On Divas: Persona, Pleasure, Power

by Spencer Kornhaber

A critic’s notebook on sparkle and spectacle. An Atlantic Edition, featuring long-form journalism by Atlantic writers, drawn from contemporary articles or classic storytelling from the magazine’s 165-year archive.

A collection of essays on musicians, celebrities, and aesthetic movements and moments that, taken together, characterize the often used, yet widely misunderstood term diva . With keen insight and genuine enthusiasm, On Divas offers readers an original understanding of an age-old phenomenon by drawing together figures as diverse as Beyoncé, Björk, and Donald Trump.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Music

144 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

Reviews

[eris · Rating 3 out of 5]

kornhaber's essays are insightful and intriguing, entirely readable for those who might not be familiar with the music industry, and the kind of writing that leaves you examining how you interact with pop culture on a daily basis. however, i have the same problem with this book that i did with ‘on thinking for yourself,’ namely that it is just a collection of essays that have been somewhat decontextualised and dropped into a book without much thought given to expanding the content itself. 3.5

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost a 4 star but I needed more diva out of this.

Entertaining collection of essays with interesting social / pop culture commentary. Always love a discourse on drag and my pop girlies. However, the author misquoted Alyssa Edward’s legendary orange insult to Coco Montrese (side eye). Overall - great potential with a strong start but gets less engaging and poignant.

Easy read to pick up / put down at your leisure.

[nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

“anyone can act a diva, if they have the guts” <3

[Allie Gonsalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh just such a treat! Such a quick little fun read about how divas influence our culture
Loved the rupaul chapter and the essay about how Donald Trump hijacked camp

[Bianca Borzatti · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t mind reading this essay collection at all but think it missed the mark in terms of being ‘On Divas’. The blurb claims this collection offers an understanding of the ‘age-old phenomenon’ of divadom, though I don’t feel I finished with a better understanding of what it means to be a diva than I started with.

In the introduction, Kornhaber concedes the definition of ‘diva’ is elusive and posits “the one rule is that divas are in touch with what they want and will not apologise as they pursue it.” But setting the benchmark for divadom so low means pretty much any public figure fits the memo and the inclusion of Donald Trump and Jack White was really rogue and not justified in my opinion. Given the definition was so wide there was definitely scope to include essays on trans women, especially trans women of colour. Kornhaber included one essay on trans woman Arca, though her trans identity was confined to a single paragraph towards the end of the essay and was discussed only in the context of her music, not her divadom. The next closest essay was on RuPaul which felt out of place and borderline offensive in a book about divas given his comments about the trans community in the past and the general lack of other meaningful trans representation in the collection.

As for the essays themselves, they were fine but again didn’t really discuss divadom so much as the divas themselves. I think Kornhaber intended for the connection to speak for itself but personally I thought identifying the through line required pretty significant heavy lifting on the reader’s part. I got the sense he just wanted to write about his favourite divas but in execution it came across as centring himself in a narrative not about him.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to rate this book since many of the essays are now outdated. I wish it hadn’t been framed about “divas” because it feels like they hunted for a word that could kinda maybe sort of pertain to each essay when really the dominant theme was pop music and the context of the time it’s in. However I enjoyed the way the author wrote about music and it made me want to read more profiles of musicians.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant book, a collection of essays about what is a diva and about divas.
I found it fascinating and it's recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Maddie Joyner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not that cohesive but interesting topics. Plus there's not one – but two – chapters about Donald J Trump

[Saige Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, lots of fun
My favorite line was something like music being covered in cobwebs and glitter which now lives in my brain forever.

[Shanlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does it mean to be a diva? Author Spencer Kornhaber explores this idea in his expansive Atlantic interviews, curating a list of iconic divas: Britney, Mariah, Björk… and Jack White? (Yes, that guy from The White Stripes—his essay was one of my favorites.) M.I.A., Lana Del Rey, and even Trump make appearances as well. The first part of the book, The Singers, focuses on individual artists, while the second, The Stage, delves into the music industry with more depth and educational value, providing a fascinating perspective on the inner workings of the business.

I used to think the term “being a diva” wasn’t particularly positive. To me, it always seemed like a backhanded compliment—referring to someone who had reached the height of success, perfected their craft, and then felt entitled to act unkindly with unrealistic demands for perfection.

