Chris Handyside

Non-Fiction

Handyside, Chris. Fell in Love with a Band: The Story of the White Stripes. 2004. St. Martin’s Press: New York.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

Subject Content Tags: Biography, Rock Musicians, Band, White Stripes, Music, Guitar, Drums

Age / Grade Appropriateness: Grades 8 and up

Awards: No awards to date

Censorship Issues: Parents might have a problem with teenagers reading about the underground music scene and all that it entails, such as possible drug and alcohol use.

Content Summary: This being the White Stripes very first biography, author Chris Handyside had his work cut out for him. But, having been with the band and following their progress since their formation in 1997 allowed him to provide an all access pass backstage into their career. He is able to capture the good and bad times of this zealous duo and their rise to Indie Rock god status.

Critique: This is a great biography for young adults because it focuses on a popular group of their time. They can find it easy to relate because it is not in the distant past or a boring account of their lives. It paints a scene of what it takes to become musicians from someone who has followed their every footstep. The photos throughout the book also add a lot to their interest. I thought it was a great documentary of an upbeat and ingenious band.

Curriculum Uses: Well, this could certainly be used in a music classroom to observe popular music of the day. It could also serve purpose in an English classroom to examine good interviewing techniques, as there is a plethora throughout the novel. This would prove very useful in a school and public library to persuade children to read more non-fiction.… (mer)