What I'm Reading #1

As this blog is meant to be about culture such as music, books and events and exhibitions as well as fashion I thought I would try and start a 'What I'm Reading' where I will review and recommend books that I am currently reading as I am well aware that so far this blog has just been largely fashion based.

So, the book in this post is 33 Revolutions per Minute: A History of Protest Songs by Dorian Lynskey (I actually love the pun in the title so much).

The book is split into 33 chapters, with each chapter focusing on one protest song, starting with Billie Holidays eerie 'Strange Fruit' so covering songs from 1939 to the present day. Lynskey delves into the historical context and background to the song and why it held and still holds its profound effect. The book does not only cover Western artists but also songs from artists in South America to the Caribbean giving a much more global perspective. I found Lynskey's writing easy to read and informative without becoming boring or too factual. Of course there were some songs or artists that I felt were left out but Lynskey does give a brief section of the book to songs that he left out. Overall it was a good and interesting read that provided a strong overview but also still insightful look into protest songs and the artist and motivations behind them and I thoroughly recommend it.