Taylor Swift Is Life: A Superfan’s Guide to All Things We Love About Taylor Swift

by Kathleen Perricone

Celebrate your best Swiftie life with this gorgeously illustrated, all-encompassing fan book on everything there is to know and love about the modern icon that is Taylor Swift.

From her first vocal lessons at age nine, to learning the guitar at twelve, to becoming the most downloaded women on Spotify, and then breaking the internet with her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has rocked the music scene and captured the hearts of fans across the globe. Gathering her incredible life story, music, and fan culture all in one place, Taylor Swift Is Life captures her epic achievements, brilliant lyrics, and her incredible ability to connect with her fans like no other musician before her.

This treasure trove of essential Swiftie knowledge includes:

A full biography capturing her early inspiration and first performances through her through her sensational 2023-2024 Eras Tour
A full discography of Taylor’s music, including the significance of each album personally and professionally, the meaning behind every Track 5, and all the hidden Easter eggs and symbolism behind the songs.
Swiftology, or Taylor A to Z, covering significant words, imagery, and people in Taylor’s life that every Swiftie should know, from arm poetry to maple lattes, and polaroids to Zoë Kravitz
Taylorscopes for every sign, to find out how your stars align with Swift’s music, and learn which Taylor song represents you

Both a tribute to our beloved Tay and a chic showpiece for any well-appointed bookshelf, Taylor Swift Is Life is a must-have title for every true Swiftie.

The Modern Icons series takes you on a journey through the lives and legacies of cultural icons who have shaped our world, from fashion to music to media. With original illustrations and meticulously crafted prose, this series captivates and enlightens, offering a glimpse into the personalities whose unparalleled charm and authenticity have left an indelible mark on popular culture.

The series also includes: Beyonce Is Life, and Harry Styles Is Life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Music, Pop Culture, Art, Biography Memoir

160 pages, Hardcover

Published July 16, 2024

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute!

Lost a star due to the author continually mislabelling YOYOK as ‘You’re On Your Own Now, Kid’ (even in the Midnights track list the author mis-titles it 🙄), and for stating that TTPD is entirely about Joe — is the author on Ratty’s payroll? Did they even listen to The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived?

Two bizarre errors from someone claiming to be a Swiftie.

Otherwise, the insanely cute paper doll illustrations of Taylor, and the concise little breakdowns of each album are very fun and worth checking out.

[Anastasia Terendii (livie's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

як на мене, ця книжка чудова і для тих, хто вже свіфті, оскільки тут дуже багато інформації, яку вони могли пропустити або мають змогу нагадати собі, і для людей, які лише чули про Тейлор, і їм цікавіше нарешті дізнатись, хто ж це така, і чому вона настільки популярна.

книжка неймовірно інформативна, тому розкажу трошки детальніше, що ж вас всередині чекає, бо прочитати справді раджу. загалом, тут три частини (+ тейлорскоп, або ж просто кілька сторінок гороскопу, та яка пісня, на думку авторки, підходить кожному знаку), кожна з яких розповідає про іншу частину творчості Тейлор.

перший розділ під назвою Створення Мастермайнду присвячений біографії Тейлор. тут нам розповідають про її життя з самого дитинства, але, звичайно, зосереджуючись здебільшого саме на професійній частині, тобто як Тейлор почала писати пісні, грати на гітарі, як вона підписала контракт з лейблом і тд, і так аж до сьогодення, по суті.

у наступному розділі Створена Тейлор музика є, мені здається, майже вся інформацію про дискографію Тейлор. тут авторка розповідає окремо про кожний альбом, і текст подано структуровано, тому читати та засвоювати прочитане дуже легко. спочатку ми бачимо список пісень, потім - які рекорди побив цей альбом, яким був творчий напрямок під час його запису, створення та вибір обкладинки і назви, хто надихав Тейлор при написанні, історія пісні під номером 5, а також Версія Тейлор / перезапис. крім цього, якщо є ще якась цікава інформація про певний альбом, то її тут також подано, просто оці категорії такі базові для всіх загалом.

ну і третій, дуже такий фанатський розділ, це Свіфтологія. тут авторка і подала нам алфавіт з різних понять, пов'язаних з Тейлор, і розповіла про всі великодки, і порадила різні пісні для різних ситуацій, і навіть розповіла про певні слова, які повторюються в різних піснях Тей, як ж змінюється їхнє значення залежно від пісні.

крім оцієї інформативності книжки, хочу виділити загалом стиль написання авторки, бо, по-перше, читати дуже легко, справді. по-друге, так, звичайно, всю цю інформацію можна знайти у вільному доступі в інтернеті, АЛЕ тут її всю зібрано, гарно структуровано та цікаво подано. ну і, по-третє, авторка або сама свіфті, або справді багато готувалась до написання, тому що вона часто використовує в тексті різні відсилки до Тейлор чи її пісень, і це щоразу як отой мем з Ді Капріо з Одного разу в Голлівуді: "о, я це знаю!".

