Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks

by Simon Morrison, Rebecca Lam (Reader)

A stunning musical biography of Stevie Nicks that paints a portrait of an artist, not a caricature of a superstar. Reflective and expansive, Mirror in the Sky situates Stevie Nicks as one of the finest songwriters of the twentieth century. This biography from distinguished music historian Simon Morrison examines Nicks as a singer and songwriter before and beyond her career with Fleetwood Mac, from the Arizona landscape of her childhood to the strobe-lit Night of 1000 Stevies celebrations. The book ● Analyzes Nicks's craft--the grain of her voice, the poetry of her lyrics, the melodic and harmonic syntax of her songs. ● Identifies the American folk and country influences on her musical imagination that place her within a distinctly American tradition of women songwriters. ● Draws from oral histories and surprising archival discoveries to connect Nicks's story to those of California's above- and underground music industries, innovations in recording technology, and gendered restrictions.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Music, Audiobook, History

Audio CD

First published October 4, 2022

About the author

Simon Morrison is Professor of Music History at Princeton, where he earned his PhD in musicology. A leading authority on composer Serge Prokofiev, he is the author of The People's Artist, along with numerous scholarly articles, and features for the New York Times. In 2011, Morrison was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Reviews

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.




What can I say about a Stevie Nicks biography? Of course, I'm going to love it, because I love the subject! At 177 pages, this short biography packs quite the punch. However, as a lifelong fan, I knew almost all of the included information already. There were a few tidbits from her high school days and time with her first "real" band, Fritz, that I thought were interesting. There are also a lot of details included about each of her songs, including specific influences/inspirations, their musical makeups, and how they were each received by audiences. I admire this precision, and am not surprised by this detailed analysis since the author is a Princeton University professor of music history.

I will be keeping this on my shelves for future reference, alongside Stephen Davis' 2017 biography of Stevie Nicks, Gold Dust Woman.


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[Martín Q. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more from this book. There's a ton of content to write about re: Nicks and all aspects of her life from her childhood to her romantic life to her music both as a solo artist and as a member of Fleetwood Mac. But this book struggles through it all in a way that doesn't flow as easily as it could. There's a lot of good stuff in there, but it gets bogged down with unnecessary detail. Overall, it was a difficult read, but a fascinating subject.

[Sarah Rayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book but the level of detail and attention to her songwriting and musical history, with facts even I hadn’t heard before, was lovely.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot, takes Stevie seriously as a writer and collaborator and works through the strengths with knowledge and respect

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a Nicks' fan since 1977. I've read most everything about her but I thoroughly enjoyed "Mirror in the Sky" by Simon Morrison (@simonm1) and learned a thing or two, as well, which was a real treat. I appreciated that Mr. Morrison kindly delves into the songs, vs. Ms. Nicks' life, although he does share behind-the-scenes as relevant. He also dispels myths in other books about Ms. Nicks, specifically "Gold Dust Woman" by Stephen Davis. A quick read, I think anyone with an interest in music, the 70s, Fleetwood Mac or Ms. Nicks would enjoy this. Highly recommend.

P.S. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC.

[Maddie Hagerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. Solid biography of the life of Stevie Nicks from her childhood, teaming up with Lindsey Buckingham as a duo, joining Fleetwood Mac, her incredible impact and her continued legacy. You are quickly lured in to her un-sugarcoated story, but I got a little lost during the never ending technical breakdowns of (what felt like) hundreds of songs. It was a bit of a slog to get through at times.

[Suzanne McAllister · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not an easy read. Want to ruin a great song, let someone break it down technically. Flashback, Music Theory classes.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent a lot of time with this one, she is small but mighty. No nonsense, no wild inventions or speculations, just facts with no frills that manages to still be engaging.

If I were to recommend any Stevie biographies i would now say this one and Zoe Howe’s. And never Gold Dust Woman, amen.

[Tameka Fleming]

Mirror In The Sky is a musical biography about the fascinating musician and icon, Stevie Nicks. What I don't like about these kind of bios is that they lure readers in, who are looking for a biography, without the subject going into details about their personal life. This book is detailed about less interesting parts of the singers life, specifically her recording and songwriting. Most of these stories you can even find online. It is lackluster, aside from the inspiration for some of the hit songs she wrote and recorded. It does go into detail about the rift between she and Fleetwood Mac bandmate, Lindsay Buckingham, without adding anything new to their long-lasting and tumultuous history, which is well documented in the media.
I would recommend this book to someone who maybe recently discovered Stevie Nicks but certainly not to her long-time fans or people knowledgeable in 60s & 70s rock music and stars.

[KylieAtkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Stevie Nicks and have been a long time fan. This book gave me some new insight into her life but mostly about her songs. It's heavily detailed on the music breakdown of each song (the author is a music history teacher, so...) which, as I know nothing about the technical side of music, I sometimes skipped over. I would recommend having access to the songs (YouTube on my phone was invaluable) to listen to as you go to. In that sense, it was a wonderful trip down memory lane and you can see how her music and voice have changed.
It's evident that the author has done his research and there are a lot of footnotes that are set at the back of the book (which was a bit distracting). Some were just mentioning the source but some were little side stories that I think could have been added to the main book.
I have found myself singing her songs now (God help anyone listening) and it has brought back wonderful memories of concerts, friends and life moments. If you're a fan, that alone is worth the read.

[Iris Draaijer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuke feitjes over het leven en liedjes van Stevie Nicks, maar soms zo langdradig

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Stevie. It was an easy read and informative.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting book, but not quite the biography of Stevie Nicks I was looking for. I would consider this more of a primer on her live and more of a breakdown of specific songs rather than a biography. It was pretty readable, so I would recommend it for Nicks fans and people who enjoy music dissection, but I still want to read a biography, so I still plan to pick up my copy of Gold Dust Woman for a more comprehensive look at her life.

[MELK]

DNFing this at 28%. I think if you're a musician yourself or at least into music theory this book would work for you. If not, like me, it's dry and largely incomprehensible once the author starts dissecting tracks. I am refraining from rating it as I am not the correct audience here and don't feel as though I can accurately assess the content.

There were many passages I enjoyed but found myself skimming large chunks to the point where it didn't make sense to continue.

There are some lovely quotes which I've noted:
"Her music reflects and refracts desire, need, and regret; the most beloved tracks attest to an artist of profound knowing, unapologetic instinct, and much hard won wisdom."

"In her ballads, she's often the truth-teller capable of transgressing boundaries, honouring that part of herself that hurts the most and forming from that acute act an intense bond with her audiences."

"Nick’s songs ultimately trouble the tales of women as muse, lover, ingenue, accessory by insisting on the importance of her own imagination”

"Fleetwood Mac profited from and then become prisoners of its own melodrama. The musicians have never really escaped the love-hate songs of their twenties and thirties”

[Amr Jal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robust biography of the recording artist Stevie Nicks, with much much much appreciated critical analysis of her music, encompassing solo and band discography , pulling references to and from other music criticism texts , sociological studies and general music theory knowledge(the author is a music history professor at Princeton) giving a very unique intersectional look at a popular artist.

The book was marketed as a biography ; it was a pleasant surprise that it provided more than a retread through her life (or what we know of it as a public/ public figure), but I suspect readers who are interested in Stevie Nicks as a person would be disappointed with this book (Gold Dust Woman would be a great alternative).

The book expects the reader to understand basic music theory and have general music knowledge, as well as understanding of recent American sociology ; the authors choice of using white feminist Obama era texts did make me groan at times, and majorly the reason I docked 1 star.

Recommended for people interested in pop music criticism, and hardcore Stevie/Fleetwood Mac fans.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it would be BUT it was good and I am sure someone else with more of a music background would like it mor.
The author is a teacher of music at Princeton and it is interesting to see how the songs and Stevie Nicks life were so interwoven. I learned more about the group and the rise and fall of Fleetwood Mac. The 60's and 70's are interesting ( I grew up then) but the ins and outs of this band and the other bands is intriguing. Various members of bands would mix up with others - makes you wonder how any would really get successful for any length of time.
This is not a biography of Stevie Nicks about about the music so I guess I would call it a music bio. An interesting book and I know who to had it over to.

[Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strengths of this book are the historical perspective (along with generous footnotes)it brings to the lifetime career of singer Stevie Nicks and the emphasis on her song development. For those hoping to read a tell-all of the personal life of a famous rock star, this book will not serve that purpose. Even her Hall of Fame band, Fleetwood Mac, is not given any more emphasis than any other topic in the book. It is a refreshing approach to see a pop star profiled more for their music than their lifestyle but at times it comes across as though it were textbook reading rather than a book for popular enjoyment. As such, even serious fans of Nicks will almost certainly learn some tidbits they didn't already know.

