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Title details for I'm Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil - Available

I'm Glad I Did

by Cynthia Weil
Rachel Botchan
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
"Mad Men "meets "Nashville" in this debut mystery set in 1963, written by Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Cynthia Weil. It's the summer of 1963 and JJ Green is a born songwriter—which is a major problem, considering that her family considers the music business a cesspool of lowlifes and hustlers. Defying them, she takes an internship at the Brill Building, the epicenter of a new sound called rock and roll. JJ is finally living her dream. She even finds herself a writing partner in Luke Silver, a boy with mesmerizing green eyes who seems to connect instantly with her music. Best of all, they'll be cutting their first demo with Dulcie Brown, a legend who's fallen on hard times. Though Dulcie is now a custodian in the Brill Building, JJ is convinced that she can shine again. But Dulcie's past is a tangle of secrets, and when events take a dark turn, JJ must navigate a web of hidden identities and shattered lives—before it snares her, too. 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.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 27, 2015

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781490666808
      • File size: 206808 KB
      • Duration: 07:10:50

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 690
    • Text Difficulty: 3

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 20, 2014
      Grammy-winning songwriter Weil makes an impressive YA debut with this period novel set against the rapidly changing music industry of the early 1960s. Sixteen-year-old JJ Green dreams of being a songwriter, and opportunity knocks when a music publisher in New York City’s Brill Building offers her a three-month gig as an assistant. Unfortunately, her successful parents want her to follow in their footsteps and study law. They allow JJ to accept the position on one condition: if one of her songs isn’t recorded within three months, she “has to give up this crazy songwriting thing and never mention it again.” JJ embraces the challenge but is sidetracked by charismatic figures she meets at her job: a mysterious, green-eyed boy; her estranged Uncle Bernie, whose shady music business dealings have made him the black sheep of the family; and a once-famous blues singer, whose violent death leads to startling discoveries. Showing both the bright and the dark sides of the music business, Weil crafts an enticing tale of a sheltered teenager’s induction into a world where ambitions and morals are repeatedly tested. Ages 14–up.

    • School Library Journal

      June 1, 2015

      Gr 7 Up-Grammy-winning songwriter Weil knows the music business. Her debut novel is set during the summer of 1963 and centers on 16-year-old JJ Green, an unpaid summer intern at a record company in New York City. JJ befriends a night custodian, Dulcie Brown, who turns out to be a renowned singer fallen onto hard times. When Dulcie dies unexpectedly, JJ sets out to solve the mystery of her death, with the help of her new friend and fellow songwriter Luke. Multiple 1963-era references pepper the book. Rachel Botchan narrates with an upbeat voice. JJ is highly emotional and cries easily, and Botchan handles those scenes with ease. When JJ and Luke find a diary belonging to Dulcie and read it aloud, she manages to keep the listener interested in what could have been a boring recitation. VERDICT For fans of the music business or historical fiction, this audiobook will fill a void.-Julie Paladino, East Chapel Hill High School, NC

      Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:690
  • Text Difficulty:3

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