Madonna & Me: Women Writers on the Queen of Pop

Brief Description: For nearly 30 years, Madonna has been at the center of the media spotlight. She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, launched her own record label, headlined an Oscar-award-winning film, authored bestselling books for both adults and children, inspired global street-fashion trends, and instigated international debates over a range of feminist issues from sexual fetish to adoption ethics. Masterfully harnessing her talent and power to navigate her ascent to stardom, she has become the very definition of iconic. She has also been a constant companion. In "Madonna and Me, " more than forty women write about Madonna's influence on their lives. No subject goes unexplored--from sex and money to fashion and identity, the stories are just as brazen, bold, and balls-to-the-wall as Madonna. They explore the evolution of her chameleonlike personas--material girl and "boy-toy" tartlet, kooky Kabbalist and savvy businesswoman, siren and mother--and her impact on culture as a groundbreaking feminist. Of course, not all women worship at her altar, and likewise the essays in "Madonna and Me" are brutally honest, funny, engaging, and real. They delve into the hearts, souls, memories, and moments of contemporary women, celebrating the ways in which Madonna has inspired us and challenged us, pushing us to be bolder, edgier, braver versions of ourselves. Review Quotes: Praise for "Madonna and Me" "When I first heard the song 'Everybody' in 1982, I ran right out and bought the 'cas-single.' Now, thirty years later, I greedily read everything about Madonna I can get my hands on. Madonna is one of those rare public figures who elicit a lifelong, intensely personal fixation, making this collection of essays a giddy pleasure. By turns hilarious, thought-provoking, and touching, "Madonna & Me" is a fitting salute to the smart, brash, occasionally infuriating provocateur, who is always offering us something new." --Jancee Dunn, music journalist for "Rolling Stone," "Vogue," "The New York Times," and "GQ," and author of "Why is My Mother Getting a Tattoo? And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had to Ask" ""Madonna & Me" is a collection as saucy and savvy as Madonna herself. In heartfelt and incisive ways, the contributors engage with an icon who deeply impacted the identities, sexual and otherwise, of an entire generation of girls." --Jillian LaurReview Quotes: Praise for "Madonna and Me" "The writers in "Madonna & Me" explore all that Madonna has meant to more than one generation of feisty, feminist, powerful women. They dive right into her music, persona, and legacy, expressing themselves in ways that would surely give even Her Madgesty food for thought." --Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of "Women in Lust" and the Best Sex Writing series "In "Madonna & Me," editor Laura Barcella shows how Madonna has become a cultural benchmark for women of varying backgrounds. Reaching far beyond pop-culture critique, the essays in this book examine Madonna--both the woman and the legend--as an allegory of the modern female experience." --Steve Lowenthal, music writer for "SPIN" and "Village Voice," and founder of "Swingset" magazine "Finally, an anthology that speaks to the blisteringly potent influence Madonna has had on women of our generation."--Julie Klausner, author of "I Don't Care About Your Band" "When I first heard the sReview Quotes: Praise for "Madonna and Me" "For someone who has spent the past 30 years defending Madonna to whoever would listen, "Madonna & Me" is like a homecoming. Reading these smart, funny, and moving essays by women who were influenced by the material girl brought me right back to my school years, when I was touched by Madonna for the very first time." --Debbie Stoller, editor-in-chief of "BUST" magazine and bestselling author of "Stich 'n Bitch" "The writers in "Madonna & Me" explore all that Madonna has meant to more than one generation of feisty, feminist, powerful women. They dive right into her music, persona, and legacy, expressing themselves in ways that would surely give even Her Madgesty food for thought." --Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of "Women in Lust" and the Best Sex Writing series "In "Madonna & Me," editor Laura Barcella shows how Madonna has become a cultural benchmark for women of varying backgrounds. Reaching far beyond pop-culture critique, the essays iReview Quotes: Praise for "Madonna and Me" "These memoirs reveal that Madonna's mix of spirituality and raw sensuality had a considerable impact in shaping attitudes." --"Publishers Weekly" "For someone who has spent the past 30 years defending Madonna to whoever would listen, "Madonna & Me" is like a homecoming. Reading these smart, funny, and moving essays by women who were influenced by the material girl brought me right back to my school years, when I was touched by Madonna for the very first time." --Debbie Stoller, editor-in-chief of "BUST" magazine and bestselling author of "Stich 'n Bitch" "The writers in "Madonna & Me" explore all that Madonna has meant to more than one generation of feisty, feminist, powerful women. They dive right into her music, persona, and legacy, expressing themselves in ways that would surely give even Her Madgesty food for thought." --Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of "Women in Lust" and the Best Sex Writing series "In "Madonna & Me," editor Laura Barcella shows how Madonna has become a cultural benchmark for women of varying backgrounds. Reaching far beyond pop-culture critique, the essays in this book examine Madonna--both the woman and the legend--as an allegory of the modern female experience." --Steve Lowenthal, music writer for "SPIN" and "Village Voice," and founder of "Swingset" magazine "Finally, an anthology that speaks to the blisteringly potent influence Madonna has had on women of our generation."--Julie Klausner, author of "I Don't Care About Your Band" "When I first heard the song 'Everybody' in 1982, I ran right out and bought the 'cas-single.' Now, thirty years later, I greedily read everything about Madonna I can get my hands on. Madonna is one of those rare public figures who elicit a lifelong, intensely personal fixation, making this collection of essays a giddy pleasure. By turns hilarious, thought-provoking, and touching, "Madonna & Me" is a fitting salute to the smart, brash, occasionaBrief Description: Collects pieces on the popular singer by women writers, covering a wide range of opinions on her life, her creative work, her sexuality, and her social significance. Marc Notes: 39 women take on the ultimate pop-culture icon.--P. [4] of cover. Table of Contents: Foreword / Jessica Volenti -- Introduction / Laura Barcella -- Track 1. This Used to Be My Playground -- Before Beyonce, Tween Thongs, and Baby Tiaras / Courtney E. Martin -- Articles of Faith / Shawna Kenney -- Strike a Pose / Kim Windyka -- B-Sides / Lesley Arfin -- Bad Girls from Bay City / Erin Trahan -- Track 2. Like a Prayer -- Madonna vs. the Virgin Mary / Maria Gagliano -- Are You There God? It's Me, Madonna / Jamia Wilson -- Our Lady of the Hot Pants / Kristin McGonigle -- The Black Madonna / J. Victoria Sanders -- Mad Mensch / Wendy Shanker -- Track 3. Burning Up -- Madonna is Down with the Swirl / Tamara Lynch -- Madonna Speaks Sexual Truth to Power / Gloria Feldt -- My Pocket Madonna ? / Laura Barcella -- Safe Harbor / Stacey May Fowles -- And I Feel / Laura M. Andre -- Track 4. Keep it Together -- In the Name of a Mother / Kelly Keenan Trumpbour -- Mother Madonna / Sarah Sweeney -- Marrying Madonna / Christine Bachman -- Into the Wilderness / Soniah Kamal -- Ciccone Youth / Jen Hazen -- Track 5. Lucky Star -- Our Lady of Perpetual Motion / Cintra Wilson -- Desperately Seeking Stardom / Sarah Stodola -- Madonna is Boring and Lazy / Colleen Kane -- Touched for the Very First Time / Rebecca Traister -- Immaterial Girl / Marisela Huerta -- Vogue: Madonna's Creative Zenith / Amanda Marcotte -- Count Madonnicula / Lisa Crystal Carver -- Track 6. Fighting Spirit -- Fuck You, Seattle / Bee Lavender -- Madonna in My Corner / Ada Scott -- Borderline: Madonna's Rebel Stance / Maria Raha -- My Movie and Madonna / Caroline Leavitt -- In Costume / Dana Rossi -- Burning Up / Wendy Nelson Tokunaga -- Bonus Track: Now I'm Following You -- Madonna and Me / Susan Shapiro -- Madonna, Myself / Mary K. Fons -- Where's That Girl? / Jamie Beckman -- Conversations I Will Never Have with Madonna / Kate Harding -- A Borderline History of My Relationship with Madonna / Erin Bradley -- Justify My Love / Emily Nussbaum. Publisher Marketing: * For nearly 30 years, Madonna has been at the center of the media spotlight. She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, launched her own record label, headlined an Oscar-award-winning film, authored bestselling books for both adults and children, inspired global street-fashion trends, and instigated international debates over a range of feminist issues from sexual fetish to adoption ethics. Masterfully harnessing her talent and power to navigate her ascent to stardom, she has become the very definition of iconic. She has also been a constant companion. In Madonna and Me, more than forty women write about Madonna's influence on their lives. No subject goes unexplored--from sex and money to fashion and identity, the stories are just as brazen, bold, and balls-to-the-wall as Madonna. They explore the evolution of her chameleonlike personas--material girl and boy-toy tartlet, kooky Kabbalist and savvy businesswoman, siren and mother--and her impact on culture as a groundbreaking feminist. Of course, not all women worship at her altar, and likewise the essays in Madonna and Me are brutally honest, funny, engaging, and real. They delve into the hearts, souls, memories, and moments of contemporary women, celebrating the ways in which Madonna has inspired us and challenged us, pushing us to be bolder, edgier, braver versions of ourselves. Review Citations:

