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darthhall's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Like most readers, I am a long-time Tori Amos fan. This is such a tremendous tour through her “sonic holograms” and is so clearly presented in her iconic voice. Everything is explored through the lens of resistance through the struggles of artistry, feminism, human rights, as well as death and loss. It was a solid reminder of why I have always admired Ms. Amos.
amanova's review against another edition
3.75
Interesting perspective and stories, but not entirely cohesive. Overall I really enjoyed it but it still felt a bit lacking.
charlie9_9's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book if you want to get a good insight into what Tori was thinking when writing some of her songs for her newest album at the time and soe of her older ones.
boreasword's review against another edition
4.0
This gets four stars because I am a huge Tori Amos fan. only four stars because I think anyone who isn't a fan who tried to really dig into her pros and the stories behind certain song lyrics might find it a little bit incoherent if not linear. Fans will know that this artist is very often non-linear and speaks in deep metaphor about her process or creative process. also the book changes tack about 3/4 of the way through and becomes less about resistance and more about learning how to grieve and move through grief in an intentional way. Much appreciated and refreshing.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
I do not read much non-fiction. By "much" I mean pretty much not at all. I've just always been more drawn into the fictional, often fantastical. The exception to this has always been Tori Amos. When her book [b:Tori Amos: Piece by Piece|536597|Tori Amos Piece by Piece|Tori Amos|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387742479l/536597._SX50_.jpg|1267007] came out I was quick to grab it. She's always been a favorite artist of mine with her songs having such a layered mystery about them, I will always sit up and listen when it comes to hearing her process or, in her words, where the "Muses" take her in regards to crafting her songs. The deeper meaning that people can also relate to on a more surface level, and pick up new elements overtime is one she has always done really well. It's why her songs have endured.
When I heard about Resistance there was no question that I would read this book. I had initially imagined it to take a more political stance, and while those moments definitely appear and have their place, I felt like the overall tone of the book is addressing an artist's obligation to speak out or for those that cannot speak out for themselves. Whether it's political or societal it all kind of overlaps.
What always gets me when I think about Tori Amos is how long she's been doing what she's doing. I know she has a loyal following and is revered in the industry, but you don't hear about her as much as you do some of the more commercially successful artists. Nevertheless, though, I really liked hearing the stories about where she started out, where she came from, the battles she had to fight to get the message across that she wanted to tell despite dictates from the recording agency bigwigs.
The story doesn't necessarily follow a linear path as Amos goes back and forth between older and newer songs. I enjoyed how she would relate an older song, for example Silent All These Years to the time in which is was released and/or written, then turn around and talk about it's accessibility to today's climate. How a song can transcend it's original intent to take on new meaning.
Amos's writing feels, at times, eccentric, but anyone who is a true fan knows that's exactly all Tori. Often speaking on more of a theoretical level at times giving us full conversational exchanges she's had with her Muses or loved ones who have passed. But it's very easy to see where she's coming from, and like many of her songs, find your own way to relate to the issues.
I kind of wish there was just a little bit more cohesiveness, just to hold the over arching message together a bit better. The going back and forth from past to present, while interesting, brought me out of the narrative quite a few times. When she picks up again in the present time, I would constantly have to remind myself where we left off before we delved back into the past.
Otherwise, Resistance is an interesting look at a unique and trail-blazing artist, giving insights into fan favorite songs and speaking to the idea of art as a vehicle for change.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I do not read much non-fiction. By "much" I mean pretty much not at all. I've just always been more drawn into the fictional, often fantastical. The exception to this has always been Tori Amos. When her book [b:Tori Amos: Piece by Piece|536597|Tori Amos Piece by Piece|Tori Amos|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387742479l/536597._SX50_.jpg|1267007] came out I was quick to grab it. She's always been a favorite artist of mine with her songs having such a layered mystery about them, I will always sit up and listen when it comes to hearing her process or, in her words, where the "Muses" take her in regards to crafting her songs. The deeper meaning that people can also relate to on a more surface level, and pick up new elements overtime is one she has always done really well. It's why her songs have endured.
When I heard about Resistance there was no question that I would read this book. I had initially imagined it to take a more political stance, and while those moments definitely appear and have their place, I felt like the overall tone of the book is addressing an artist's obligation to speak out or for those that cannot speak out for themselves. Whether it's political or societal it all kind of overlaps.
What always gets me when I think about Tori Amos is how long she's been doing what she's doing. I know she has a loyal following and is revered in the industry, but you don't hear about her as much as you do some of the more commercially successful artists. Nevertheless, though, I really liked hearing the stories about where she started out, where she came from, the battles she had to fight to get the message across that she wanted to tell despite dictates from the recording agency bigwigs.
The story doesn't necessarily follow a linear path as Amos goes back and forth between older and newer songs. I enjoyed how she would relate an older song, for example Silent All These Years to the time in which is was released and/or written, then turn around and talk about it's accessibility to today's climate. How a song can transcend it's original intent to take on new meaning.
Amos's writing feels, at times, eccentric, but anyone who is a true fan knows that's exactly all Tori. Often speaking on more of a theoretical level at times giving us full conversational exchanges she's had with her Muses or loved ones who have passed. But it's very easy to see where she's coming from, and like many of her songs, find your own way to relate to the issues.
I kind of wish there was just a little bit more cohesiveness, just to hold the over arching message together a bit better. The going back and forth from past to present, while interesting, brought me out of the narrative quite a few times. When she picks up again in the present time, I would constantly have to remind myself where we left off before we delved back into the past.
Otherwise, Resistance is an interesting look at a unique and trail-blazing artist, giving insights into fan favorite songs and speaking to the idea of art as a vehicle for change.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
austingal's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
maralyons's review against another edition
5.0
Resistance by Tori Amos is a fascinating book, part memoir, personal reflections, and musings from one of the most influential artists of the past several decades. The book is separated into vignettes and song lyrics spanning the entirety of Amos’s career. The parts I enjoyed the most were her reflections on personal experiences and politics. I didn’t like the parts about the artistic process and music as much, but probably would have appreciated these if I was a young musician. Where this book soared were her accounts of personal experiences and touring. Being in New York on 9/11 and what came after, healing and hate. Her experiences with her mother and death were especially affecting. I loved learning what inspired certain songs. I listened to the audiobook, which was well-read by Amos. As her song lyrics are included, I would highly recommend listening to each song listed prior to each chapter. Overall, a fascinating book that will especially appeal to fans of Tori Amos.
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC.
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC.
staciek3's review against another edition
3.0
This was good. Tori certainly has an interesting background. At times I wasn't sure where she was on her timeline, but it was fine. I'm not sure I enjoyed it as much as I had hoped to, but there were some good reading recommendations that I highlighted. I did enjoy her humility as an artist whereby she wasn't saturated with her own self worth, but shared her path honestly. With much of the lyrics riddled throughout, I wish there was an audiobook version. I think that would have been a better experience for me.