Queens of Noise: The Real Story of the Runaways by Evelyn McDonnell (Da Capo Press)

Evelyn McDonnell provides the complete story of the Runaways, the self-declared “Queens of Noise” – Lita Ford, Jackie Fox, Sandy West, Cherie Currie and Joan Jett – who paved the way for every girl band since from the Go-Gos to L7 to Care Bears on Fire.  Manufactured by producer and manger Kim Fowley, the Runaways’ four-year run includes tales of musical breakthroughs, drugs, violent crimes, the Sex Pistols, sexual experimentation, harassment, jail, Led Zeppelin, spandex jumpsuits, David Bowie, abortion, lawsuits, riots, and much, much more.  Fighting tooth and nail at every step to be accepted, the relentless passion of the Runaways during and beyond their time as a band remains an inspiration for musicians everywhere.

“Scrupulously researched…McDonnell has done her legwork…[and] rightly rehabilitated a pioneering band’s reputation.”
—The New York Times

“Through meticulous research and a stylistic approach that swings between academic and aggressively candid, McDonnell gives these pioneering girls the third dimension they deserve… By treating each of the musicians as an individual finding her place in a rapidly changing world, Queens of Noise provides a multilayered consideration of the Runaways, who ‘could play like the boys, without once pretending they weren’t girls.’”
—Los Angeles Times

“[T]he Runaways’ legacy as trailblazers who opened the doors for other female artists is assured. Queens of Noise is the definitive account of their pioneering career.”
—Seattle Times

“Celebrates the spirit of what could happen when listeners ignore conventional wisdom about girls-in-rock. An almost-feminist manifest… A primer of how bands come together, what they face in the jaws of trying to create arena-sized success without proper management and how it can all go wrong.”
—Paste

“Reversing the curse that plagued the band’s short run, [Queens of Noise] declares: if you haven’t heard of the Runaways, that’s your problem—not theirs.”
—New York Observer

“For a grim and gritty look at the rise and fall of the band, as well as a look at sexual politics in the 70s and in the 70s rock scene, this is a fascinating book. And for fans of The Runaways, like me, this is a must have.”
—Graffiti Magazine

“This book may be the first Runaways project to successfully represent all five members of the classic lineup… Instead of a riot of conflicting opinions, McDonnell skillfully weaves a coherent narrative that looks at both sides of ‘he said, she said,’ or is often the case, ‘she said, she said.’”
—San Antonio Express News

“Brilliant, must-read.”
—The Advocate

I’m Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons (Ecco)

AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

In this major, definitive biography, Sylvie Simmons provides an authoritative and intimate account of Leonard Cohen’s fascinating life. Over the decades, Cohen has morphed from a beloved literary figure in his native Canada, to an internationally recognized and inimitable songwriter, to a performer approaching rock star status. He is and always has been a mixture of extremes – an international celebrity who craves simplicity, a lady’s man who yearns for family yet a family man who continually left home for the road, a self-identified Jew who practices Buddhism, and an entertainer always ambivalent about his writing and performing careers.

Cohen is now reaping the rewards of a lifetime of extraordinary work. Since his return from his extended stay at a mountain-top monastery with his Zen master, he has toured and played to the biggest audiences of his career, been honored with innumerable accolades from his peers, fans and critics, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The world has welcomed him with enthusiasm and warmth, and his triumphant comeback is a reminder that he remains one of the most prolific and influential iconoclasts of our time.

“I’m Your Man is the major, soul-searching biography that Leonard Cohen deserves… a mesmerizing labor of love.”
—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“A new gold standard of Cohen bios.”
—Los Angeles Times

“This is the bio Cohen long deserved, and it makes every prior Cohen bio practically unnecessary.”
—Rolling Stone (four-and-a-half star review)

Fierce Angels: Living with a Legacy from the Sacred Dark Feminine to the Strong Black Woman by Sheri Parks (Lawrence Hill Press)

Black women are born into an army of “Fierce Angels” – the stereotype of the strong black mother purveyed within black and mainstream cultures – and in many ways this strengthens them. But the role is overwhelming, calling for unreasonable levels of emotional, spiritual and intellectual energy and an unrealistic selflessness. Fierce Angels is the first book written for a popular audience to explore the figure of the Strong Black Woman and traces how and why figures like the Dark Mother, Fierce Angel, Oracle, and Mammy play out in the mythologies of cultures around the world, unearths hidden stories of contemporary women, talks about the drive to make each black woman the next Coretta King, describes how black women hide their accomplishments and the costs of doing so, and talks about how black women’s strengths are now a model for other women worldwide, as well as what the future holds for them. The 2013 paperback includes new chapters and a foreword by Marcia Ann Gillespie.

“Thought-provoking.”
—Washington Post

“Former NPR host Sheri Parks fearlessly dives into the minefield of race, sex and popular culture in her smart, sharp critical study . . . and debunks stereotypical images of sisters.”
—Essence

“Parks argues that the image of the strong black woman has been as much a burden as a tribute because it has come to be expected that black women will endure all means of hardship in tending to the needs of others. [She] offers a compelling analysis of the toll of the strong image on women who have had enormous responsibilities but – until recently – little control.”
—Booklist

“[A] thorough study.”
—Kirkus

“It’s been more than 30 years since feminist Michele Wallace’s Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman. . . . Parks’ book goes much further. . . . These women are change agents in American life, fiercely human angels, whose stories deserve the kind of complex and nuanced analysis that Parks’ book delivers.”
—Ms.