| Title | : | Love Songs: The Hidden History |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0199357579 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780199357574 |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 336 |
| Publication | : | First published December 19, 2014 |
In Love Songs: The Hidden History, Ted Gioia uncovers the unexplored story of the love song for the first time. Drawing on two decades of research, Gioia presents the full range of love songs, from the fertility rites of ancient cultures to the sexualized YouTube videos of the present day. The book traces the battles over each new insurgency in the music of love--whether spurred by wandering scholars of medieval days or by four lads from Liverpool in more recent times. In these pages, Gioia reveals that the tenderest music has, in different eras, driven many of the most heated cultural conflicts, and how the humble love song has played a key role in expanding the sphere of individualism and personal autonomy in societies around the world.
Gioia forefronts the conflicts, controversies, and the battles over censorship and suppression spurred by such music, revealing the outsiders and marginalized groups that have played a decisive role in shaping our songs of romance and courtship, and the ways their innovations have led to reprisals and strife. And he describes the surprising paths by which the love song has triumphed over these obstacles, and emerged as the dominant form of musical expression in modern society.
Love Songs: The Hidden History Reviews
-
A beautiful, meticulously written book about the history of Love Songs. A compeling idea and an even more so theme, to explore, write and read about.
I had an amazing time reading this excellent book. Focused and well analyzed, is so much more than an essay but stll not too drawn out, ultimately it succeds in not losing its unique and fresh point of view.
The author does an amazing job, examining the issue from many perspectives (sociologically, politically, religiously, culturally)and introducing the reader to countless specialized terms that someone would think it arises the difficulty level of the reading process, somehow though, it adorns the book with credibillity and guides the reader through it.
The many interesting ways to persive any subject that is introduced to this incredible read, make the reading highly informative and yet enjoyable.
Finally as a current sociology Master degree student myself that i study in particular Counterculture and Subcultures, i found the "Rock 'n' Roll and the summer of Love" chapter, along with the "As nasty as they wanna be" chapter, very insightful and generally helpful.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you! -
heard this guy interviewed on the BBC news---he was great. I can hardy wait.
