A beautiful book…

I read this book in ebook format which, given its full colour illustrations, I’m sure would be even more stunning in a paper copy. Along with the beautiful illustrations – ticket stubs, pictures on stage, before and after the release of the album and movie – were snippets about each of them.

The author ably walked me through an incredibly prolific time in Prince’s career. Digging into the music, the lyrics, the band members, all was recounted with attention to detail. I have enjoyed Prince’s hits - I’m one of those people he talked about in the book. I listened to the hits without realizing the stories behind the songs and their lyrics.

I admit a lot of the details around playing/use of instruments, and the nuances around the music creativity, was lost on me but that didn’t stop me from gaining more respect for the artist Prince was.

The perfect book if you want to read something new or learn more about Prince and Purple Rain. Well researched, great pictures
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The greatest musician of my lifetime -- and I am 69 years old. I love this book and found it totally engaging. The photos? Incredible, just incredible. I also enjoyed the layout and graphic design of this wonderful book. Incredibly well done. In my opinion, you can't really go wrong with a book about Prince filled with photos but, even with that, this book is exceptional. 5 Stars !!

(received advance digital edition via NetGalley)

This is a nice collectible, hardly a necessity, as no new ground is broken or secrets revealed. It's a souvenir for the 40th anniversary of the phenomenal album, tour, and movie. The pictures are excellent, vibrant, and plentiful. The text is relatively rote. "Here's mini-bios of the band, song write-ups (including a handful of the most well-known 'unreleased'/film-only bits), and a couple of critical high-level overviews" and that's about all she wrote. Again, not a bad experience, but if you've read any number of the other posthumous books or online deep-dives, then this is little more than a "Rand's Atlas" guide. I don't think it ever intended to be otherwise, just don't expect more than a slice of 'memba that' cake and ice cream.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Prince and Purple Rain: Celebrating 40 Years, is a beautiful tribute to Prince and his band. Purple Rain is one of my favourite songs ever, so I just had to read this book. The author Andrea Swensson who is a Minneapolis-based journalist and host/co-producer of Princes official Podcast, has produced such a beautiful book to celebrate 40 years of Princes most popular album which has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
The book has so many fantastic photographs of Prince, memorabilia, and more and is a truly beautiful dedication to a legend of the music world.

Let me start off by saying that this book is so BEAUTIFUL! I enjoyed the eARC so much that I went and purchased the physical copy because I NEEDED to have this book in my possession as a keepsake. Because of my age, I never got to enjoy Prince in his prime, and never got to see him perform live. The photos, the writing, and the stories featured in 'Prince & Purple Rain' made me feel like I was given an up close and person behind the scenes view of everything that I missed in real life.

This is definitely a book to add to your collection if you are a huge Prince fan like I am. There are many books out there about Prince but this one is unique because while it does share some biographical information, it's main focus is on Prince and Purple Rain -- the making of the music, forming the band (The Revolution), making the film, and the concert tours. This book is full of beautiful photographs and artefacts such as tickets, albums, backstage passes, etc. The author herself had attended parties at Paisley Park and also had access to interview members of the band. I learned a lot of new information from these interviews. One thing I had not known is that Wendy and Lisa's fathers both had played in The Wrecking Crew! A visually stunning book and a great read. I highly recommend this for all Prince Fans!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

I did not get to do much more than thumb through this book before it archived. This review is based on what I did see and read. I was always fascinated with the movie Purple Rain and the various actors, musical actors. I learned a little about prince and his band. Read this book, I recommend it.

FORTY years!!! Holy cow! This is a great breakdown of the Purple Rain soundtrack album (released June, 1984) and movie (released July, 1984) as well as a background on Prince's band members and those around him. There are a ton of great concert pictures.

This is a must have for all fans of The Purple One!!


(Thank you to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. I hate that I had to read it on the Shelf app!)

Andrea Swensson's PRINCE AND PURPLE RAIN is an excellent deep dive into both the making of Purple Rain and the cultural impact it's had over the last 40 years. I am buying a copy for my house and considering it as a gift for friends (if they don't buy it for themselves first). I'm not sure it fits with any of my current creative writing classes, but I will be talking about with my students who are music fans.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Having just graduated from college when the incredible Purple Rain was released, I found myself swept away in an emotional high upon hearing it. What a talented man Prince was. Truly one of the greatest artists of the time. So incredibly creative. When I received this ARC from NetGalley, I couldn't wait to read it. In fact, I read the entire book the first night I received it! And have been back to read it several more times since then, taking my time to digest the whole experience. The photos, the stories and documentation, it's all fantastic! This is a book I will be ordering a hard copy of to keep on my coffee table to look at again and again!

