Can't Wait Wednesday (255)

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

FROM GOODREADS: Formerly Known As profoundly changes what we know about a global star whose talents humbled other celebrities, and who ruthlessly controlled his own image and career, purposely muddying the murky waters of his own fractured life to keep attention focused on his music--not the man--and whom everyone wanted to know.

Neal Karlen was the only journalist Prince granted in-depth press interviews to for over a dozen years, from before Purple Rain to when the artist changed his name to an unpronounceable glyph. Karlen interviewed Prince for three Rolling Stone cover stories, wrote "3 Chains o' Gold," Prince's "rock video opera," as well as the rock star's last testament, which is claimed to be buried with Prince's will underneath Paisley Park's vast acreage.

According to Prince's former fianc�e Susannah Melvoin, Karlen was "the only reporter who made Prince sound like what he really sounded like." Karlen quit writing about Prince a quarter-century before the mega-star died, but he never quit Prince, and the two remained confidantes for the last thirty-one years of the superstar's life.

Indeed, Prince and Karlen had known each other years before (the reporter's grandparents lived two blocks from Prince in North Minneapolis, ) as two of the gang of Minneapolis kids who biked around the neighborhood and played basketball. Karlen says that not only can fans not understand Prince without understanding Minneapolis in the '70s, but that even his best friends knew only 15% of him: that was all he was willing to give, no matter how much he cared for them.

Going back to Prince Rogers Nelson's roots, especially his contradictory often tortured, and sometimes violent relationship with his father, Formerly Known As explains the star as no biography has: a superstar who calls in the middle of the night to talk, who loved The Wire and could quote from every episode of The Office, who frequented libraries and jammed spontaneously for local crowds (and fed everyone pancakes afterward), who was lonely but craved being alone. Readers will drive around Minneapolis with Prince in a convertible, talk about movies and music and life, and watch as he tries not to curse (and instead dishes a healthy dose of "mamma jammas").

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  April has come to mean a lot of things for me.  This April has turned into a nightmare for so much of the world and I'm constantly worrying about everyone.  Last April we lost Booker T.  And then 4 years ago we lost Prince, whom everyone who visits here knows hit me hard. (sad story, Booker T actually died on the same day last year and I was so distraught it took me 9 months to realize it.

So I'm thrilled that there are still new books coming out.  This one seems to have a more personal side to it as it will delve into some of his favorite shows and the fact that he loved visiting local libraries.

CASSIUS'S PICK:

FROM GOOREADS:  A delightfully quirky, cute, and funny guide to horoscopes told through adorable dog photographs.

With the help of a collection of sweet and hilarious dog pictures, DOGSTROLOGY will unlock all the secrets of the stars that you need to know, including:

- Each of the signs at their best and worst (and the perfect pup to illustrate them)

- The common traits of each element and modality in the zodiac

- What do you and your "sister sign" have in common? Find out, with the perfect dog photo to complement it.

- And of course: the right dog for you, based on your star sign!

WHY CASS CAN'T WAIT:  This is already out.  It seems like people everywhere are waiting on all kinds of things - good news, word about loved ones, for things to start looking up.  I wanted to share a book that sound cute and quirky and one where people can enjoy it in the here and now. 

CASS AND APOLLO SAY STAY SAFE FRIENDS!