Author: Karen Kelsky
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0553419420
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
The definitive career guide for grad students, adjuncts, post-docs and anyone else eager to get tenure or turn their Ph.D. into their ideal job Each year tens of thousands of students will, after years of hard work and enormous amounts of money, earn their Ph.D. And each year only a small percentage of them will land a job that justifies and rewards their investment. For every comfortably tenured professor or well-paid former academic, there are countless underpaid and overworked adjuncts, and many more who simply give up in frustration. Those who do make it share an important asset that separates them from the pack: they have a plan. They understand exactly what they need to do to set themselves up for success. They know what really moves the needle in academic job searches, how to avoid the all-too-common mistakes that sink so many of their peers, and how to decide when to point their Ph.D. toward other, non-academic options. Karen Kelsky has made it her mission to help readers join the select few who get the most out of their Ph.D. As a former tenured professor and department head who oversaw numerous academic job searches, she knows from experience exactly what gets an academic applicant a job. And as the creator of the popular and widely respected advice site The Professor is In, she has helped countless Ph.D.’s turn themselves into stronger applicants and land their dream careers. Now, for the first time ever, Karen has poured all her best advice into a single handy guide that addresses the most important issues facing any Ph.D., including: -When, where, and what to publish -Writing a foolproof grant application -Cultivating references and crafting the perfect CV -Acing the job talk and campus interview -Avoiding the adjunct trap -Making the leap to nonacademic work, when the time is right The Professor Is In addresses all of these issues, and many more.
The Professor Is In
Author: Karen Kelsky
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0553419420
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
The definitive career guide for grad students, adjuncts, post-docs and anyone else eager to get tenure or turn their Ph.D. into their ideal job Each year tens of thousands of students will, after years of hard work and enormous amounts of money, earn their Ph.D. And each year only a small percentage of them will land a job that justifies and rewards their investment. For every comfortably tenured professor or well-paid former academic, there are countless underpaid and overworked adjuncts, and many more who simply give up in frustration. Those who do make it share an important asset that separates them from the pack: they have a plan. They understand exactly what they need to do to set themselves up for success. They know what really moves the needle in academic job searches, how to avoid the all-too-common mistakes that sink so many of their peers, and how to decide when to point their Ph.D. toward other, non-academic options. Karen Kelsky has made it her mission to help readers join the select few who get the most out of their Ph.D. As a former tenured professor and department head who oversaw numerous academic job searches, she knows from experience exactly what gets an academic applicant a job. And as the creator of the popular and widely respected advice site The Professor is In, she has helped countless Ph.D.’s turn themselves into stronger applicants and land their dream careers. Now, for the first time ever, Karen has poured all her best advice into a single handy guide that addresses the most important issues facing any Ph.D., including: -When, where, and what to publish -Writing a foolproof grant application -Cultivating references and crafting the perfect CV -Acing the job talk and campus interview -Avoiding the adjunct trap -Making the leap to nonacademic work, when the time is right The Professor Is In addresses all of these issues, and many more.
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0553419420
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
The definitive career guide for grad students, adjuncts, post-docs and anyone else eager to get tenure or turn their Ph.D. into their ideal job Each year tens of thousands of students will, after years of hard work and enormous amounts of money, earn their Ph.D. And each year only a small percentage of them will land a job that justifies and rewards their investment. For every comfortably tenured professor or well-paid former academic, there are countless underpaid and overworked adjuncts, and many more who simply give up in frustration. Those who do make it share an important asset that separates them from the pack: they have a plan. They understand exactly what they need to do to set themselves up for success. They know what really moves the needle in academic job searches, how to avoid the all-too-common mistakes that sink so many of their peers, and how to decide when to point their Ph.D. toward other, non-academic options. Karen Kelsky has made it her mission to help readers join the select few who get the most out of their Ph.D. As a former tenured professor and department head who oversaw numerous academic job searches, she knows from experience exactly what gets an academic applicant a job. And as the creator of the popular and widely respected advice site The Professor is In, she has helped countless Ph.D.’s turn themselves into stronger applicants and land their dream careers. Now, for the first time ever, Karen has poured all her best advice into a single handy guide that addresses the most important issues facing any Ph.D., including: -When, where, and what to publish -Writing a foolproof grant application -Cultivating references and crafting the perfect CV -Acing the job talk and campus interview -Avoiding the adjunct trap -Making the leap to nonacademic work, when the time is right The Professor Is In addresses all of these issues, and many more.
Job Search Sucks!
