Cynthia Weil is a member of the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame, as well as the multi-Grammy winning songwriter of classic songs like "On Broadway," "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" (the most performed song of the 20th century), and "Somewhere Out There," which was a double Grammy winner and Oscar nominee. She has lived in Southern California for many years with her husband and writing partner, Barry Mann. I'm Glad I Did is her first novel.
Praise for I'm Glad I Did
A Library Journal Editors' Pick
A Publishers Weekly Editors' Pick "It's a treat to get Weil's take
on [the] industry . . . So much of the author's own hard-earned
experience sings out from the pages."
--The New York Times Book Review "I loved everything about I'm Glad
I Did . . . Who better than Cynthia Weil to describe authentically
what it's like to write a great lyric? Weaving in Brooks Arthur,
Bob Dylan, Dick Charles and the Brill Building gives the story
atmosphere at their very mention. JJ is utterly lovable,
believable, and multidimensional, with all the fashion awareness
that I never had but Cynthia most certainly did. Not just brava,
Cynthia. Bravissima!!"
--Carole King, multi-Grammy winning singer-songwriter of Tapestry
and author of the New York Times bestseller A Natural Woman "Rocks
and rolls."
--Vanity Fair "The book seems especially true to life: the
hustle-bustle, the thrill of writing a hit song, the heartbreak of
watching it slide down the charts. Even the Brill Building, the art
deco jewel box in Times Square . . . is a kind of character in the
story . . . The winged eyeliner and soulful songs are as hot today
as they were 50 years ago."
--The Philadelphia Inquirer "Meghan Trainor meets Nashville meets
Mad Men . . . The recording business may be the beating heart of
I'm Glad I Did, but it's the brave characters, sweet romance and
window into the incredible civil rights changes going on in the
1960s that make this book sing."
--Justine "Offering insider insight into the music business and its
many characters, the heroine, JJ Green finds her voice and herself
through music."
--Parade.com "An up-tempo coming-of-age story complete with an
entertaining slice of history that doesn't avoid the serious issues
of the day. "
--Chico Enterprise-Register "Part mystery, part 1960s New York City
period piece, with a strong feminist flavor . . . This debut novel
from a first-rate songwriter takes readers deep into the 1960s
music business."
--Shelf Awareness "Cynthia Weil sets the ball rolling (and rocking)
on an endearing story set in the heart of the pop-music industry,
circa 1963 . . . A tightly wound... clever plot."
--MetroKids "The author is a multi-Grammy-winning, Rock and Roll
Hall of Famer, and the story reflects that, as JJ learns the
language of the business: songs with bullets, Cashbox, Billboard.
The names of famous recording artists leap off the page: Bobby
Rydell, the Drifters, Leslie Gore... [the] memory of their music
fills my heart."
--Historical Novel Society "JJ offers sharp commentary on some of
the most stressful moments in U.S. history. She also discovers that
'trouble' is exactly where you need to be when you want to change
the world . . . JJ's story exposes the mountains of 1963 in matters
of race, feminism, and social expectations, and how music can help
move these mountains."
--BookTrib "The romance between JJ and an idealistic Luke is
tenderly written . . . The strength of the novel lies in Weil's use
of Dulcie and JJ to present, for teens, a history of the music
industry and its pitfalls, the names of well-known performers, and
an understanding of the 1960s songwriting business."
--VOYA "Readers will root for the determined and self-sufficient JJ
as she navigates the complex rules and relationships at play within
the Brill Building. I'm Glad I Did also provides a valuable look at
the racial tension and discrimination of the time, including the
mistreatment of African Americans by their peers within the music
world . . . Anyone who craves a bit of entertainment and a
behind-the-scenes look at the music biz should tune in."
--TeenReads.com "An impressive YA debut . . . Showing both the
bright and the dark sides if the music business, Weil crafts an
enticing tale of a sheltered teenager's induction into a world
where ambitions and morals are repeatedly tested."
--Publishers Weekly "Weil has painted a 1960s Mad Men-esque
portrait of the music industry, in which white men take advantage
of talented black musicians, especially young, beautiful, and
innocent black women, during that period of gathering racial
unrest. Weil deals with a variety of '60s social issues, including
black-white relationships, women's rights, and white male
privilege. It's an authentic picture of the 1963 turmoil, with
reader hooks of murder, young love, and the '60s music scene."
--Booklist "Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Weil, songwriter of 'You've
Lost That Lovin' Feeling, ' provides period detail about the
fledgling rock-'n'-roll industry that adds verisimilitude to JJ and
Luke's surprising journey of discovery. Mystery, romance and
insider music-industry detail distinguish this intriguing 1960s
coming-of-age story."
--Kirkus Reviews "JJ is both starry-eyed and determined . . . The
themes here, from first love to breaking away from parental
expectations, from race relations to the thrill of succeeding in a
competitive industry, position this perfectly . . . Weil finds just
the right balance between cynicism and hope, romance and
heartbreak--kind of like one of her songs."
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Beneath the
glamor and aspiration, I'm Glad I Did also provides an unflinching
look at the race, gender, and class struggles that defined the
time--seamlessly woven into a page-turning mystery."
--Coe Booth, LA Times Book Prize winning author of Tyrell "Only a
legendary songwriter like Cynthia Weil could have penned this
insider's view of the rock and roll songwriting scene . . . A
touching romance, a dark murder mystery, a compelling historical
coming-of-age novel: this is Mad Men with microphones. Anyone who's
ever dreamed big will love watching JJ spin her musical magic. A
mesmerizing debut."
--Katherine Applegate, Newbery winner and New York Times
bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan "Cynthia Weil delivers
a pitch-perfect debut about defining yourself and following your
dreams.I'm Glad I Did expertly blends music and romance with a
mystery that crescendos into page-turning ending. Encore!
Encore!"
--Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club
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