From her first vocal lessons at age nine, to learning the guitar at twelve, to becoming the most downloaded women on Spotify, and then breaking the internet with her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has rocked the music scene and captured the hearts of fans across the globe. Gathering her incredible life story, music, and fan culture all in one place, Taylor Swift Is Life captures her epic achievements, brilliant lyrics, and her incredible ability to connect with her fans like no other musician before her.
A full biography
I could simply not say No to this book when I saw it on Netgalley. The next day, I dived deep into the life and work of my current favorite singer-songwriter. My journey with Taylor began only with 1989. Therefore, it was very informative indeed to read about her early inspiration, her very first performances, and her early albums in general. The book starts with a general view on her almost 35 years of life, before we dive deeper into each album. The biography’s writer comments on the significance of each album to her personally as much as professionally. I was already aware of many background stories, but also learned a lot of new things. Especially the pat on the easter eggs was an amazing summary of the Swifties’ clowning about many of Talor’s hints.
Swiftology
More than the sole information about Taylor’s albums, awards, records, and cooperations, the author also includes interpretations on Taylor’s symbolism. Kathleen Perricone walks us through a A to Z, with the most fun details and stories as much as parts of Taylors recurring imagery. Perricone also comments on relationships that Taylor sustained to her boyfriends, family, girlfriends, and cooperators. The last part of the book then allows the readers to compare themselves with Taylor’s attitude and music in Taylorscopes for every zodiac sign. I found this part expectantly vague and therefore unnecessary and could have imagined a better use for these pages. I nonetheless enjoyed most of the book a lot and feel even more like a Swiftie now, provided with new information.
Must-Have
This book is surely a highlight for Swifties, no matter how intense you have been following TS. I am certain that every fan will find some new information. In case they don’t, this book will be nonetheless a wonderful addition to their shelves. More than pure text, this book also features the most awesome illustrations of Taylor in several of her best-known outfits. It summarizes her life and work and thus offers a perfect overview for every fan.
Although the book is now released in July, the cut for any additions might have been way earlier. Taylor’s eleventh album is included in the discography. Its interpretation and additional information is nevertheless limited to the early expectations of it being mostly about Joe Alwyn. Perricone worked many years on this book but there will nonetheless be some losses in the overall density of and engagement with the information. This is not to devalue her amazing work in any way!
In conclusion
If you’re even half as much of a Swiftie as I am, you will love this book! It covers not only almost 20 years of Taylor’s career but also takes a dive into her symbolism, her inspiration, and her life connected to her expressions in songs. Accompanied by cute illustrations, this book will be an informative joy of a read!
The author:
Kathleen Perricone is a freelance writer of long-form magazines (bookazines) with published titles about Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Anne Frank, Barack Obama, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and dozens more. Over the past two decades, Kathleen has also worked as a celebrity news editor in New York City as well as for Yahoo!, Ryan Seacrest Productions, and for a reality TV family who shall remain nameless. She lives in Los Angeles. Source