The Data is in: '97 Books

On 08/21/2015 at 01:41 AM by KnightDriver

Didn't read much in '97 except for an article on which a book was written by Dave Barry. The book was Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs. It was really funny. It called attention to famous song lyrics and commented on how nonsensical they were or what bad grammar they exhibited. Funny as it was, it kind of missed the point about music and lyrics. Often lyrics are chosen for their sound and how they fit well into a song. Sometimes they just don't make sense. Mostly people listen to music for the feeling it gives them - an irrational thing which doesn't often account for exact meaning or proper English. Still, it's funny to read song lyrics out of context.

I think '97 was the time I went to libraries to look up old Guitar Player and Guitar World magazines to find interviews with my favorite guitarists like Steve Hackett and Robert Fripp. I still thought I might play guitar then. I switched to bass to avoid all the competition.

There were other books in '97 I read later like Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel. I added another five I'd like to read next like Thomas Pynchon's Mason & Dixon.

That'd be books. Next. Film.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/21/2015 at 02:08 AM

I think I'd love that book. I actually do hear and focus on lyrics as well as the music. I used to know about none of the words to my favorite songs, but I've become increasingly interested in interpreting song meanings as I've grown older.

"I switched to bass to avoid all the competition" - I kinda wish I had a bass. My fingers are so small I often have trouble playing my friends' though.

Was Harry Potter in the states in '97? I remember my aunt getting me into those (well, trying; I actually got into them by the third one), but I thought they didn't get across the pond 'til '99. Guess I'm wrong, since I imagine you looked up release dates for this.

I was 7 in 1997, but I think this is around when I REALLY started to pay attention to media, espeically since as I mentioned it was the year where I bought my first CDs. It's interesting what was out then I didn't realize. I am so looking forward to your films post.

KnightDriver

08/22/2015 at 03:31 AM

So I saw Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in U.S.) listed on the 1997 in Literature page on wiki, but further inquiry reveals this: first released in June 1997 in UK; then 1998 for U.S.; then hit the NYT best seller list in '99-'00. So whatever. I'm sticking to '97 for my list just 'cause I don't want to get too technical with it - read as: takes more time.

That's an interesting idea. What year did you become aware of media? I didn't start thinking seriously about the music I listened to until I was 13. I bought my first album around that age.

08/22/2015 at 05:35 AM

Hard to say. I was at least aware of radio before '97, but the landmark of buying those CDs definitely stuck with me. I don't remember what movie I first saw at home or in theaters, what book I first read, if Super Mario Bros. was the first game I played that was already in the house when I got there, what TV show I first watched (though I guess the first one I became a big fan of was Power Rangers, debuting in '93), or what website I first logged onto (definitely remember the dial-up tone though), but buying Hanson's Mmbop (or maybe Middle of Nowhere?) and Garbage's Version 2.0 CDs is definitely something I remember.

Cary Woodham

08/21/2015 at 07:43 AM

Most of the books I read in '97 were probably for college, so I don't remember any of them. I know at some point I read a lot of Calvin and Hobbes books for a report I was doing for my English class, and I got a 100 on it. :)

08/22/2015 at 03:55 AM

I remember everything I read in college. I loved English classes, my favorite subject. So many books! I used to carry around a really heavy backpack full of them all the time. I just couldn't be without them. . . I need to become a librarian or scholar or something. Really.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/26/2015 at 07:55 AM

Jesus did Harry Potter come out in 97?

08/26/2015 at 04:44 PM

Well as Joe pointed out, it came out in the UK in '97; '98 in the states.

08/26/2015 at 05:18 PM

98 is fucked up too! We is old, yo!

08/27/2015 at 02:53 AM

Eh. What's old. I don't care much for age. It is what it is. You can't stop it. I still do what I darn want. I'll play me some games. Don't you talk down to me now.

08/27/2015 at 07:33 AM

yeah that's how I feel. but sometimes, I am like "Whoa."

08/27/2015 at 03:57 PM

I get ya. Today I had my hair cut and, really, they could just cut it all off now that it's turning grey. I'm not sure what to do with it. Dye it yellow or somethin'.

08/27/2015 at 05:31 PM

i haved grey in my beard mostly. It's kinda cool, actually.

goaztecs

08/27/2015 at 11:00 AM

There wasn't much reading going on in 97 that wasn't connected to a class in college...oh wait other than random articles in magazines. I'm surprised that Harry Potter was released in 97. Interesting that Game of Thrones was released the year before. That's a pretty good time for books.

08/27/2015 at 03:59 PM

It's funny to me too, because I was totally unaware of those books back then.

PixlBit