Taylor Swift Is Life
A Superfan’s Guide to All Things We Love about Taylor Swift
by Kathleen Perricone
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Jul 16 2024 | Archive Date Jul 12 2024
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Description
Celebrate your best Swiftie life with this gorgeously illustrated, all-encompassing fan book on everything there is to know and love about the modern icon that is Taylor Swift.
From her first vocal lessons at age nine, to learning the guitar at twelve, to becoming the most downloaded women on Spotify, and then breaking the internet with her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has rocked the music scene and captured the hearts of fans across the globe. Gathering her incredible life story, music, and fan culture all in one place, Taylor Swift Is Life captures her epic achievements, brilliant lyrics, and her incredible ability to connect with her fans like no other musician before her.
This treasure trove of essential Swiftie knowledge includes:
- A full biography capturing her early inspiration and first performances through her through her sensational 2023-2024 Eras Tour
- A full discography of Taylor’s music, including the significance of each album personally and professionally, the meaning behind every Track 5, and all the hidden Easter eggs and symbolism behind the songs.
- Swiftology, or Taylor A to Z, covering significant words, imagery, and people in Taylor’s life that every Swiftie should know, from arm poetry to maple lattes, and polaroids to Zoë Kravitz
- Taylorscopes for every sign, to find out how your stars align with Swift’s music, and learn which Taylor song represents you
Both a tribute to our beloved Tay and a chic showpiece for any well-appointed bookshelf, Taylor Swift Is Life is a must-have title for every true Swiftie.
The Modern Icons series takes you on a journey through the lives and legacies of cultural icons who have shaped our world, from fashion to music to media. With original illustrations and meticulously crafted prose, this series captivates and enlightens, offering a glimpse into the personalities whose unparalleled charm and authenticity have left an indelible mark on popular culture.
The series includes: Beyoncé Is Life, Harry Styles Is Life, Rihanna Is Life, Zendaya Is Life, Lady Gaga Is Life, Adele Is Life, Timothee Chalamet Is Life, and Billie Eilish Is LIfe.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9780760390122 |
PRICE | $19.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 160 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
As a self-professed Taylor Swift Superfan, this book is wonderful!!!! The illustrations are fantastic and the story is perfect- including everything a current swiftie may or may not know and everything a new swiftie would want to know about Taylor!
I will def be purchasing this for myself!!!!
Taylor Swift is Life by Kathleen Perricone. This biography purports itself as "A Superfan's Guide to All Things We Love about Taylor Swift" and it definitely does just that! Separated into three parts, "The Making of a Mastermind", "Taylor-Made Music" and "Swiftology", this 159 page book covers all things readers need to know about Taylor Swift. Part 1 covers her early years, how she rose to fame, and her switch from country music to pop. Part 2 looks at her discography, going beyond just track titles, this is a much more indepth, including things like the meaning or "muse" behind particular songs, as well as a "Track 5" section for each album. Apparently the 5th song on all of her albums is the most vulnerable, so it is neat that the author chose to discuss that track on each album. The third and final section is sort of an A-Z of everything TS.
What I love about this book is that while it is likely written for teens or adults, it is clearly designed in a way that it is accessible and interesting to even the youngest of fans. With cute illustrations and a well-thought-out organization and theme-based sections, I could see my students enjoying this book, even if it is too challenging for them to read (at grade 2). I would recommend this book for tween and teen readers, but really any aged fan will enjoy this book!
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!
I am a huge Swiftie! I will read anything and everything about Taylor! I enjoyed reading this book. I loved that it included all of her albums with the song tracks even TTPD! The pictures were cute.
As a Swiftie, I absolutely adored this book and love how it included TTPD and her relationship with Kelce. New fans and old will appreciate the journey through her musical career followed by the discography. My favorite part was the cute illustrations. I will be purchasing a copy for my daughter and my library. I already know that this will not stay on the shelves.
Wonderfully laid out book about Taylor- the illustrations were also wonderful. Fully enjoyed looking and reading this with my swiftie daughters.
