New Book: But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past by Chuck Klosterman

A few weeks ago, or maybe a month -- shit, I don't know, man -- I finished reading How Music Works by David Byrne.  Byrne -- who was, of course, the lead singer and lead songwriter for Talking Heads -- wrote what is basically a text book about various aspects of music, music theory, the history of music, how we think about music, and why we make and listen to music.  It was interesting, and definitely a book that you don't need to read straight through or need to read quickly all at once.  That's not meant to be a knock, as Byrne himself admitted that the chapters are pretty much independent.  The chapter I found most interesting was on the business of music and how artists get paid, both on the publishing side and the recording/performing side.  The bottom line is this:  don't buy digital music because it is fucking over the artists.  I knew there was a reason I still buy CDs and vinyl.  More money goes to the artist.

I have since started reading But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past by Chuck Klosterman.  He is one of my favorite authors and has been since I read Fargo Rock City about twelve years ago.  I think I've read every one of his books, fiction and nonfiction.  But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past is based on the premise that we are mostly wrong about predicting the future, and we are usually wrong when we arrogantly think that what we know now is how it will always be.  So far, it's a fascinating read, and kind of a mind fuck.

Books Read in 2018:
-How Music Works by David Byrne