Holly

Some dead celebrities pass beyond "legendary" status to become objects of downright cultish obsession. Buddy Holly, the skinny young Texan with horn-rims, is one such, and Amburn's biography will please true believers who tend to think Holly began the process by which the Beatles and their ilk transformed rock from kids' music into art. Amburn finds deep significance in the minutiae of Holly's life and career, and his prose bogs down periodically as Holly's old associates chew past events to dust. Yet from all this sedulous examination and reexamination, tidbits not aired in other sources emerge; for instance, Little Richard's assessment of Holly's genitalia, which may reveal more about Richard than Holly, contributes to Holly's "legend" just as the Plaster Casters' immortalization of Jimi Hendrix did to his. Occasionally, the book seems diffuse; subjects are minutely examined, then abruptly dropped. Still, this comprehensive look at one of the most influential early rockers deserves its place in most pop-music collections, all the more so because of its impeccable references, detailed bibliography, and discography. Mike Tribby

"If you find me interesting/you won't be disappointed…" So sings Holly Cole on the title track of her seventh album, "Romantically Helpless," and truer words were never spoken. Since her first release in 1990 Holly's acclaimed career has been one of relentless reinvention, giving followers a chance to witness her as torch singer, trippy jazz cat, and progressive pop diva.