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"Brilliant." -- Alex Ross, author of The Rest is Noise
"It's fascinating stuff...By turns hilarious and heartwarming." -- Guardian Unlimited Arts blog, March 2008
"A wide-ranging book, one predicated on the possibility that what repels us may say more about us than what attracts us...[an] insightful, engaging, and unexpectedly moving book." -- The Globe and Mail, January 19, 2008
"An important study- not just of Dion and pop music but also of the changing nature of criticism in the popular realm." -- Bookforum, January 2008
"This could be the best book of the series...razor-sharp and unerringly intelligent." -- John Wenzel, The Denver Post
“The always critical and erudite Mr. Wilson actually approached Let's Talk About Love as a non-fan grappling with questions of "good" and "bad" taste... -- Idolator.com
“a rigorous, perceptive and very funny meditation on what happens when you realize that there's more to life than being hip, and begin to grapple with just what that "more" might be.” -- Montreal Gazette
“A book pondering the aesthetics of Celine risks going wrong in about 3,000 different ways...Instead, this book goes very deeply right.” --Sam Anderson, New York Magazine
Tens of millions of people around the world love Céline Dion. Many millions more can't stand her. Why? Carl Wilson, by no means a Céline fan at the start of his quest, searches for the answer in this extraordinary book. Immersing himself in Dion's 1999 hit album Let's Talk About Love (the one with that Titanic song on it), he examines everything from Céline's Quebec roots to her enormous voice to her tear-jerking sentimentality. As Wilson strives to understand Céline's immense global popularity, he faces the question of what drives personal taste - and whether it's possible to change it.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Let's talk about a little book that packs a powerful punch...,
This review is from: Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste (33 1/3) (Paperback)
When I took Introduction to Aesthetics in college, I wish we had a text as smart, accessible, funny, and just plain awesome as this little book on Celine Dion to introduce us to the material. What Wilson has done here with his approach to the subject of taste and tackiness is nothing less than stunning. It is a must read for people who write about music and those that love to read about it.
Nota bene: You need not be a fan of Celine Dion to love this book.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best books I've ever read!,
By Phil the Hypothetical "musiclover44" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste (33 1/3) (Paperback)
It took over a year of hearing about this book before I finally caved in and bought it, and now I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy the book when it first came out! It's hard to do Carl Wilson's book justice when it has so much to say, and says it so beautifully. So let's start with the obvious: DO NOT LET THE SUBJECT MATTER TURN YOU OFF! Yes, it's a book about Celine, but it's so much more than that. It's warm, erudite, smart, funny, insightful, provocative, kind, approachable, and ultimately moving. Sure, I can see the argument that the whole concept is a bit of a stunt ("Look, everyone, I'm going to write a book about something I hate!") but when it's done this brilliantly, who cares? This is the kind of book that should be a best seller, and I really hope the author publishes another book soon.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thoughtful discussion of taste and Céline Dion,
By
This review is from: Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste (33 1/3) (Paperback)
Why is someone like Céline Dion so popular? What does her popularity say about those who love her music, and more importantly, those who are critical of her career? Carl Wilson takes on these subjects and others in thoughtful, appreciative look at taste, criticism, and almost incidentally her 1997 best-selling release, featuring "My Heart Will Go On".
This is thoughtful, erudite reading, one of my favorite books I've read this year. I'd recommend it for anyone who is into music of whatever kind. Sure, Wilson throws big words around. If that bothers you, get a dictionary and look them up.
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