Book Reviews: August 2006 Note: Reviews are in no particular order

"But Enough About Me…A Jersey Girl’s Unlikely Adventures Among The Absurdly Famous"
By Jancee Dunn “I was voted Class Clown when I desperately wanted Best Legs,” former Rolling Stone writer Jancee Dunn recalls about her high school yearbook in “But Enough About Me” her amusing memoir of her career as a celebrity interviewer/MTV 2 VJ. In some ways, Dunn, who hails from a middle class New Jersey home (Dad managed a JC Penneys) is the antithesis of the usual rock journalist. Neither academic elitist or bootlicking groupie with a pen, Dunn began her career in a generic office as a proofreader and got her Rolling Stone editorial assistant gig almost as a fluke, after a chance meeting with a well-connected party-goer. Shortly after being hired by Rolling Stone, she was promoted to celebrity interviewer.

Dunn’s breezy, humorous prose had me chuckling through descriptions of her interviews with Bono, Madonna, Dolly Parton and other music biz icons. Her “Everywoman” honesty seemed to bring out the best in her subjects (well, except for Jennifer Beals), and she includes tips on what to do and most importantly, what not to do when interviewing rock stars. A few of Dunn’s interviews took particularly odd detours, including a potentially harrowing one involving Scott Weiland.

Instead of concentrating solely on celebrities, Dunn also features a cast of characters from offstage, including her family, various boyfriends, and the producer of her MTV2 segments, a “tell it like it is” New Yorker who plays Lou Grant to Dunn’s Mary Richards. “I hate everyone today,” the producer, whose name is Lou, barks on his way into the studio one day as he goes into a diatribe about young Manhattan women and their cell phones and little dogs. “But Enough About Me” humanizes the big, bad world of celebrity journalism and makes you laugh at the same time.

"In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work"
By Anthony DeCurtis

Anthony DeCurtis is a 25+ year veteran rock 'n roll journalist who's work has been in ROLLING STONE, RECORD magazine, THE NEW YORK TIMES, GUITAR WORLD, just to name a few. There is a reason his work is so popular - DeCurtis seems to have a natural affinity in the one-on-one in-person interview. Whether it is musicians (like the various Beatles, Johnny Cash, Billy Joel & Elton John, Keith Richards) or directors (Woody Allen, Al Pacino), he seems to be able to pull out the "relevant" in each of his celebrity interviews.

The interview is an "art form" in and of itself, since many of these subjects have obviously been subjected to their share of boring and seemingly endless interviews during their career. But DeCurtis always manages to come away with something interesting, whether the artist is confrontational - like his interview with Van Morrison.

In fact, during the "Introduction: The Art of Talk", Anthony DeCurtis gives away many of his secrets to a successful interview, and fledgling journalists everywhere should make this intro required reading. It explains why his interviews remain intelligent AND entertaining.