Janis Joplin

Gr 9 Up—It was 40 years ago this October that the rock singer died from an overdose of alcohol and drugs at the age of 27. From interviews with her friends and letters that Joplin wrote home, Angel pieces together her subject's short life, contrasting her conservative upbringing in a small Texas town with the wild 1960s, vividly portrayed both in descriptions and in excellent-quality, full-color and black-and-white photos on almost every page. Joplin's husky, passionate singing voice was appreciated by other musicians and by her audiences. She loved to sing the blues with the misery and pain that dominated the lyrics. Bessie Smith and Odetta were her heroines. The author points out that despite the fame and fortune that she achieved, Joplin was basically insecure and in need of acceptance. This book is well researched with more than 100 notes referring to specific quotes from friends, family, and magazines. Teens will be intrigued by the life of this cult figure. Her memory has been kept alive by her recordings and an off-Broadway show, Love, Janis, based on letters she wrote to family and friends during her career, which continues to be staged throughout the country.—Peggy Fleming, formerly at Churchville-Chili High School, Churchville, NY

Finally we arrive at our misunderstood girl. Ann Angel rose to the top of a prime field of candidates to win YALSA's Nonfiction Award with her biography of rock icon Janis Joplin. A longtime fan of Joplin's music, I was surprised by so many details of her life. Would you believe that the same girl who stunned audiences at the Monterey Pop Festival was once a member of the Slide Rule Club and Future Teachers of America? Or that the songstress who howled out, "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?" herself owned a brightly painted Porsche and floor-length mink? The mink was a gift from the makers of Southern Comfort, in thanks for her endorsement of their product. It reflected her tastes, which, despite her hippie leanings, were far more Lady Gaga than Joan Baez. Now a parent, I appreciated the pain her loving family must have felt on learning of her death by drug overdose at the tender age of 27. Psychedelic borders jazz up the oversized pages, which are full of original documents and photos, making for an altogether gorgeous presentation. Crank up "Me & Bobby McGee" and celebrate the too short life of this girl gone wild. — "35 Going on 13," Booksmack! 2/17/11

This sturdy biography covers the rock legend's life, from her misfit middle-class adolescence in Port Arthur, Texas, to her death by overdose. Along the way, it attempts to set the record straight about her sexuality, vices, and chronic need for validation. Angel reliably provides the social contexts against which Joplin rose and fell. A copious number of black-and-white photos illustrate events. Timeline. Bib., ind.