Kornhaber’s interviews are where his writing truly shines. Direct conversations with the artists feel relevant, insightful, and thoughtful. The Jack White essay, in particular, was fascinating—delving into his passion, creativity, and the music industry with a nuance that kept my head buzzing, especially when the topic of vinyl was introduced. By the end, I understood Jack White’s business and artistry better, which was a rewarding experience.

That said, the Britney essay didn’t quite live up to the same level of engagement. She wasn’t “present” in the piece, and I found myself questioning how she fits into the concept of “diva.” What is her command over her talent, her artistry, and her vision that would qualify her as a diva? It wasn’t clear, and the essay didn’t provide much in answering that question.

Kornhaber does, however, weave a thought-provoking collection that had me reflecting on the broader cultural implications of music. It offers insight into the evolving landscape of music, how it shapes our collective consciousness, and what it means to the artists and society at large. I also appreciated that On Diva didn’t focus exclusively on female divas—men and non-binary artists are included, celebrating the diversity of artistry across the spectrum.

Overall, this book is a recommended read. Whether you pick it up to read in pieces or cover-to-cover, you’ll gain new insights into the world of music, artists, and the divas that define them.

Thanks to Zando Projects, The Atlantic Group, and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Lulu Fitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, but lacks the in depth analysis I was truly after.
I felt like Kornhaber only briefly touched on the juicy moments I was longing for!!!!! Need more oomph! The irony is that I could have gotten more out of a TikTok.

[Alex Jackman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection from The Atlantic creates a throughline and context for the stories and scandals you know. Tracing freedom from Janet to Mariah to Fiona to Kesha to Britney. And finding a lineage from Britney’s public motherhood to that of Bjork. Elsewhere, the choices in divas may surprise you, most notably investigating Trump through the lens of “diva” and “camp.”

At times, the collection already feels dated — pulling content from 2016-2022 and not publishing until the end of 2023. One essay is framed by wondering if Britney will ever write a tell-all. Read today, we know that said book is being published the next month.

Ultimately, it's a quick, low-commitment read for fans of pop culture and the criticism of it.

[Isaiah Nieves · Rating 4 out of 5]

stale at parts, especially in part i, but the back half really saved this for me. at its best, this collection offers perspective and critical analysis i hadn't necessarily considered ("the eeriness of the disco revival" especially comes to mind). all in all, it was a really interesting capsule of the culture that forced me to reflect on my own relationship to music over the past half-decade.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw Chapelle Roan reading this on an Instagram Live, the image so meta that I had to add to cart. Incredible collection of five-star cultural criticism. Too pandemic focused, thanks to the years of essays collected, but the major arcs remain relevant, maybe even more so considering a Brat Summer and the swift rise of the aforementioned Midwest Princess.

[Nathan Bartos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I'm only intimately familiar with some of the divas discussed, I enjoyed those more and sped through the rest, but the writing, while fairly matter-of-fact, was engaging and told short, narrative essays discussing music, persona, pop culture, and more. I'm glad I picked this up in NYC and finally got around to it!

[Abigail Carpenter · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the pieces stand together well on their own, there is not a common thread that truly unites the pieces into a coherent collection. Also, reading this 5 years after many of the pieces were written leads to them not holding up well, but they are a meaningful reflection of the times they were written

[Elizabeth Swindell · Rating 2 out of 5]

3/10: the focus of this book was often misplaced and ended up being a detriment to the exact minorities the author refers to

[Asafe Pereira · Rating 3 out of 5]

More relevant 2 years ago

[Anelisa Armijo Montoya · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’ve been called a diva my whole life and i’m not letting anyone make me feel bad about it ever again. i’m a fuckin diva

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

things were being said but my mind could not pick up what was being put down

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging and a joy to read. At times I felt Kornhaber would start an idea and not quite follow through. Perhaps that is to be expected from a work called ‘a critic’s notebook’. Nevertheless he describes music in ways that are precise, evocative and visceral.

[Carly Gillum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun palate cleanser of a read, a collection of essays on music’s best divas. Some of these were a bit outdated - especially the one on Britney - but still interesting and enjoyable to read overall.

Thanks Zando Projects/Atlantic Editions for the ARC.

[Andy Steiner · Rating 2 out of 5]

A perfectly nice collection of essays, mostly about pop music. Some I've already read. Others, I reading already know. Still, it was enjoyable to study how Korrnhaber maps out pop trends into their larger social implications. I don't think this collection makes a statement or study on divas at all. Much more on popular music. But oh well, that's good too.