This book is a captivating read, offering a wealth of contemporary insights, including a detailed look at the "Tortured Poet Society" album. The structure is engaging, with sections dedicated to each album, a horoscope that links to Taylor's personality, a chapter on hidden "Easter eggs," and much more. The depth of the content is impressive, and the beautiful cartoon illustrations that accompany each chapter add an extra layer of charm. I am excited to get my hands on a physical copy; it's a book you'll want to have on your shelf.
This is a lovely and informative book full of wonder illustrations,
This is an absolute must have for any swiftie. My daughter and I have loved reading and looking at it together.
Super cute and fun read for any Taylor Swift fan. The illustrations are really pretty. My favorite section of the book was the breakdown of each album. It lists out all the songs on the album, then for each album it goes through different records broken, the creative direction, cover story, who/what the muse was and then other facts about the album/time frame. It was cool to get some more insight into my favorites and I gained some new appreciation for albums that aren’t my absolute favorites. This is a must have coffee table book for all Taylor fans!
Beautiful book! Good information, content & investigation, excellent graphics and wonderful cover. From a swiftie to swifties. Highly recommended check this book if you are a swiftie. Thanks Netgalley & the publisher for the opportunity to check this book.
This is such a fun book.
There's nothing we don't already know or have access to, but it's so well researched, written and formatted that I read it all in one go.
It's so up to date and relevent, and though it was written before TTPD was realised, the information about that is interesting and smart.
The illustrations add even more fun elements, along with the Taylorscopes at the end. Swifites will love this as a defence book and it would make a great gift for a fan of any age.
As a dedicated Swiftie, I was excited to find this available for instant reading on NetGalley and felt compelled to delve into it. The meticulous attention to her iconic styles and the graphics depicting TS throughout the years were remarkable. I valued the thorough explanations of the inspirations and significances behind the songs, despite much of this information possibly being well-known to many Swifties.
My heartfelt thanks to the author and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely adored this book! Perfect for any swiftie! Gorgeous illustrations and it’s a great way to discover Taylor’s journey.
As a fan of Tay Tay I knew I had to read this as soon as I saw it. There was so much information in this book I think it would be great for new swifties to read to learn more about her. The graphics were so cute and well done, giving it that pop of bedazzled any swiftie loves. Iconic outfits illustrated on the pages made it that much cooler. I learned new things I didn’t know before and enjoyed reading this one. It has a little bit of everything in there, even down to specific era information. If you are a fan, or even if you aren’t, and want to know more about Taylor, this is the book to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced reader copy! I loved this. I have been the biggest fan of Taylor Swift since 2007. I really loved the album breakdowns and was so happy to see The Tortured Poets Department included. The A-Z section was also a fun read! Overall, my absolute favorite part was the artwork. It was STUNNING. Found myself saying "I would frame that" on nearly every page. I would definitely consider buying myself a copy upon release and would recommend this book to any Swifty.
I'm a true Swiftie, so I was excited to check out this book - it did not disappoint! There are some great illustrations, and there was a lot of in-depth info about her career and her music. I especially liked the breakdown of every single album (including info on her famous Track 5 selections), as well as the glossary of all the terms that have to do with her fandom. I'd definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves Taylor's music (or who wants to know more about why the Swifties are so obsessed!).
A perfect gift for every Taylor Swift fan in your life -- and for you, if you're a Swiftie too! Packed with info I didn't know before, beautifully designed, and ever compelling!
I don't consider myself a Swiftie, but Taylor is definitely beautiful and fascinating. Honestly a large part of my desire to read Taylor Swift is Life was to determine what an Easter Egg was; yes, this book addresses that question.
I thought this book would be filled with photos of Taylor Swift; instead illustrator Adrian Valencia provides many illustrations that perfectly suit this book.
The book is around 160 pages, release date is July 16, 2024. I'm guessing that Swifties will snap up this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author Kathleen Perricone and Quarto Publishing for approving my request to review the advance read copy of Taylor Swift is Life in exchange for an honest review.
An excellent intro to all things Taylor Swift. While I doubt long time fans will find much within that they don't already know, this is a well-written summation of her career practically to date. It follows her from her childhood infatuation with all things music, from early songs to learning to play the guitar, through her days attending football games of the Kansas City Chiefs. Nothing salacious, it's focused on positives, not gossip. While relatively short, it touches on the various "eras" in her life, discussing each in a concise, straight-forward way. It manages to share a great deal of info while offering a good, concise read. Old fans will enjoy the memories while newer fans many discover aspects of her rise that they've yet to learn. The illustrations are simple yet convey much in their simplicity. All in all, nicely done.
