by Debbie Harry
First published 2019
Debbie Harry chronicles her journey from childhood through her rise as the iconic frontwoman of Blondie. The musician, actress, and activist shaped New York's definition of cool while leading the band that fused rock, punk, disco, reggae, and hip hop into beloved pop songs. Harry details her early years, her move to New York, the band's commercial success, her struggles with heroin addiction and bankruptcy, and her creative partnership with Chris Stein. She covers Blondie's breakup, her diverse acting and solo career, the band's comeback, and her activist work. Harry describes playing with the idea of being an extremely feminine woman fronting a male rock band in a predominantly macho game. She sang words that female vocalists rarely spoke at the time, breaking and kicking rather than submitting or pleading. Her Blondie character was an inflatable doll with a dark, provocative, and aggressive side that she both overplayed and took seriously.
Genres: biography, addiction, 20th-century, american, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century, activism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, overcoming-addiction
Setting: New York
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
368 pages · Hardcover · Dey Street Books
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use