Author: Deb Mowatt
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1450216579
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 203
Book Description
Job Search Sucks! If you are looking for work, will be looking for work, or have given up on the whole job hunting experience, you will know how true that is. But, if you want work, you gotta do the job search thing, so why not get a laugh or two and some great advice along the way? Read it all? Heard it all? Don't be so sure. Being fired is a horrible experience. A layoff may sound less brutal, but in reality its just a firing in camouflage; you are still being given the boot, only with benefits (sometimes). Just as crappy is having to reenter the workforce after an accident or illness has shattered your confidence, maybe even stolen your ability to do a job you loved and were good at. Or you have just graduated and have no clue what you really want to do with your life or who is going to hire you without experience. Whatever your story, the fact is, some horrific, brutal, or crappy event has forced you to look for work. You just might find a new idea or two in this frank and funny look at what we all know to be trueJob Search Sucks!
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1450216579
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 203
Book Description
Job Search Sucks! If you are looking for work, will be looking for work, or have given up on the whole job hunting experience, you will know how true that is. But, if you want work, you gotta do the job search thing, so why not get a laugh or two and some great advice along the way? Read it all? Heard it all? Don't be so sure. Being fired is a horrible experience. A layoff may sound less brutal, but in reality its just a firing in camouflage; you are still being given the boot, only with benefits (sometimes). Just as crappy is having to reenter the workforce after an accident or illness has shattered your confidence, maybe even stolen your ability to do a job you loved and were good at. Or you have just graduated and have no clue what you really want to do with your life or who is going to hire you without experience. Whatever your story, the fact is, some horrific, brutal, or crappy event has forced you to look for work. You just might find a new idea or two in this frank and funny look at what we all know to be trueJob Search Sucks!
Betting on You
Author: Laurie Ruettimann
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 1250269792
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 155
Book Description
"Indispensable reading for anyone seeking to improve their professional selves." —Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When An essential guide for how to snap out of autopilot and become your own best advocate, with candid anecdotes and easy-to-adopt steps, from veteran HR specialist and popular podcast host Laurie Ruettimann Chances are you've spent the past few months cooped up inside, buried under a relentless news cycle and work that never seems to switch off. Millions of us worldwide are overworked, exhausted, and trying our hardest—yet not getting the recognition we deserve. It’s time for a fix. Top career coach and HR consultant Laurie Ruettimann knows firsthand that work can get a hell of a lot better. A decade ago, Ruettimann was uninspired, blaming others and herself for the unhappiness she felt. Until she had an epiphany: if she wanted a fulfilling existence, she couldn’t sit around and wait for change. She had to be her own leader. She had to truly take ahold of life—the good, the bad, and the downright ugly—in order to transform her future. Today, as businesses prioritize their bottom line over employee satisfaction and workers become increasingly isolated, the need to safeguard your well-being is crucial. And though this sounds intimidating, it’s easier to do than you think. Through tactical advice on how to approach work in a smart and healthy manner, which includes knowing when to sign off for the day, doubling down on our capacity to learn, fixing those finances, and beating impostor syndrome once and for all, Ruettimann lays out the framework necessary to champion your interests and create a life you actually enjoy. Packed with advice and stories of others who regained control of their lives, Betting on You is a game-changing must-read for how to radically improve your day-to-day, working more effectively and enthusiastically starting now.
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 1250269792
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 155
Book Description
"Indispensable reading for anyone seeking to improve their professional selves." —Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When An essential guide for how to snap out of autopilot and become your own best advocate, with candid anecdotes and easy-to-adopt steps, from veteran HR specialist and popular podcast host Laurie Ruettimann Chances are you've spent the past few months cooped up inside, buried under a relentless news cycle and work that never seems to switch off. Millions of us worldwide are overworked, exhausted, and trying our hardest—yet not getting the recognition we deserve. It’s time for a fix. Top career coach and HR consultant Laurie Ruettimann knows firsthand that work can get a hell of a lot better. A decade ago, Ruettimann was uninspired, blaming others and herself for the unhappiness she felt. Until she had an epiphany: if she wanted a fulfilling existence, she couldn’t sit around and wait for change. She had to be her own leader. She had to truly take ahold of life—the good, the bad, and the downright ugly—in order to transform her future. Today, as businesses prioritize their bottom line over employee satisfaction and workers become increasingly isolated, the need to safeguard your well-being is crucial. And though this sounds intimidating, it’s easier to do than you think. Through tactical advice on how to approach work in a smart and healthy manner, which includes knowing when to sign off for the day, doubling down on our capacity to learn, fixing those finances, and beating impostor syndrome once and for all, Ruettimann lays out the framework necessary to champion your interests and create a life you actually enjoy. Packed with advice and stories of others who regained control of their lives, Betting on You is a game-changing must-read for how to radically improve your day-to-day, working more effectively and enthusiastically starting now.
