Recommended Books

Grunge

(2009) Michael Lavine

In the late 1980's a new style of music started creeping out of the clubs and garages of the American west coast. Dubbed "grunge" in a tounge-and-cheek interview, this new sound quickly revolutionized both the hair rock and the punk scenes that it emerged from. Michael Lavine, an amateur photographer who moved to Seattle after finishing high school found himself in a unique position to document the rise of this musical form. His arresting black and white photos capture the punks and losers who would go on to create the definitive sound of the 1990s.  

A Visit from the Goon Squad

(2010) Jennifer Egan

In this skillful novel, Jennifer Egan introduces a series of seemingly disparate characters (a kleptomaniac, an aging record producer, a group of punk teens in L.A. going off the rails). As their stories unfold however, the intimate connections and the significant impact they have on each other's lives and loves gradually becomes apparen't.

Spanning several decades, this jarring and hilarious portrait explores the relationships that people develop and the soundtrack that accompanies them.

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