Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a GenerationA groundbreaking and irresistible biography of three of America's most important musical artists -- Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon -- charts their lives as women at a magical moment in time. Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon remain among the most enduring and important women in popular music. Each woman is distinct. Carole King is the product of outer-borough, middle-class New York City; Joni Mitchell is a granddaughter of Canadian farmers; and Carly Simon is a child of the Manhattan intellectual upper crust. They collectively represent, in their lives and their songs, a great swath of American girls who came of age in the late 1960s. Their stories trace the arc of the now mythic sixties generation -- female version -- but in a bracingly specific and deeply recalled way, far from cliché. The history of the women of that generation has never been written -- until now, through their resonant lives and emblematic songs. Filled with the voices of many dozens of these women's intimates, who are speaking in these pages for the first time, this alternating biography reads like a novel -- except it's all true, and the heroines are famous and beloved. Sheila Weller captures the character of each woman and gives a balanced portrayal enriched by a wealth of new information. Girls Like Us is an epic treatment of midcentury women who dared to break tradition and become what none had been before them -- confessors in song, rock superstars, and adventurers of heart and soul. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - pennsylady - LibraryThingnteresting bios I was taken back by the complexity of their lives (although I shouldn't have been) and especially enjoyed learning what motivated a particular song. Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - ennie - LibraryThingAt almost 600 pages, there's no point in picking this book up without an interest in the subject. That was not a problem for me, since the subjects are 3 singers whose work provided an important sound ... Read full review
Contents
chapter | 29 |
chapter three Carly | 78 |
chapter four | 103 |
1961Early 1965 | 124 |
1961Late 1965 | 153 |
March 1965December 1967 | 208 |
19651969 | 249 |
Late 1967Mid1970 | 273 |
19721984 | 377 |
19721982 | 403 |
Late 1973Late 1987 | 440 |
Source Notes | 529 |
531 | |
Acknowledgments | 541 |
Discography | 561 |
569 | |
Other editions - View all
Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--and the Journey of a ... Sheila Weller No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
album Arlyne artist baby beautiful Blue boyfriend called Canyon Carly says Carly Simon Carly’s Carole King Carole’s Chuck concert confidante Court and Spark Crosby Cynthia Cynthia Weil D’Arcy Danny Kortchmar daughter David didn’t Don Alias Dylan Ellen emotional Estrella feel felt female find first five flew Gerry’s girl girlfriend going Graham Guerin guitar hair hippie Holzman husband interview Jackson Browne Jake James Taylor James’s jazz Jeanie Jessica Joan John Joni Mitchell Joni’s Judy kids Kilauren knew Larry later listened living looked Lou Adler marriage married mother moved musician never night performing Peter Asher piano played recalls record reflected relationship Rick rock Rolling Stone romance Russ Kunkel she’d singer singing sister song songwriter star Stephanie Steve Street talked Tapestry things thought told took turned voice wanted who’d wife woman women writing wrote York young