Bloomsbury Publishing has created two hyper-focused book series and I can’t stop reading them. The first is the 33 1/3 series, which includes 168 books, each one a deep-dive into a specific album. Each book has a separate author and each author, passionate about the album of his or her choice, chooses the direction they will take in their discussion of it. It might be a half-fictional narrative of The Pogues’ Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash, a technical breakdown of what it took to create Television’s Marquee Moon, or a straight-up song-by-song analysis of The Pixies’ Doolittle. No matter which tactic the author takes, the result is always a new appreciation for the record.
The next is the BFI (British Film Institute) Film Classics, which includes 237 titles. Same idea, except this time each book delves into a specific film. These are fantastic and there is wide range of movies, from It’s a Wonderful Life to The Shining. They are just as aesthetically pleasing as the 33 1/3 series; both are small, with beautiful covers. The film covers all look like mini Criterion DVDs and the album covers are simple reproductions of the album but paired with others make a lovely set.
Many of these are available to request through Minerva and if you’ve ever wanted to learn more about a beloved film or album, they are a great resource!
Sarah, Reference