Ask a Manager
Author: Alison Green
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0399181822
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0399181822
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together
The Suck Less Job Search
Author: Adam J. Reiter
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781532949333
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 128
Book Description
Regular job searches SUCK! They don't have to if you know what to do. Put yourself in the driver's seat of your job search and get amazing job offers from companies you're dying to work with. After years of coaching students to C-Suite executives at Fortune 500's I developed a custom-tailored job search strategy designed to keep the job seeker engaged in their search and drive the offers they really want, really quickly. About this project: I've spent my career helping senior executives, talented professionals and new graduates find their dream jobs. Their job searches were slow, stalled or even DOA before we met; after just a few weeks of working together, they landed jobs they wanted. And they loved the work we did together. I bottled up the best step-by-step advice from these one-on-one sessions into 120 action-packed pages, just for you. Take it and run. Who should read this book? If you want a new job right now, you need to read this book. If you want to be known in your industry, you need to read this book. If you want your dream employer to create a job for you, you need to read this book. What you'll learn: How to take back your search and get employers to chase YOU How to take HR/Corporate Recruiters out of the process and get offers directly from hiring managers How to create an undeniable value in the market that will generate offers for you and you alone For Job Seekers: You need a new job right now. I'll show you how to: Use proven strategies to beat out more qualified competition Reignite a dead search Move into a new field Win every interview using a simple, two-step process For Rock Stars: You like where you are, but you have one eye on the next big thing and you want to build your profile. I'll show you how to: Make companies fight over you when they hear your story Stand out to recruiters and executives running "secret searches" Make your current employer beg to give you promotions for fear of losing you to the competition For Students: You're graduating, your loan payments are due and you don't know where to start. I'll show you how to: Beat out your competition, including more seasoned job seekers Get the $$$'s you really deserve instead of taking a salary you can barely live off of Set yourself up for the best promotions and job offers for your entire career Why this book? Most job search advice is terrible. Job searches are miserable. And I could spend every hour of every day of my life advising job seekers and I wouldn't scratch the surface of the need in this area. I want to reach as many people as possible with this message. I want to help job seekers take back control of their search. Everyday people come to me that need my help to find great jobs but they simply can't afford my services. Even with the 10 hours a week that I set aside for pro bono work it doesn't scratch the surface of the demand for real help for job seekers that have been struggling for months and sometimes, years.
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781532949333
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 128
Book Description
Regular job searches SUCK! They don't have to if you know what to do. Put yourself in the driver's seat of your job search and get amazing job offers from companies you're dying to work with. After years of coaching students to C-Suite executives at Fortune 500's I developed a custom-tailored job search strategy designed to keep the job seeker engaged in their search and drive the offers they really want, really quickly. About this project: I've spent my career helping senior executives, talented professionals and new graduates find their dream jobs. Their job searches were slow, stalled or even DOA before we met; after just a few weeks of working together, they landed jobs they wanted. And they loved the work we did together. I bottled up the best step-by-step advice from these one-on-one sessions into 120 action-packed pages, just for you. Take it and run. Who should read this book? If you want a new job right now, you need to read this book. If you want to be known in your industry, you need to read this book. If you want your dream employer to create a job for you, you need to read this book. What you'll learn: How to take back your search and get employers to chase YOU How to take HR/Corporate Recruiters out of the process and get offers directly from hiring managers How to create an undeniable value in the market that will generate offers for you and you alone For Job Seekers: You need a new job right now. I'll show you how to: Use proven strategies to beat out more qualified competition Reignite a dead search Move into a new field Win every interview using a simple, two-step process For Rock Stars: You like where you are, but you have one eye on the next big thing and you want to build your profile. I'll show you how to: Make companies fight over you when they hear your story Stand out to recruiters and executives running "secret searches" Make your current employer beg to give you promotions for fear of losing you to the competition For Students: You're graduating, your loan payments are due and you don't know where to start. I'll show you how to: Beat out your competition, including more seasoned job seekers Get the $$$'s you really deserve instead of taking a salary you can barely live off of Set yourself up for the best promotions and job offers for your entire career Why this book? Most job search advice is terrible. Job searches are miserable. And I could spend every hour of every day of my life advising job seekers and I wouldn't scratch the surface of the need in this area. I want to reach as many people as possible with this message. I want to help job seekers take back control of their search. Everyday people come to me that need my help to find great jobs but they simply can't afford my services. Even with the 10 hours a week that I set aside for pro bono work it doesn't scratch the surface of the demand for real help for job seekers that have been struggling for months and sometimes, years.
