'Fascinating... Generally persuasive and always entertainingly argued... An arresting thesis... McWhorter's...examples reflect a wide-ranging knowledge of popular culture, and he is full of odd, illuminating facts.'

'Every generation believes that language is in decline, but Doing Our Own Thing argues that this time the concern is real... John McWhorter's...analysis is insightful, richly documented, and yes, eloquently written.'

Astonishing book...uncovers new evidence

A definitive, generational work

First-rate reporting...dense and intimate

Anthony Summers never writes a book that fails to offer accurate material you will find nowhere else...No surprise then that Sinatra: The Life is one of the very few, bona fide, three-dimensional portraits of an amazingly complex, interesting and sometimes god-awful guy

Often books about jazz musicians make the mistake of over-focusing on the music. Blackburn is more interested in Billie as a person

This is a really marvellous book, the most uninhibitedly intimate portrayal ever of the short, hard life and overall musical triumph of Lady Day...With Billie vividly reflects the chaos that Billie Holiday was born into and only rarely escaped from