A narrative of the history of popular music through the lens of twenty pivotal hits at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, which began in 1958, reveals a remarkably fluid and connected story of music.

"Country Music is the story of the musicians. Here is Hank Williams's tragic honky tonk life, Dolly Parton rising to fame from a dirt-poor childhood, and Loretta Lynn turning her experiences into songs that spoke to women everywhere. Here too are interviews with the genre's biggest stars, including the likes of Merle Haggard to Garth Brooks to Rosanne Cash. Rife with rare photographs and endlessly fascinating anecdotes, the stories in this sweeping...

In this collection of essays and addresses delivered over the course of his illustrious career, Umberto Eco seeks "to understand the chemistry of [his] passion" for the word. From musings on Ptolemy and "the force of the false" to reflections on the experimental writing of Borges and Joyce, Eco's luminous intelligence and encyclopedic knowledge are on dazzling display throughout. And when he reveals his own ambitions and superstitions, his authorial...

The definitive account of how the rough sounds of the Mississippi Delta--from legendary greats Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, B. B. King, and others--changed the course of American popular music.

Presents a history of music, covering the most famous musicians, major music genres, instruments and sounds, and the artistry of distinctive musical styles.

In these delightful essays, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Dirda introduces nearly ninety of the world's most entertaining books.

Looks at the history of rock music, its different styles, and its impact on a generation.