My Job Sucks and I Can't Take It Anymore! Help!
Author: John L. White
Publisher: Everlove & Bohannon Publish
ISBN: 9780974068794
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
Publisher: Everlove & Bohannon Publish
ISBN: 9780974068794
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
The IT Career Builder's Toolkit
Author: Matthew Moran
Publisher: Cisco Press
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 316
Book Description
Helping you to build your information technology career in almost any economy, this title features market-focused skills. It shows you how to: present the value of your technical skills in the job market; position yourself as the primary commodity of your career; remove the guesswork out of job searches; and more.
Publisher: Cisco Press
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 316
Book Description
Helping you to build your information technology career in almost any economy, this title features market-focused skills. It shows you how to: present the value of your technical skills in the job market; position yourself as the primary commodity of your career; remove the guesswork out of job searches; and more.
Continuous Discovery Habits
Author: Teresa Torres
Publisher: Product Talk LLC
ISBN: 1736633317
Category : Design
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
"If you haven't had the good fortune to be coached by a strong leader or product coach, this book can help fill that gap and set you on the path to success." - Marty Cagan How do you know that you are making a product or service that your customers want? How do you ensure that you are improving it over time? How do you guarantee that your team is creating value for your customers in a way that creates value for your business? In this book, you'll learn a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that will help you answer each of these questions, giving you the confidence to act while also preparing you to be wrong. You'll learn to balance action with doubt so that you can get started without being blindsided by what you don't get right. If you want to discover products that customers love-that also deliver business results-this book is for you.
Publisher: Product Talk LLC
ISBN: 1736633317
Category : Design
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
"If you haven't had the good fortune to be coached by a strong leader or product coach, this book can help fill that gap and set you on the path to success." - Marty Cagan How do you know that you are making a product or service that your customers want? How do you ensure that you are improving it over time? How do you guarantee that your team is creating value for your customers in a way that creates value for your business? In this book, you'll learn a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that will help you answer each of these questions, giving you the confidence to act while also preparing you to be wrong. You'll learn to balance action with doubt so that you can get started without being blindsided by what you don't get right. If you want to discover products that customers love-that also deliver business results-this book is for you.
Bullshit Jobs
Author: David Graeber
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 1501143336
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
From David Graeber, the bestselling author of The Dawn of Everything and Debt—“a master of opening up thought and stimulating debate” (Slate)—a powerful argument against the rise of meaningless, unfulfilling jobs…and their consequences. Does your job make a meaningful contribution to the world? In the spring of 2013, David Graeber asked this question in a playful, provocative essay titled “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs.” It went viral. After one million online views in seventeen different languages, people all over the world are still debating the answer. There are hordes of people—HR consultants, communication coordinators, telemarketing researchers, corporate lawyers—whose jobs are useless, and, tragically, they know it. These people are caught in bullshit jobs. Graeber explores one of society’s most vexing and deeply felt concerns, indicting among other villains a particular strain of finance capitalism that betrays ideals shared by thinkers ranging from Keynes to Lincoln. “Clever and charismatic” (The New Yorker), Bullshit Jobs gives individuals, corporations, and societies permission to undergo a shift in values, placing creative and caring work at the center of our culture. This book is for everyone who wants to turn their vocation back into an avocation and “a thought-provoking examination of our working lives” (Financial Times).
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 1501143336
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368
Book Description
From David Graeber, the bestselling author of The Dawn of Everything and Debt—“a master of opening up thought and stimulating debate” (Slate)—a powerful argument against the rise of meaningless, unfulfilling jobs…and their consequences. Does your job make a meaningful contribution to the world? In the spring of 2013, David Graeber asked this question in a playful, provocative essay titled “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs.” It went viral. After one million online views in seventeen different languages, people all over the world are still debating the answer. There are hordes of people—HR consultants, communication coordinators, telemarketing researchers, corporate lawyers—whose jobs are useless, and, tragically, they know it. These people are caught in bullshit jobs. Graeber explores one of society’s most vexing and deeply felt concerns, indicting among other villains a particular strain of finance capitalism that betrays ideals shared by thinkers ranging from Keynes to Lincoln. “Clever and charismatic” (The New Yorker), Bullshit Jobs gives individuals, corporations, and societies permission to undergo a shift in values, placing creative and caring work at the center of our culture. This book is for everyone who wants to turn their vocation back into an avocation and “a thought-provoking examination of our working lives” (Financial Times).