Prince and Purple Rain By Prince and Purple Rain by Andrea Swensson is a must book for any or new Prince fan and what a brilliant book this is. Yes I am a Prince fan ever since I was teenager back in January 1984 listening to Purple rain on the radio sitting to it in my bedroom.........What a great song that was! and still is.........Blimey was that 40 Years - I feel Old!!!!

Prince, came along with his band, called The Revolution, 1979 to 1986 and they released some of the best songs in the 80's and they are still played now 40 years on.....especially in my house. Purple Rain has gone on to sell over 25 million copies and counting.

In this brilliant book Prince and Purple Rain , Andrea Swensson, a Minneapolis-based journalist and host/co-producer of Prince | Official Podcast , takes a deep dive into the legendary musician’s most famous album on its 40th anniversary. It is well illustrated throughout with performance and off-stage photography as well as memorabilia from top collectors, Prince and Purple Rain is a decisive and beautifully produced tribute to a legendary album from a legendary performer and artist.

A great book....I loved it and so did my hubby.

This special book commemorating the 40th anniversary of the album/film Purple Rain by Prince is a slipcased hardcover perfect for any Prince fan. The photos of Prince in action and related memorabilia are spectacular. Highly recommended!

I absolutely loved this tribute to Purple Rain and Prince. I loved Prince and his death devastated me, as it did so many others. This book was a wonderful look back at the movie and the music 🎶.

I seriously loved this book so much I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time. It gave me goosebumps more than once and brought back SO many memories of the legendary artist. Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks for an advanced copy of this book.

This book examines Prince's most iconic album and film on it's 40th anniversary.
I am a huge Prince fan and this album is one of the soundtracks to my teenage years. My original copy was on tape and I still have it all these years later.
So I was extremely excited to see this in the read now section on Netgalley.
The book starts with a brief biography of Prince and the 6 albums before Purple Rain. It also shares how he became the leader of the band The Revolution and the success of 1999. It tells us how Prince wanted to make a movie and had the basic premise before working on the subsequent soundtrack.
The pages are packed with photos, memorabilia and stories about the band and the album.
I will definitely be getting a copy of this book to add to my music memorabilia collection.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Motorbooks and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I am not really a big fan of Prince, but I do enjoy these coffee table books. This one was really nice, with great information and photos.

It would make a great gift for someone who is a Prince fan or just a music fan in general.

I remember the impact of Purple Rain ~ the film and the album ~ and the awesomeness of both. This book beautifully captures that feeling of something special happening. The book specifically focuses on the film and movie but gives lots of background and information on all the participants and how the whole experience was put together.

It’s interesting looking back at how things were in the early 80’s and how huge this purple Prince phenomenon was. This man wrote songs that moved you in so many ways. He can create "When Doves Cry" then the next minute have Darling Nikki ‘enjoying’ her magazine.

I never saw the great man live and this book, the film and the album will keep his memory and talent strongly alive. A fascinating insight into a great moment in musical history. A must buy for any fan of the purple pixie. What he might have achieved if he had lived longer…

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this captivating eARC.

"Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years" by Andrea Swensson is a vibrant and meticulously crafted homage to one of the most groundbreaking albums and films of the 20th century. Swensson, a Minneapolis-based journalist and host of the Prince Official Podcast, offers readers an intimate journey through the creation, impact, and enduring legacy of Prince's magnum opus on its 40th anniversary.

The book is not merely a recounting of well-known facts but an authoritative deep dive into the cultural phenomenon that is "Purple Rain". Swensson's narrative is enriched with rare photography and memorabilia, making it a treasure trove for fans and a visual feast for newcomers. The slipcased volume is as much a collector's item as it is a piece of literature, reflecting the artistry and mystique of Prince himself.

Swensson's prose captures the enigmatic spirit of Prince, delving into the artist's creative process with reverence and insight. The chapters are thoughtfully structured, guiding the reader through the album's inception, the frenzy of its release, and its seismic effect on the music industry and society at large. The inclusion of performance and off-stage photography, alongside top collectors' memorabilia, adds layers of depth to the narrative, allowing the reader to experience the era as vividly as if they were there.

What sets this book apart is Swensson's ability to contextualize "Purple Rain" within the broader tapestry of music history. She articulates how the album not only defined the sound of the 1980s but also how it continues to resonate with artists and audiences today. The book is a testament to Prince's genius, showcasing how his work transcended music to become a symbol of innovation, defiance, and excellence.

"Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years" is a definitive tribute to a legendary album and film. It's a must-read for music enthusiasts and an essential addition to the libraries of Prince's admirers. Swensson's work is a fitting celebration of an artist who was, and remains, ahead of his time. This book is a reminder of the power of art to inspire and transform, much like the album it honors.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I was only three when Purple Rain was released, but my mother loved Prince and we listen to it and his other albums growing up. I never made it to a concert but I can only imagine what it must have been like. I loved this book full of pictures, stories, and general information about the enigma known as Prince.