Publishers Weekly 01/09/2012 pg. 42 (EAN 9781593764296, Paperback)

Booklist 03/15/2012 pg. 11 (EAN 9781593764296, Paperback)

Contributor Bio:  Barcella, Laura Laura Barcella is a freelance writer and editor from Washington, D. C. She is a contributing editor at xoJane and a contributing writer at The Fix. She edited Madonna & Me: Women Writers on the Queen of Pop, an anthology of essays about Madonna by women writers, and is the author of a pop culture guide to the apocalypse called The End: 50 Apocalyptic Visions From Pop Culture That You Should Know About... Before It's Too Late. Laura has written features, profiles, essays, and more for Salon, Esquire.com, the Village Voice, Cosmopolitan, Elle.com, Refinery29, the Chicago Sun-Times, Time Out New York, AlterNet, BUST, Elle Girl, CNN.com, and NYLON. An expert on pop culture, feminism, and lifestyles, she lives in San Francisco, California. Contributor Bio:  Valenti, Jessica Jessica Valenti is the author of three previous books, including The Purity Myth: How America s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women. She is also the founder of Feministing.com, which the Columbia Journalism Review called head and shoulders above almost any writing on women s issues in mainstream media. Jessica called one of the top 100 inspiring women in the world by the Guardian speaks at universities and organizations in the U. S. and abroad about feminism, activism, and media. She lives with her family in Boston, but remains a New Yorker at heart.