Love for Sale (book)
Love for Sale: Pop Music in America is a 2016 book by The Nation music critic David Hajdu, in which he chronicles the 100-plus year history of pop music in the United States.[1] The book features previously published material as well as interviews, including an interview with legendary folk singer Dave Van Ronk.[2] Chronologically, Love for Sale takes the reader from the origins of ragtime in the 19th century through to the present era of streaming music.[3] The author also sequential discusses the rise of tapes, CDs, and MP3s.[4] The title of the book is derived from the 1930 Cole Porter song of the same name.[5]
Author | David Hajdu |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Subject | Music, pop music, music history |
Genre | Non-fiction criticism, interpretation |
Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
Publication date | October 18, 2016 |
Media type | Print (hardcover), print (paperback), ebook |
Pages | 320 |
ISBN | 978-0-374-17053-0 |
OCLC | 947041885 |
Preceded by | Heroes and Villains: Essays on Music, Movies, Comics, and Culture |
Website | Love for Sale at DavidHajdu.com |
Love for Sale constitutes Hajdu's attempt to answer the question: “What is the history and meaning of pop music?”[6]
Reception
The New York Times gave the book a generally favorable review, calling it, "very educational and entertaining". Still, the review cautioned that, "If [the book] were an album, it would be a collection of singles and B-sides meant to hold the fans at bay until the next major release."[7] The Boston Globe described Love for Sale as, "idiosyncratic romp through the history of the American popular music industry."[8] The book was favorably reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and Vanity Fair, among others.[9][10][11][12]
References
- Scott Simon (October 15, 2016). "'Love For Sale': A History Of Pop Music That's As Personal As It Gets". NPR. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Jeff Simon (October 22, 2016). "Editor's Choice: Love for Sale: Pop Music in America by David Hajdu". Buffalo News. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Matthew Walther (January 8, 2017). "The One Book Music Lovers Have to Read". Washington Free Beacon. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Eric Liebetrau. "'Love for Sale: Pop Music in America'". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Dylan Hicks (October 16, 2016). "How Strange the Change: On David Hajdu's History of American Pop Music". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- James Mcfetridge Wilson (October 19, 2016). "'Love for Sale: Pop Music in America'". Commonwealth Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Jim Windolf (December 2, 2016). "Name Those Tunes: David Hajdu's Pop Music Memories". New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- James Sullivan (October 31, 2016). "An idiosyncratic, personal history of pop music". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Eddie Dean (November 7, 2016). "From Victrolas to the iPod". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- "Review: Critic writes personal history of pop music". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. October 19, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Sloane Crosley (October 19, 2016). "The Must-Read Books of the Fall, from Wayne Gretzky's Memoir to Brit Bennett's Debut". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- "LOVE FOR SALE, Pop Music in America by David Hajdu". Kirkus Reviews. October 18, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2017.