Queen Bey

January 1, 2019
A diverse chorus of voices praises the acclaimed songstress and cultural icon.Chambers (The Go-Between, 2017, etc.), the editor of the New York Times archival storytelling team, who, in addition to her own books, has co-authored books by Michael Strahan, Timbaland, Robin Roberts, Eric Ripert, and Marcus Samuelsson, collects essays from distinguished professionals in entertainment, media, and social activism. In an introduction celebrating the "fire in her belly, the almost otherworldly level of focus and ambition in her eyes," Chambers lauds Beyoncé's "soundtrack of power and possibility," which buoyed the editor through unexpected life changes. Nigerian author and speaker Luvvie Ajayi rhapsodizes over the singer's immense cultural influence and celebrates her memorable, career-defining performance at the 2018 Coachella Festival. Data journalist Meredith Broussard's graphic biography of "Bey" vividly combines art and geographical statistics. The perspectives Chambers assembles are delightfully manifold and aptly representative of Beyoncé as a veteran entertainer and an influential cultural icon transcending age and social status. YouTube sensation Kid Fury commends Beyoncé on how much her inclusive productions have consistently impacted the gay community. Other contributors examine Beyoncé's referential, allusive artistry, her evolving feminism, her Instagram account, and career comparisons to the upper echelon of female rappers, and there are fair-minded criticisms of her "Formation" and "Lemonade" albums. Collectively, these well-balanced essays amplify the popularity and reach of Beyoncé's music and persona across generations of women (and men). The anthology closes with award-winning journalist Caroline Clarke attesting that while perfectionism can be a common trap for girls, when it is applied to superstars like Beyoncé, it makes her "a pretty damn good role model for my daughter or anyone, including me." With such a dynamic ensemble of opinions and reflections, the collection will be sweet reading not just for Beyoncé's superfans, but also for activists, feminists, and budding vocalists.An uplifting and resounding ovation.

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February 1, 2019

Chambers (editor, The Meaning of Michelle) collaborates with cultural critics and academics to provide a nuanced assessment of BeyoncéGiselle Knowles-Carter, from her time as a member of girl group Destiny's Child to her evolution into a solo artist with Dangerously in Love (2003). Chambers begins by describing the cultural impact of Destiny's Child on herself as an Afro-Latina. While contributors touch on all of Beyoncé's solo albums, Lemonade (2016) receives the most attention, along with her 2018 performance as the first black woman to headline Coachella. Standout essays include those by professor Melissa Harris-Perry (Wake Forest Univ., NC) and student Mankappr Conteh debating the singer's performative feminism, Robin M. Boylorn (Univ. of Alabama) analyzing the artist's carefully crafted public persona, writer Candice Benbow contemplating the performer's spiritual identity, and lawyer Reshma Saujani discussing Beyoncé's candor about experiencing miscarriage. Some pieces fall flat, such as one containing Wikipedia highlights of her career. Yet the collection effectively shows the singer's complexities and her evolving definitions of black womanhood. VERDICT Though not a definitive biography, this work blends performing arts and sociology to offer a starting point for conversations about Beyoncé's enduring status as a cultural icon. [See Prepub Alert, 7/2/18.]--Stephanie Sendaula, Library Journal

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2019

In this collection of 19 essays, compiled by author and New York Times archival storytelling editor Chambers, academics, journalists, social media personalities, designers, and other contributors expound on the majesty of Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter. Author Luvvie Ajayi attributes Beyoncé's greatness as an entertainer to the singer's desire for perfection, as seen in the hours spent "every day, practicing" for "25 years" and evident in her powerful 2018 Coachella Festival performance. Producer and actor Lena Waithe says that Beyoncé's effort to show how "we're all made of the same stuff and on the same boat" makes her so admired, down-to-earth, and approachable. Author and professor Brittney Cooper says that the singer changed rap and hip-hop's negative perceptions of black women when husband Jay-Z admitted to having affairs. His decision to publicly take responsibility through his and Beyoncé's music and tours was a catalyst that made it possible "for a different kind of cultural conversation" to occur. Perhaps one of the first seriously published biographic reflections of the performer often referred to as "Queen Bey," this compendium of carefully curated pieces reveals the modern-day activism and feminist mystique behind the actions on and off-stage of a contemporary icon. VERDICT A pop culture must-have in libraries that serve older teens and new adults.-Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2019
After similarly anthologizing pieces about the former First Lady in The Meaning of Michelle (2017), editor and writer Chambers shares 19 essays celebrating superstar Beyonc�. In her introduction, Chambers writes that Beyonc� has opened the very possibilities for what Black girls might be, a thought echoed by the following essays, which consider Beyonc�'s influence for the Latinx and gay communities as well. The contributors' own work invariably influences what Beyonc� means to them. Choreographer Fatima Robinson, for instance, knows firsthand that Beyonc� is the greatest performer since Michael Jackson. Data-heads will appreciate Meredith Broussard's essay in infographics. Other pieces consider Beyonc�'s southernness, spirituality, motherhood, and marriage, as well as her use of social media and the artist-empowering shift it represents, and the ways her creations interact with other works of art. Chambers includes detracting perspectives, too, most affectingly in an essay authored by professor Melissa Harris Perry and her former student Mankaprr Conteh, in which each woman learns from the other. Caroline Clarke's nostalgic, reverent look at her now-grown daughter's "Beyonc�ssion" closes the collection with appropriate strength.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)