From Powells.com
Hand-selected books for your reading list.
Staff Pick
Ani DiFranco’s memoir is an intimate window into her childhood and the early years of her fame, detailing how she navigated the cutthroat music industry while staying true to her indie folk feminist roots. Just like her music, Ani’s written words are candid and full of passion. A great read for her fans and for those looking for insight into how to navigate the music business while staying true to themselves. Recommended By Mary S., Powells.com
Grammy Award winner Ani DiFranco’s new memoir encompasses her upbringing in Buffalo, NY, inspiration for her music, and her activism and self-expression within the folk rock world. No Walls and the Recurring Dream is a compelling memoir from a strong musical talent who influenced the 1990s indie rock landscape. Recommended By Kim T., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
A memoir by the celebrated singer-songwriter and social activist Ani DiFranco
In her new memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, Ani DiFranco recounts her early life from a place of hard-won wisdom, combining personal expression, the power of music, feminism, political activism, storytelling, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and much more into an inspiring whole. In these frank, honest, passionate, and often funny pages is the tale of one woman's eventful and radical journey to the age of thirty. Ani's coming of age story is defined by her ethos of fierce independence — from being an emancipated minor sleeping in a Buffalo bus station, to unwaveringly building a career through appearances at small clubs and festivals, to releasing her first album at the age of 18, to consciously rejecting the mainstream recording industry and creating her own label, Righteous Babe Records. In these pages, as in life, she never hesitates to challenge established rules and expectations, maintaining a level of artistic integrity that has impressed many and antagonized more than a few. Ani continues to be a major touring and recording artist as well as a celebrated activist and feminist, standing as living proof that you can overcome all personal and societal obstacles to be who you are and to follow your dreams.
Review
“The Grammy-winning [Ani DiFranco] recounts the eventful story of her life as a musician and feminist political activist….Interspersed throughout with feminist/political musings and anecdotes about such music legends as Pete Seeger, Prince, and Bob Dylan, DiFranco’s tale celebrates both independent music and an unconventional life daringly lived. A refreshingly frank and free-spirited memoir from a feminist icon.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
“[DiFranco] makes her literary debut in this powerful reflection on her life and career….Throughout, DiFranco writes of her self-doubts and romantic hardships….Honest and passionate, DiFranco’s memoir will resonate with her many fans.” Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Ani DiFranco is a Grammy-winning musical artist and feminist icon recognized for her poetry and songwriting which pierces social convention and challenges the status quo, as well as for her social activism and political engagement. One of the first artists to create her own label in 1990, she is the mother of the DIY movement and has sold over 5.5 million albums on her own Righteous Babe Records, and recently released her twentieth studio album. While she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has embraced many genres and collaborators ranging from Bob Dylan to Chuck D to Prince. She lives in New Orleans.