Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Women Icons of Popular Music, by Carrie Havranek. 2 vol., 505 p. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-313-34083-3. $175.

This set features 24 female artists from the last half-century of popular music, including Patsy Cline, Joan Baez, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Debbie Harry, Madonna and Mary J. Blige. Havranek’s broad reach extends to country, rhythm and blues, folk, alternative rock, punk, and hip-hop. The biographical entries are all about 20 pages long. Thorough and well-written, they follow a consistent pattern of an overview; early years; career path; mission, motivation and process, legacy and other interests; discography; and a bibliography of digital and print resources for further reading. Although most people won’t read this work from start to finish, there is a consistency of tone and focus that makes comparisons among artists easy. Sidebars connect the biographical subject to engaging related topics: The Dixie Chicks continue Patsy Cline’s legacy; Missy Elliot’s fashion statements influence hip-hop culture; Dolly Parton’s reach extends beyond music as she brands herself through movies, television and fashion. While the covers are attractive, a single black-and-white photograph for each artist and uninspired graphics leave the overall look somewhat drab. As a supplement to other resources on popular music, especially with an emphasis on biographies, this set is recommended for high school and public libraries.