Norton Taylor

The story of jazz for the general reader as it has never been told before, from the inside out: a comprehensive, eloquent, scrupulously researched page-turner. In this vivid history of jazz, a respected critic and a leading scholar capture the excitement of America’s unique music with intellectual bite, unprecedented insight, and the passion of unabashed fans. They explain what jazz is, where it came from, and who created it and why, all within the broader context of American life and culture. Emphasizing its African American roots, Jazz traces the history of the music over the last hundred years. From ragtime and blues to the international craze for swing, from the heated protests of the avant-garde to the radical diversity of today’s artists, Jazz describes the travails and triumphs of musical innovators struggling for work, respect, and cultural acceptance set against the backdrop of American history, commerce, and politics. With vibrant photographs by legendary jazz chronicler Herman Leonard, Jazz is also an arresting visual history of a century of music.

100 Notable Books of 2020: The year’s notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review .

Reading List from the French school Sciences Po.

"Although this summer feels very different to previous ones, reading continues to be crucial - whether it is to feed our knowledge, better understand the news and events that have been shaking up our lives or to fuel our imaginations in and outside of study.