The Book Review: A music memoir extravaganza

Plus: Ed Park's new novel and the literature of Lima. Peru

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 3, 2023 Image by Duncan Raban/Popperfoto, via Getty Images Dear fellow readers, Madonna, Tupac Shakur, Sly Stone, Britney Spears, Thurston Moore, Jeff Tweedy and — soon — Barbra Streisand: I don't think I've ever seen so many music memoirs and biographies crammed into a single season. I'm a big fan of music memoirs, mostly because they tend to feel dishier and more honest than other pop-culture memoirs. Actors and sports figures, with an eye on the jobs they haven't yet been offered, often hedge and hold back. But musicians? A lot of them will tell you the unvarnished truth. Some will even gleefully burn down every bridge they've crossed. (If you've never read "Life," by Keith Richards, I fervently recommend it.) If you have time, tell us what you're reading! (We may publish your response on our Letters page, or feature it in an upcoming newsletter.) You can email us at books@nytimes.com. We read every letter sent. Tina Jordan Deputy Editor, The New York Times Book Review @TinaJordanNYT Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Sign-up here or forward it to your friends. Have a suggestion or two on how we can improve it? Let us know at newsletters@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. FOR AUDIOBOOK LOVERS Audiobooks An Ode to the Women of Hip-Hop That Plays Like a Mixtape On the genre's 50th anniversary, "The Motherlode" honors contributions by the women, like Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shanté and Megan Thee Stallion, who've made it what it is today. By Evan Nicole Brown Audiobooks Audiobook of the Week: A Rich Family Saga Set in 1950s Maine In Rachel Eliza Griffith's debut novel, "Promise," the Kindreds find they can't escape past mistakes. By Zakiya Dalila Harris Audiobooks Britney Spears Doesn't Need to Narrate Her Memoir for It to Sing The actor Michelle Williams reads the audiobook version of the recently liberated pop star's memoir, "The Woman in Me." By Elisabeth Egan LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT READ? If you like historical fiction, thrillers, crime novels, romance, horror, science fiction or fantasy, we've got ideas. And there's plenty more. 16 New Books Coming in November Barbra Streisand's mammoth biography, Stephanie Land's follow-up to "Maid," Sigrid Nunez's new novel and more. By The New York Times Books Staff Editors' choice 9 New Books We Recommend This Week Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times. Paperback Row 6 New Paperbacks to Read This Week Selected paperbacks from the Book Review, including titles by Orhan Pamuk, Rob Delaney, Carolyn Hays and more. By Shreya Chattopadhyay Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Gain unlimited access to The Times — with just one subscription. Independent reporting. Recipes. Games. Product reviews. Personalized sports journalism. Enjoy it all with an introductory offer. THIS WEEK IN THE BOOK REVIEW Ben Giles Fiction Welcome to Ed Park's Many-Layered World "Same Bed Different Dreams" is the rare sophomore novel that has the wild, freewheeling ambition of a debut. By Hamilton Cain Raphaelle Macaron Read Your Way Through Lima Lima is a city of contrasts and contradictions — gray and tropical, dense and isolated. Augusto Higa Oshiro, one of its writers, recommended books and authors that have captured its complexity. By Augusto Higa Oshiro and translated by Jennifer Shyue Ellen Hansen for The New York Times Critic's Notebook Economists Ignored Inequality for Years. Now They Can't Stop Talking About It. A flurry of new books highlights broad disagreements over how to address the problem. By Jennifer Szalai 'You Can't Hide It': Georgette Heyer and the Perils of Posthumous Revision A new edition of the best-selling romance writer's 1950 novel removes blatant Jewish stereotypes, stirring debate about whether to tinker with older works. By Alexandra Alter Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST Matt Roth for The New York Times Shakespeare's First Folio Turns 400 Sarah Lyall talks to Adrian Edwards, head of the Printed Heritage Collections at the British Library, about the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's First Folio. ETC. Rebecca Clarke By the Book Jeff Tweedy Used to Browse Encyclopedias for Hours on End "I read them the way that people surf the internet today, maybe," says the Wilco frontman, whose new memoir is "World Within a Song." "So I know everything." Ben Hickey Can You Uncover 15 Horror Titles Lurking Within This Text? Looking for a scary read this Halloween week? The titles of several spine-tingling works are hiding in this puzzle, just waiting for you to discover them. By J. D. Biersdorfer Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times A Night of Reading, Cover to Uncover The author of "On Fire Island" wasn't sure what to expect when she was invited to appear at a "Books & Burlesque" event. Here's her unblushing report. By Jane L. Rosen BEST SELLERS Inside the best-seller list Who is Hannah Grace? Why won't she show her face? Read all of our lists Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Books from The New York Times. To stop receiving Books, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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