Reading during summer is one of life s great simple pleasures.
If you find yourself with a few days off and a few hours to yourself, these music books are all well worth sinking your eyes into. They re mostly fun, sometimes a bit intense, but always insightful.
Here s a short rundown of some of the best new books on Australian shelves this summer.
Paul Kelly by Stuart Coupe
Revered Aussie rock writer Stuart Coupe turns to the life of Australian icon
Paul Kelly for his latest work.
Kelly told his story richly in his autobiography a few years back, but sometimes an outside perspective reveals insights we otherwise wouldn t glean.
Advertisement
What it covers: Jessica Simpson’s autobiography was released right before quarantine to rave reviews. Critics praised her openness (I mean, it’s called “Open Book”) and her willingness to discuss the highs and lows of her life and career, including her and former husband Nick Lachey’s MTV breakout reality hit, “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” which aired from 2003 to 2005 and jettisoned her and Lachey into another stratosphere of fame. She also discusses the strain that the show put on the marriage, childhood trauma, various other celebrity relationships (John Mayer , Tony Romo and Johnny Knoxville , to name a few), her sometimes troubled relationship with her father, her battles with addiction and body image and her health struggles. It’s hard to believe that Simpson has been in the public eye long enough to warrant a splashy memoir, but her career really took off in the early aughts, which means she’s managed to remain in the spotlight for nearly 2