[mwr]

This "biography" is the work of a professor whose professional output lies exclusively in the domain of Russian high cultural art. It's written from the perspective of an extreme Nicks partisan, taking pot shots at anyone who ever badmouthed her or underestimated her talent. He quotes Mary Oliver poems to help distill meaning from lyrics. He briefly describes the process by which cocaine is manufactured and how it was used culturally to capture the context of Nick's addiction. All that is to say, this is a bizarre book, but, I love it. I do also have a greater appreciation of Nick's artistry and cultural import.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

More about the music than the person but enough to give the reader a sense of her career. Really analyzes her music, sometimes note to note which was a bit much, but on the other hand gave an idea of what musicians are trying to achieve and what methods are used to do so. Liked that it wasn’t just hitting the high notes of her career with Fleetwood Mac, and found the early days of Buckingham Nicks really interesting. Also liked giving her due credit for her accomplishments, many not easy to achieve in that male dominated field.

[Kelley Escue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more about Stevie and less about the technical aspects of the music she (and others made). I adore her and Fleetwood Mac (especially the late Christine McVie), but this text takes the reader down one rabbit hole after another (ironically, Alice in Wonderland was a source of Stevie’s inspiration). If you love a technical read, this is for you. If not, I’d suggest Gold Dust Woman instead.

[D.Donahue Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon reading Mirror in the Sky, I found myself wanting to hear the songs Morrison has written about adding his music knowledge to specific songs to gain some knowledge of music arrangements that he possesses. I did learn a few things, like the existence of demos from different eras in Stevie's life or how certain albums came about. Morrison is a fan of Stevie Nicks, but Mirror in the Sky read to me more of a technical manual of songs he enjoys listening to rather than the life story of Nicks.

[Tanet Higgins · Rating 2 out of 5]

When i started this book, it said it was about the music of Stevie Nicks. I thought it was going to be about how songs came to exist. This was part if the book. The other part was very musically clinical. There was a lot of time spent on the types of notes in each song and the style of finger picking used. I am not that well versed in musical notes and styles of playing instruments that those parts just confused me. If you are well versed in thay area I imagine you would love this book.

[Michael Cimino · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mirror in the Sky – The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks is everything a book about a Rock Star, Cultural Icon, or Sex Symbol (Nicks is all three) should not be; dry and academic.
The book is only saved by the titillating emanation of the subject.
The author also looses one star for writing off Eurythmic’s super talented Dave Stewart as a “predictable musician without a distinct style of his own.”

[Amanda Mcfarlane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations of this book, unfortunately it fell flat. The book has more of a focus on each song for Nicks craft and the influences on each song. I was hoping for more background from her childhood into her inner life and monologue of her rockstar life (in conjunction to her songs). Still a fantastic read, however, my expectations were maybe not the correct fit for the purpose of this book.

[Chy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stevie Nicks is an icon and a legend and fascinating to read about, but I felt this didn't capture that at all.

If you're looking for a book about Fleetwood Mac's songs then this would be a great read for you.

However if you're looking for a book that's a more traditional biography save yourself some time and pick up any other bio about her!

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is confusing and lightweight and the author spends too much time talking about peripheral aspects of Stevie’s career and not spending enough time actually talking about Stevie Nicks which to book is supposed to be about. Overall this book is a major disappointment and I would not bother reading it again or recommended it to others.

[Court · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s not a lot to say here; this is my third memoir about my Queen (Stevie) and I’m possibly judging this a little unfairly in comparison to the others. I liked this book, but I didn’t learn a lot of new information. That said, it was a quick read (and therefore a quick review).

That cover, though. Gorgeous.

3.5 stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the author pointing out the sexism in reviews that mock Stevie Nicks and other women for being earnest and emotional while calling the same behavior deep and genius in men. That said, this book finally taught me that I don’t care about anything written about stars, even ones whose music I love.

[Stephanie Iken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy this cover to cover. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Some reviews mentioned that it is full of music theory, and I agree. I am currently learning guitar so I appreciated the breakdown of the chords and how the sound was influenced by other artists at the time.

I absolutely loved learning that Stevie is a Twilight fan.

You’ll probably find me at a Stevie Nicks festival soon. She is truly an icon. ✨

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a book on Stevie Nicks life, this isn’t for you - the author said he is letting Stevie tell that story. The book instead breaks down each of her songs, with some biographical info as background. It’s a must for any music aficionado, with a lot of technical info