush during Hurricane Katrina to the loss of his mother and ultimately his marriage to Kim Kardashian, Kanye West is certainly is not boring. Robert C. Schaller Jr. does an excellent job in describing the context in which Kanye has come to weave himself intricately into popular culture and remain a trendsetter despite his stumbles and missteps.
Gaga Johnny Morgan
Gaga is true staple for any one of Lady Gaga’s Monsters (fans). The book contains pictures from her childhood, through super stardom. You will be consumed by Gaga’s life behind the flashing lights and crazy costumes and see a person just living her life – it just so happens that life includes singing for crowds of thousands.
Britney: Inside the Dream, Steve Dennis
What doesn’t this book have? How Spears’s debut single in 1998 “…Baby One More Time” made her a pop idol? Her marriage to a childhood friend in Las Vegas in 2004? Her tumultuous life in general? Steve Dennis explains all these things and what caused them to happen. Now, the star is making a comeback, and we can all join her “Inside the Dream.”
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