Your Band Sucks
Author: Jon Fine
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698170318
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
• A New York Times Summer Reading List selection • A Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book of 2015 • A Business Insider Best Summer Read • An Esquire Father’s Day Book selection • A New York Observer Best Music Book of 2015 • A memoir charting thirty years of the American independent rock underground by a musician who knows it intimately Jon Fine spent nearly thirty years performing and recording with bands that played various forms of aggressive and challenging underground rock music, and, as he writes in this memoir, at no point were any of those bands “ever threatened, even distantly, by actual fame.” Yet when members of his first band, Bitch Magnet, reunited after twenty-one years to tour Europe, Asia, and America, diehard longtime fans traveled from far and wide to attend those shows, despite creeping middle-age obligations of parenthood and 9-to-5 jobs, testament to the remarkable staying power of the indie culture that the bands predating the likes of Bitch Magnet--among them Black Flag, Mission of Burma, and Sonic Youth --willed into existence through sheer determination and a shared disdain for the mediocrity of contemporary popular music. In indie rock’s pre-Internet glory days of the 1980s, such defiant bands attracted fans only through samizdat networks that encompassed word of mouth, college radio, tiny record stores and ‘zines. Eschewing the superficiality of performers who gained fame through MTV, indie bands instead found glory in all-night recording sessions, shoestring van tours and endless appearances in grimy clubs. Some bands with a foot in this scene, like REM and Nirvana, eventually attained mainstream success. Many others, like Bitch Magnet, were beloved only by the most obsessed fans of this time. Like Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, Your Band Sucks is an insider’s look at a fascinating and ferociously loved subculture. In it, Fine tracks how the indie-rock underground emerged and evolved, how it grappled with the mainstream and vice versa, and how it led many bands to an odd rebirth in the 21 st Century in which they reunited, briefly and bittersweetly, after being broken up for decades. Like Patti Smith’s Just Kids, Your Band Sucks is a unique evocation of a particular aesthetic moment. With backstage access to many key characters in the scene—and plenty of wit and sharply-worded opinion—Fine delivers a memoir that affectionately yet critically portrays an important, heady moment in music history.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0698170318
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
• A New York Times Summer Reading List selection • A Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book of 2015 • A Business Insider Best Summer Read • An Esquire Father’s Day Book selection • A New York Observer Best Music Book of 2015 • A memoir charting thirty years of the American independent rock underground by a musician who knows it intimately Jon Fine spent nearly thirty years performing and recording with bands that played various forms of aggressive and challenging underground rock music, and, as he writes in this memoir, at no point were any of those bands “ever threatened, even distantly, by actual fame.” Yet when members of his first band, Bitch Magnet, reunited after twenty-one years to tour Europe, Asia, and America, diehard longtime fans traveled from far and wide to attend those shows, despite creeping middle-age obligations of parenthood and 9-to-5 jobs, testament to the remarkable staying power of the indie culture that the bands predating the likes of Bitch Magnet--among them Black Flag, Mission of Burma, and Sonic Youth --willed into existence through sheer determination and a shared disdain for the mediocrity of contemporary popular music. In indie rock’s pre-Internet glory days of the 1980s, such defiant bands attracted fans only through samizdat networks that encompassed word of mouth, college radio, tiny record stores and ‘zines. Eschewing the superficiality of performers who gained fame through MTV, indie bands instead found glory in all-night recording sessions, shoestring van tours and endless appearances in grimy clubs. Some bands with a foot in this scene, like REM and Nirvana, eventually attained mainstream success. Many others, like Bitch Magnet, were beloved only by the most obsessed fans of this time. Like Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, Your Band Sucks is an insider’s look at a fascinating and ferociously loved subculture. In it, Fine tracks how the indie-rock underground emerged and evolved, how it grappled with the mainstream and vice versa, and how it led many bands to an odd rebirth in the 21 st Century in which they reunited, briefly and bittersweetly, after being broken up for decades. Like Patti Smith’s Just Kids, Your Band Sucks is a unique evocation of a particular aesthetic moment. With backstage access to many key characters in the scene—and plenty of wit and sharply-worded opinion—Fine delivers a memoir that affectionately yet critically portrays an important, heady moment in music history.