I'm not going to share details but here are a few of the things that stuck with me. First, I obviously liked the book. While a relative late-comer to appreciating Swift, I found it an enjoyable read which went a long way toward showing her as a human being, not simply an untouchable icon. While obviously written by a fan, thus quite positive, the book focuses on facts as much as fan reactions. I liked that it gave her parents space for not only supporting their child's dreams but ultimately being willing to pick up their lives and move for her career. Swift would ultimately connect with a fledgling record label, actually one that sounds like it didn't much more exist than on paper at the time, showing again that there was something special about her. The fact she was willing to get down on the floor and help do the often tedious, messy, grunt work with the then small staff speaks volumes. I also smiled, remembering that the one thing I repeatedly hear from fans is that "She gets us" when it was noted that when fans sent messages it was usually Swift herself who responded rather than some faceless member of the team. Again, another reminder of the phenomenon that created the Swifties. They knew.
Bottom line, it was that sense of oneness with her fans, understanding what it was like to be the one bullied and shunned as a teen, then managing to put it into catchy melodies and words that won people over. As I type, she's touring in France, including songs from her latest Tortured Poets release, and a news release noted she made a point of speaking French to thank her audience. Personal touch. Anyway, while she's so prolific and quick that I doubt any book will ever quite capture her as she is at any given moment, this one does an excellent job of reminding old fans where it all started while sharing it all with new ones. Thanks #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup - #becker&morgan - #EpicInk for sharing this with me. As one who came to appreciate Taylor Swift rather late in the game, I enjoyed learning a few things I hadn't heard and having my sense of her genuine love of her music and fans reinforced.
This book celebrates Swift's influence and impact on pop culture, making it a must-read for Swifties of all ages.
As a dedicated Swiftie myself, I found 'Taylor Swift Is Life' to be a charming and comprehensive exploration of Swift's evolution as an artist, from her early beginnings to her chart-topping success. The inclusion of lesser-known facts and behind-the-scenes anecdotes adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to gain new insights into Swift's creative process and inspirations.
One of the highlights of the book is its delightful illustrations, which add a whimsical touch to the storytelling. Whether you're a new fan or a longtime admirer of Swift's music, you'll appreciate the colorful artwork that brings her songs and lyrics to life on the page.
Overall, 'Taylor Swift Is Life' is a fun and engaging read that celebrates the magic of Taylor Swift's music. Whether you're flipping through the pages for the cute illustrations or diving deep into the stories behind the songs, this book is sure to delight fans of all ages. Thank you to Quartro Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Taylor Swift is Life by Kathleen Perricone is an amazing book! As a newer Swiftie, I wouldn't consider myself a super fan just yet. This book gave me all the information needed to catch up on the years of Taylor Swift's greatness I've missed. I loved learning about her early years and rise to fame, her transition from country to pop, the meaning behind song choice decisions, and how Taylor has expertly marketed herself and her music to fans. The vault tracks section was interesting because I was one of the millions of people who participated in solving the riddles that led to Taylor releasing songs from her vault. It's cool to know I was part of Taylor Swift's history. This was a fun read. I loved the illustrations. My favorite quote is, "No matter what you're dealing with, there's a good chance Taylor has a song to get you through it". Taylor truly is the voice of a generation. This book is highly recommended for seasoned Swifties and new fans alike.
Huge THANK YOU to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
This was an excellent book every Swiftie and non-Swiftie should read. I loved the album summaries, covering both original and Taylor's Version releases. I can't wait to get my hands on a hardcopy of this book for my collection.
Disclosure: I received an eBook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
A must have for anyone who wants to quickly learn about Taylor's career and significant points!
As a fan myself, it was great having everything explained and formatted nicely in a handy book. For new fans, this is a must-have if you want to learn more about the Swiftieverse and some of the reasons behind certain things that happen. It is such a rabbit hole!! The graphics in here were also cute and I would say is a great start for a pre-teen getting into Taylor's music.
I would recommend reading it on a tablet vs any other device if you choose digital! I would definitely recommend this book to all Swifties - new and old!
