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Celebrities have intrigued the public for over a century with their talents. There are celebrities who have intrigued the public for their lavish lifestyles, personal demons, and reclusive lives as well. These recommendations are for those people who enjoy learning about how these celebrities became famous and the impact these people have had in their respective fields, while also learning about their private lives away from the cameras.
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Dutch Girl : Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen
This book is about the life of Audrey Hepburn before the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. I wanted to learn more about her after falling in love with the movie Roman Holiday, in which she won an Oscar for her performance as Princess Ann. Before Audrey Hepburn became a fashion and cinema icon, she was a little Dutch girl living through World War II. Audrey lived through Nazi-occupied Netherlands, the war and her family's involvement in the war forever impacted her in more ways than one. I love listening to this audiobook, because privacy and upholding personas were very important to celebrities in those days, so there is little known about their past. This book made me aware of the real Audrey and everything she had to go through as a survivor of war before she moved to the states and broke out as an actress.
I’ll Take You There: Mavis Staples, the Staple Singers, and the March up Freedom's Highway by Greg Kot
Mavis Staples was the lead singer and youngest of the legendary gospel blues band the Staple Singers. The Staple Singers were a family band from Chicago consisting of Mavis, her father, and her siblings. Through my discovery of 1950s-1960s music, I discovered this band, and the massive influence Mavis Staples has had on the music industry. Her family has influenced rock ‘n’ roll, folk, blues and gospel, as well as social activism. Her father was great friends with Martin Luther King Jr, and their involvement in the civil rights movement is just as impressive as their musical talent. This book dives into Mavis’ personal and professional life as a young Black girl thrust into the music industry, while sharing stories about other legendary artists she grew up around, like Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke.
Bob Dylan: No Direction Home by Robert Shelton
This book is big, but it has all the glorious Bob Dylan history in one book. I became infatuated with the 1960s folk music era in 2023. Therefore, I became well acquainted with the lore of Bob Dylan. This book follows his career from the beginning as a folk hopeful to a rock ‘n’ roll legend and how 1950s-1960s politics and counterculture influenced the music he made. It’s a great book to read over time due to its length. If you ever wanted to learn as much about American folk music history while also learning about a musical icon, then this is the book for you.
The Contender: The story of Marlon Brando by William J. Mann
This is another long one, but very detailed on the life and career of one of the greatest actors of all time. I became intrigued by Marlon Brando after watching the Oscar-winning film On the Waterfront, where he won his first of two Best Actor Oscar. His performance along with his costar Eva Marie Saint is mesmerizing, and he is one of the founding fathers of the method acting technique. This book explores his early years growing up in a toxic household with an abusive father and alcoholic mother, his rebellious teenage years, his turbulent relationships with women, and his triumphant career as an actor during the golden age of Hollywood. I recommend this book for Marlon Brando fans or anyone who wants to understand the man behind the controversial life and career.
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough
Lisa-Marie Presley is known for being the daughter of the Rock’ n’ Roll legend Elvis Presley. She has lived in the shadow of her very famous father in life and death. The average person would assume she has lived the fairy-tale life full of luxury, but this book delves into the life of a child grappling with the loss of the person she loved the most. Lisa-Marie passed away before she could complete her autobiography, so her daughter, Riley Keough, completed it for her. Her family and romantic relationships come to life through her words and brutally honest take on the choices she has made which were for better or worse. Julia Roberts narrates Lisa Marie’s words, and Riley narrates her parts by bringing her perspective on her mother’s life. The most beautiful part of the book is that you can feel the closeness between a mother and daughter in life and death. I highly recommend you listen to the audiobook.
About the Author
Zakaria is a Library Associate at Shaw Neighborhood Library. Originally from North Carolina, she enjoys lounging, listening to a great audiobook, watching classic films like Roman Holiday, exploring DC, and eating good food.