Books published by Third Man Books

Vienna in the 1880s. Paris in the 1920s. Memphis in the 1950s. These are the paradigm shifts of modern culture. Memphis then was like Seattle with grunge or Brooklyn with hip-hop-except the change was more than musical: Underground Memphis embraced African American culture when dominant society abhorred it. The effect rocked the world. We're all familiar with the stars' stories, but It Came From Memphis runs with the the kids in that first rock and roll audience, where they befriended the older blues artists, the travails of blazing a rock and roll career path where one had not existed (nor did society welcome it), and the adventures-sometimes drug-fueled, often accidental, always pushing the envelope-that epitomize the rock and roll experience. Stars pass through-Elvis, Aretha, Jerry Lee-but the emphasis is on the singular achievements of Alex Chilton, Jim Dickinson, Furry Lewis and wrestler Sputnik Monroe. This is a book about the weirdos, winos and midget wrestlers who forged the rock and roll spirit, unwittingly changing the fabric of America. Music liberated that Memphis audience, and the world followed.

Grammy nominated musician Valerie June¿s Somebody to Love: The Story of Valerie June''s Sweet Little Baby Banjolele is a children¿s book based on the story of how June wrote the song "Somebody to Love" from her album Pushin'' Against a Stone. In the book, Valerie is a child given a toy banjolele. A banjolele is a very unique four-stringed musical instrument. It has a body like a small banjo, and the neck is like a ukulele. At the beginning, the baby banjolele dreams that its voice will soar and be heard all throughout the world, but very soon its musical journey meets with challenges and doubts. The little banjolele just could not play through a whole song! Valerie and banjolele want to play with the other instruments at school, but the others make fun of the banjolele saying " You''re just a toy". Embarrassed the banjolele, once more, can not finish the song. But ¿I have a dream, and I want to sing,¿ the toy banjolele stubbornly refuses to give up. Finally, the toy finds the courage, and belief, and love it needs, coughs out a last bit of dust, and belts out a gorgeous a song. Valerie names the banjolele Baby and both go on to perform all over the world together forever. Valerie June the adult says of her banjolele: ¿As I traveled the world telling the story of my banjolele, I always knew it would make an uplifting children¿s book. It wasn¿t until I got a call from the President¿s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities that I was encouraged to sit down and write it out. One of the nation¿s most historical dreamers is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a black female artist, his message taught me the power of dreams at an early age. He was a light for me. Each time I¿ve shared this story with students, I watch as their eyes light up with wonder. It¿s been thrilling to witness that same light awakening within them. Believing you can achieve your dream is a way to be an inspiration for your community, like a great Nigerian proverb teaches us, ''Thoughts and dreams are the foundation of our being.

The first book telling Iggy Pop's story of The Stooges from his own words. Features a treasure-trove of unseen photos. Updated paperback version features a new chapter of photos plus a new interview with Henry Rollins by author Jeff Gold about The Stooges.

Prison teacher, former bar mitzvah dancer, and feminist erotica writer Kendra DeColo takes us through back alleyways, exploring desire, fetish, and intimacy.

This beautiful volume of 30 stories and 3 poems about the theme of water contains work by best selling, award winning and emerging writers: 1 creator of bestselling Pleasure Activism and Emergent Strategy - adrienne maree brown5 Marvel/Disney BLACK PANTHER writers - Linda D. Addison, Maurice Broaddus, Danian Darrell Jerry, Sheree Renée Thomas, Troy L. Wiggins1 Grandmaster of Science Fiction and 1 Grandmaster of Poetry - Nalo Hopkinson, Linda D. Addison1 new MacMillan frontlist author w/ 5 multibook deal - Andrea Hairston1 DC Comics writer personally selected by Neil Gaiman - Nalo Hopkinson (Sandman¿s House of Whispers series) who completed issue #221 AMC series creator of Sorcerers - Maurice Broaddus w/ Otis Whitaker and Jim Mahfood1 new Editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction founded in 1949 - Sheree Renee Thomas 1 bestselling memoirist & TV writer featured in The New York Times & NPR - Jaquira Diaz 1 breakout screenwriter selected by Dee Rees (via Sarah Broome) & Barry Jenkins - Jamey Hatley1 publisher of FIYAH Magazine & FIYAHcon - Troy L. Wiggins

Car Ma is Alison Mosshart's first collection in print of her art, photography, and writing. Mosshart is the lead singer for bands such as The Kills and Dead Weather. Her mother was a high school art teacher and her father a used car dealer-both influenced Car Ma's images, poems, and stories. Mosshart describes the book: "It's a book about America, performance, and life on the road. It's a book about fender bender portraiture, story tellin' tire tracks, and the never-ending search for the spirit under the hood."