I loved this book so much I already bought a hardcopy for when it is released. The illustrations are adorable and so on brand with Taylor. As a Swiftie that has seen the Eras Tour twice I appreciated the attention to detail on all levels as well as the most up-to-date information including The Tortured Poet's Department. I enjoyed the tracklists, breakdown of the songs and the discussion of easter eggs as well as the . I loved it all. I have seen a lot of Taylor books especially since she announced the Eras Tour and this by far is the best one I have seen.
As a Swiftie, I was very excited to read this book. It has everything from new Swifties to people who have been fans of her for years! This book was jampacked with information, even I learned a few things while reading it. The illustrated graphics and illustrations of her iconic outfits offered a bit of whimsy and nostalgia, that made my heart happy.
I am not a superfan, of Taylor Swift or anyone else. I have been exposed to some Swift superfans, who have shared lots of trivia and fun facts with me. I sat through the Eras tour on Disney+. I quite like Swift's music, but am fascinated by her fandom. This book is super-cute, illustrated with hand-drawn pictures of Swift in all her iconic costumes. It uses previous interviews for all it's quotes, but actually gives the source and date of these in the text. Does this book have much (any) information that a "superfan" wouldn't already know? Probably not, but it is a well written, prettily presented, really fun wander through Taylor Swift's life and career. I would buy this book in hardback for my Swiftie friends coffee table, it's just so pretty.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a cute book about Taylor Swift. I really enjoyed reading it. As a fan of Taylor I thought it was cute. I recommend that her fans check this book out.
"What did that emotion feel like when I wrote this song? And whatever the answer was determined what the track sounded like and what my vocals were supposed to sound like."
I loved the illustrations throughout the book's entirety. I already knew a lot of info in this book, but loved more of a deep dive. Would recommend to any Swiftie or to someone who wants to learn more about Taylor!
**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
Thank you to Quarto Publishing & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.
I absolutely ADORED this book! As a diehard lifelong Swiftie, I have consumed soo many books on Taylor and this is by far the cutest one I’ve read.
It takes us through each of Taylor’s Eras and Albums (including TTPD which was so exciting to read about) and gives information and insight on each Era and what makes it special.
It skims the surface and provides a very basic timeline with background information on her life, and musical success. Which makes it a great read to include children on, because the writing isn’t too deep. And the illustrations in this book were the icing on top of the cake. So much detail and attention went into the illustrations that included so many outfits from the Eras tour.
Bottom line, if you are a Swiftie you need to add this beautiful book to your collection!!
A fun, upbeat, adorable book about Taylor Swift. I learned more than I ever thought I could about Taylor Swift, but it was a fun read! I loved the artwork, design, and flow.
Loved this book! I learned so much and made me love Taylor even more than I already do. It is well organized and beautifully illustrated. Thanks NetGallery!
Great book for anyone interested in knowing more about Taylor Swift and her music! Pretty illustrations, and great behind the scenes information about her inspirations, writing sessions, tours, and her life. As someone who likes her music, but didn't know much about her, this was a great read!
Thank you Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker & mayer! | Epic Ink for the ARC!
I don't consider myself a Swiftie but this book reinforces my belief that this fandom is a force for good. When the tour movie out, I paid extra to watch it at the theater and it was a fun show. Taylor writes about the human experience, and her lyrics are clever and resonate with a lot of people.
This book is very well written. The first section goes through her life story, which is surprisingly interesting. One section goes through each album, listing the tracks and different meanings behind certain songs and associations.
I also learned about more parts of the fandom, such as how Taylor took one fan's video and made it personal and popular, even meeting the fan. I also loved the illustrations, which looked like those cut out paper dolls I used to play with. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. I want to clarify that the opinions I'll share are completely my own.
As a recent fan of Taylor Swift, I found this book to be incredibly informative. It's kind of like a crash course in Taylor Swift culture, and I adore it. Exploring each album was a lot of fun, and the Taylor A-Z section was simply amazing. I feel like my knowledge has expanded, and now I feel confident discussing Taylor Swift with my niece without feeling like I don't know what I'm talking about.
I loved this book! The art work is fantastic, I thought the background information given on her albums and the meanings behind many of her songs was great. This would be a great book for any Swiftie to own!!
