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Last updated: February 10, 2023

    The best books on Rock and Roll, recommended by Craig Brown

  • Read
    The best books on Rock and Roll - Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock by Nik Cohn

    1

    Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock
    by Nik Cohn

  • Read
    The best books on Rock and Roll - British Hit Singles and Albums ed. David Roberts

    2

    British Hit Singles and Albums
    ed. David Roberts

  • Read
    The best books on Rock and Roll - John Lennon in My Life by Nicholas Schaffner & Pete Shotton

    3

    John Lennon in My Life
    by Nicholas Schaffner & Pete Shotton

  • Read
    The best books on Rock and Roll - Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette by Ronnie Spector & Vince Waldron

    4

    Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette
    by Ronnie Spector & Vince Waldron

  • Read
    The best books on Rock and Roll - I'm With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela Des Barres

    5

    I'm With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie
    by Pamela Des Barres

  • We might console ourselves with the thought that rock stars are generally miserable, but the truth is that most of them seem to have a great time. Journalist, satirist and Beatles biographer Craig Brown selects five of the best books on that rock and roll lifestyle.

  • The best books on Rock and Roll - Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock by Nik Cohn
  • The best books on Rock and Roll - British Hit Singles and Albums ed. David Roberts
  • The best books on Rock and Roll - John Lennon in My Life by Nicholas Schaffner & Pete Shotton
  • The best books on Rock and Roll - Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette by Ronnie Spector & Vince Waldron
  • The best books on Rock and Roll - I'm With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela Des Barres

The best books on Rock and Roll, recommended by Craig Brown

We might console ourselves with the thought that rock stars are generally miserable, but the truth is that most of them seem to have a great time. Journalist, satirist and Beatles biographer Craig Brown selects five of the best books on that rock and roll lifestyle.

The best books on Rock and Roll, recommended by Craig Brown

    The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Taylor

  • Read
    The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous by Christopher Bonanos

    1

    Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous
    by Christopher Bonanos

  • Read
    The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown

    2

    Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret
    by Craig Brown

  • Read
    The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huang

    3

    Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History
    by Yunte Huang

  • Read
    The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - The Man in the Glass House: Philip Johnson, Architect of the Modern Century by Mark Lamster

    4

    The Man in the Glass House: Philip Johnson, Architect of the Modern Century
    by Mark Lamster

  • Read
    The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created by Jane Leavy

    5

    The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created
    by Jane Leavy

  • Biography is booming, says the longtime book critic and biographer Elizabeth Taylor. Here she highlights the five fantastic books shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle 2019 biography award, and how historical lives provide insight into contemporary culture.

  • The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous by Christopher Bonanos
  • The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown
  • The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huang
  • The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - The Man in the Glass House: Philip Johnson, Architect of the Modern Century by Mark Lamster
  • The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist - The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created by Jane Leavy

The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Taylor

Biography is booming, says the longtime book critic and biographer Elizabeth Taylor. Here she highlights the five fantastic books shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle 2019 biography award, and how historical lives provide insight into contemporary culture.

The Best Biographies: the 2019 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Taylor

    The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words by Andrew Morton

    1

    Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words
    by Andrew Morton

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - The Housekeeper's Diary by Wendy Berry

    2

    The Housekeeper's Diary
    by Wendy Berry

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Kate by Claudia Joseph

    3

    Kate
    by Claudia Joseph

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth

    4

    Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair
    by Gyles Brandreth

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - William and Harry by Ingrid Seward

    5

    William and Harry
    by Ingrid Seward

  • The Mail on Sunday’s Royal Correspondent, Katie Nicholl, looks at how the histories of the previous generation have shaped Princes William and Harry. She picks the best books on the British royals.

  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words by Andrew Morton
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - The Housekeeper's Diary by Wendy Berry
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Kate by Claudia Joseph
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth
  • The best books on Modern Day British Royals - William and Harry by Ingrid Seward

The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

The Mail on Sunday’s Royal Correspondent, Katie Nicholl, looks at how the histories of the previous generation have shaped Princes William and Harry. She picks the best books on the British royals.

The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

    The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot

    1

    The English Constitution
    by Walter Bagehot

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - King George V by Kenneth Rose

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - Edward VIII by Frances Donaldson

    3

    Edward VIII
    by Frances Donaldson

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - Crown and People by Philip Ziegler

    4

    Crown and People
    by Philip Ziegler

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

    5

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

  • She became the heir to the British throne because her uncle had resigned and became Queen Elizabeth II aged just 25, after her father's early death in 1952. The royal biographer Robert Lacey considers Elizabeth Windsor (1926-2022),  her family history, her legacy and what made her so successful as Britain's titular head of state.

  • The best books on The Queen - The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot
  • The best books on The Queen - King George V by Kenneth Rose
  • The best books on The Queen - Edward VIII by Frances Donaldson
  • The best books on The Queen - Crown and People by Philip Ziegler
  • The best books on The Queen - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

She became the heir to the British throne because her uncle had resigned and became Queen Elizabeth II aged just 25, after her father’s early death in 1952. The royal biographer Robert Lacey considers Elizabeth Windsor (1926-2022),  her family history, her legacy and what made her so successful as Britain’s titular head of state.

The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

    The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - George VI by Sarah Bradford

    1

    George VI
    by Sarah Bradford

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy by Ben Pimlott

    2

    The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy
    by Ben Pimlott

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

    3

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - Shadows of a Princess by Patrick Jephson

    4

    Shadows of a Princess
    by Patrick Jephson

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - England Under the Tudors by G R Elton

    5

    England Under the Tudors
    by G R Elton

  • Bestselling celebrity biographer Andrew Morton recommends the best books on the British royal family and the publishing of his own book, Diana, Her True Story—In Her Own Words, viewed by many as the definitive book on Princess Diana.

  • The best books on British Royalty - George VI by Sarah Bradford
  • The best books on British Royalty - The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy by Ben Pimlott
  • The best books on British Royalty - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown
  • The best books on British Royalty - Shadows of a Princess by Patrick Jephson
  • The best books on British Royalty - England Under the Tudors by G R Elton

The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

Bestselling celebrity biographer Andrew Morton recommends the best books on the British royal family and the publishing of his own book, Diana, Her True Story—In Her Own Words, viewed by many as the definitive book on Princess Diana.

The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

About

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

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