The Pocket DJ [Paperback]

Sarah Lewitinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2005

With more than two thousand songs handpicked and organized by former Spin magazine writer and editor Sarah Lewitinn (aka Ultragrrrl), The Pocket DJ is the ultimate insider's reference guide for selecting music, downloading MP3s, and making all-purpose mixes for every occasion imaginable. Playlists include:

• Essential genres: with crowd-pleasing dance mixes for indie rockers, headbangers, and hip-hop lovers alike

• Essential artists: with the best songs by all the greats from the Beatles to Björk

• Celebrity playlists: featuring Duran Duran, Smahing Pumpkins, Interpol, and Good Charlotte, among others

• Other playlists: with tunes for working out, making out, or rocking out

• Plus rock trivia, new music recommendations, DJing tips, Web resources, and more!

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Gallery Books; Original edition (September 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416907238
• ISBN-13: 978-1416907237
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,108,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars take with a grain of salt, October 23, 2005

By 

char1077 (Petoskey, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pocket DJ (Paperback)

I bought this book on a whim and while I can't say I regret the decision, I'm not entirely happy about it either. This is a handy reference guide for those out there who have just gotten their iPod and want some ideas. It is a decent introduction to several artists such as Michael Jackson, Guided By Voices, etc. The best part by far is the "celebrity" playlists. Those kinds of things are always fun.

The author has a pretty wide variety of music in here but there is so much more out there. For instance, she has included a playlist for the alt-country genre that has no Wilco on it. I know there is much more to that genre than Wilco but really...none of their songs?! I found myself scribbling in the margins and adding bands or songs I found better or more appropriate. Perhaps this was the author's purpose.

As a started guide or additional reference, this is a good springboard for a vast music collection. Remember that this is Lewitinn's idea of good music and should be expanded upon.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice try but doesn't succeed., October 23, 2005

By 

Stef (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pocket DJ (Paperback)

This is a valiant effort but the author concentrates way too much on contemporary music and "trendy" scene bands; it's as though she never listened to anything that came out before 1980.

A far better bet is "Music Lust" by Nic Harcourt, which is basically the same concept but written by a professional music journalist and KCRW radio DJ, which gives much better lists of songs and artists.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Save your money, December 1, 2008

By 

The Ox "The Ox" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pocket DJ (Paperback)

This is just terrible. The writer has a very limited palette in terms of her musical knowledge and should not have been given any authority on the topic. This is not for a music fan. Books like this mock the people down in the trenches who really have something to say and know their stuff. It's unfortunate that garbage such as this is thrown out there like an episode of Gossip Girl. Lame!