New Swiftie here and this book was perfect for me. Part one goes through a quick biography, part two goes through all her albums in order and explains Track 5s, muses, awards won, etc. for each, part 3 is Swiftology which goes through the easter eggs, the song chants, basically Taylor Swift 101. The illustrations in this book were *chef’s kiss* so cute! I feel like for any of the OG Swifties the information covered here is information they all already know, but I think it would still be enjoyable, especially looking at the cute illustrations! I recommend this book to any new Swiftie, or family of a Swiftie! Publishing date is July 16th!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
I'm pretty new to the Swiftie lifestyle (I fell off the bandwagon around Red and didn't come back in until Midnights) so this book served as a fun little primer to all the things I missed/forgot. This biography covers Taylor Swift's journey from childhood through The Tortured Poets Department and has a section about fan terminology (I will be referencing the Chants before I go to the Eras Tour in November) and her famous easter eggs. The illustrations are so cute and capture tons of Swift's most iconic looks. The writing and format lean towards a younger audience, but this would be fun for any dedicated fan or someone just getting into the Swiftie lifestyle!
I think this book is great for both those who are already swifties because there is a lot of information that they may have missed or can remind themselves of, and for people who have only heard of Taylor and are more interested in finally finding out who she is and why she is so popular. the book is incredibly informative, so I will tell you in a little more detail what awaits you inside because I recommend reading it.
in general, there are three parts here (+ Taylorscope, a few pages of the horoscope, and which song, according to the author, fits each sign), each of which tells about a different part of Taylor's work.
the first chapter, entitled The Making of a Mastermind, is devoted to Taylor's biography. here we are told about her life since she was a child, but of course, focusing mostly on the professional part, i.e. how Taylor started writing songs, playing guitar, how she got signed to a record label, etc., and so on up to the present.
the next section Taylor-Made Music contains, to my mind, almost all the information about Taylor's discography. here, the author talks about each album separately, and the text is presented in a structured way, so it is very easy to read and absorb what is read. first, we see the tracklist, then what records this album broke, what was the creative direction when it was recorded, the creation and choice of the cover and title, who inspired Taylor when writing it, the history of track number 5, and Taylor's version / re-recording. in addition, if there is any other interesting information about a certain album, then it is also presented here, it's just that these categories are fundamental for every album in general.
well, the third, very fan section, is Swiftology. here, the author gave us an alphabet of different concepts related to Taylor (Taylor A to Z), told us about all the easter eggs, advised different songs for different situations, and even talked about certain words that are repeated in different Tay's songs, how their meaning changes depending on from the song.
in addition to the informativeness of the book, I want to highlight the author's writing style in general, because, first of all, it is very easy to read, really. secondly, yes, of course, all this information can be found freely available on the Internet, BUT here it is all collected, well structured, and interestingly presented. well, and thirdly, the author is either a swiftie herself, or prepared a lot for writing, because she often uses various references to Taylor or her songs in the text, and it's always like that meme with DiCaprio from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: "oh, I know it!".
and, last but not least, there are nice illustrations, they are very cute, and although there are not so many of them, they also create some atmosphere. and on the edges of the pages, there is a color gradient according to the chapter/album of Tay, beautiful.
if you're interested in Taylor, I definitely recommend reading it, because it's really good work.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.
First of all the illustrations in this book are so cute! This book was a one stop shop for knowledge on Taylor Swift’s music. It takes each album one by one and gives a breakdown of them. Then it gives a full Swiftology and also Easter Eggs! A must have for all Swifties!
This is definitely the best Taylor book I’ve read yet (yes I’ve read all that’s out there) the illustrations in this book are unbelievably beautiful detailed and I loved every single one, this book was so well written it has everything for new or swifties who are “seasoned.” You get Taylor’s timeline of her career, her discography in order giving you everything you need to know about that era the songs, broken records, what track 5 means to Taylor fandom, and records she breaks, Taylor’s Easter eggs, and more! I truly loved how well researched this book is and if you love Taylor swift you need to read this book! I can’t wait to physically read own this book - I need it ASAP! Thank you so much for this advanced readers copy!
This book was absolutely fantastic! My daughter and I had so much fun reading this together. It was so cute! Well done.
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