Larger Than Life

May 1, 2020

At first glance, with its cartoony illustrations and pulpy feel, this book looks more like a fan magazine a smitten tween might buy to memorize details about her favorite boy band member--or bias, as the K-Pop kids say. But don't be fooled by the design--the F-bomb in the book's second sentence makes it clear that this isn't targeted at the YA crowd. Rather, it's a witty, irreverent, but almost scholarly primer on all things boy band. Music writer and cultural critic Sherman includes band profiles and member biographies, fashion and slang guides, and time lines and histories tracing boy bands all the way back to composer Frantz Liszt in the mid-19th century; other artists covered include Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Osmonds, New Edition, and the Backstreet Boys. This wry, incisive work notes that boy bands are often dismissed, loathed and--not without reason--seen as having been artificially manufactured by an exploitative entertainment industry. Readers are challenged to admit these realities, then empowered not to care, and, finally, urged to continue loving these groups anyway. VERDICT Most readers will appreciate this analysis and celebration of boy bands.--Jeffrey Hastings, Howell Carnegie Dist. Lib, Howell, MI

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A music journalist examines the cultural mystique of boy bands. Since her early 20s, Sherman has been an exuberant fan of One Direction (currently on an indefinite hiatus), and this giddy fandom background and loyalty informs a vivid report on the history, influence, notoriety, and cultural impact of boy bands. In the opening timeline, the author lays out a century's worth of pop evolution, which complements her discussions of foundational origins, "commandments" ("Apologies for the sacrilege, but if you're into boy bands, you've already converted into the most persuasive spiritual practice there is"), and the archetypes ("heartthrob," "bad boy") common among such groups as New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, the Jonas Brothers, and *NSYNC. With splashes of color and illustrations befitting her buoyant subject, Sherman profiles these groups and other prominent male ensembles, highlighting their histories, defining moments, and lyrical messages--and, for the most part, objectively evaluating their impact on pop-music culture and society. While not a definitive history, the author does cover lesser stars in the boy-band firmament, such as 98 Degrees and Dream Street. Superfans who grow weary with Sherman's pop history lesson will find entertaining diversions in numerous sidebars, including the "Style Watch" section, which examines dress codes and fashion trends inspired by the bands. Recurring themes throughout the narrative are the manipulation and exploitation suffered by most of the bands, courtesy of swindling managers and sketchy founders like Lou Pearlman. In a particularly relevant section, the author chronicles the meteoric rise of BTS and the K-Pop explosion, illuminating how these groups both reflect and influence cultural changes in South Korea. Though the book is unabashedly enthusiastic, Sherman takes her subject seriously (even when many members of the bands did not). In the final chapter, the author offers a respectful nod to the future of the genre, spotlighting the notable groups that have sprouted up in the last decade. A flashy and knowledgeable foray into boy-band fever.

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