а щееееее, останнє, але не менш важливе, тут гарні ілюстрації, вони дуже милі, і хоча їх не так вже й багато, але теж створюють якусь атмосферу. ну і на краях сторінок є кольоровий градієнт відповідно до розділу/альбому Тей, красиво.

якщо вас цікавить Тейлор, то читати точно раджу, бо це дійсно гарна робота.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[nati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it’s a pretty well structured book with most important insights on Taylor Swift’s career with a few beautiful illustrations too.

Although, I did find issues with some informations. For example mentioning muses in each era and saying her album “The Tortured Poets Department” is only about her past relationship with Joe Alwyn, no mention of songs that are based on Matty Healy or also about completely not about her (past) lovers.
I find it frustrating that the author also made it seem like all Taylor writes about and whats most important are the men she dated. Another example would be referring to “clean” from “1989” as a break up song, even though it is definitely about her struggle with an ed.
I was happy her newest album is included, but there was also no mention of the anthology?
Also there was misinformation. In the folklore section the author mentions the love triangle but says their names are Betty, James and Inez. However, Inez is another character in that fictional setting and August/ine (She doesnt have a specific name) is actually the girl James cheated on Betty with.

I overall liked the organization of this book. It was very clearly structured. You can easily find something if you prefer to read just sections and not everything in one go.

At first we got her development from the start on, in the next bit all about her albums (where each era got clearly depicted with important details like track 5 meaning and creative direction as well) and then more about her language use and stuff like that.
The Taylorscope was a cute detail in the end! I feel like the songs picked correspond well with their signs.

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Taylor Swift fan, this book felt like a fun, heartfelt celebration of everything that makes her so beloved.

✦ What I Loved
~Packed with Swiftie Trivia: The book is loaded with fun facts, album highlights, tour moments and personal milestones that make you smile and reminisce.
~Cheerful Tone: Kathleen Perricon writes with genuine admiration and positivity, which makes it feel like reading a love letter to Taylor.
~Great Gift for Fans: It’s a perfect keepsake or coffee table book for any Swiftie, especially younger fans or those just getting into her music.

✦ What Could Be Better
~Light on Depth: It doesn’t dive too deeply into Taylor’s songwriting process or personal struggles—more surface-level admiration than detailed biography.
~Slightly Repetitive: A few sections repeat similar praises, which could have been tightened up.

✦ Overall
~This book is a joyful and charming tribute to Taylor Swift that will delight most fans, even if it’s not deeply analytical. This is for anyone who wants to bask in Taylor magic.

My NetGalley review

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Swiftie there was not much in this book that I didn't already know. I do think it would be a good guide for those less familiar with Taylor's life and work. I do think it is absolutely hilarious that the book will be out of date / inaccurate by the publication date due to the inclusion of speculation regarding The Tortured Poets Department (by time the time the book I published in July, TTPD will have been out for 3 months). The book was clearly written prior to the album's release and not updated because 1) it speculates the album will be entirely about Joe when TTPD is mostly about Matty Healy and 2) TTPD was a double album so The Anthology is not referenced at all essentially meaning an entire album that exists prior to publication is missing from the book. Additionally, there is some incorrect information in the book (things like saying "Mean" is about the haters in general when it was written specifically about Bob Lefsetz) and typos (ex. the Live from London was called City of Lover not City of Love). I did enjoy the illustrations throughout the books and recognized most of the looks.

[Saranya ⋆☕︎ ˖ (exams i.a.) · Rating 3 out of 5]

:)

[Camrae · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. for the ARC of "Taylor Swift is Life" by Kathleen Perricone.

Of course, I had to read this book about Taylor Swift! The illustrations are fantastic, capturing her iconic looks perfectly.

The book begins with a biography detailing her move from Pennsylvania to Tennessee, her first record deal, and the journey to recording her first six albums.

The second part of the book is a discography, explaining Track 5, awards, and her muses. Although, I will point out that there is no mention of Matty Healy.

The third part is an A to Z of Taylor Swift, covering everything from arm lyrics to December and even William Bowery.

The final section dives into Easter eggs, color theory, and the Taylorscope. I can't name a Swiftie who hasn't gone down a rabbit hole searching for Easter eggs.

This book is a must-read for every Swiftie, parent of a Swiftie, and anyone trying to understand the mind of a Swiftie. Very informative. Overall, I would rate it a 4/5.

[Arabella Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it


Go AND BYE IT now

💚💛💜❤️🩵🖤🩷🩶🤎💙🤍
🦋🫶🏻☔️🧣🏙️🐍🏹🪩🌲🕰️🪶

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fairly big swiftie, as soon as I say this was available to read instantly on netflix, I knew I just had to read it. Firstly, I absolutely loved the graphics. They're all super cute (especially the cats) and there was so much detail into some of her iconic looks throughout the years. The one criticism I had was that there was a slight formatting issue at one point where a new paragraph had been put within another sentence (if that makes any sense), which made it a bit confusing. I really liked the amount of detail into describing the inspiration and meaning behind the songs although a lot of the information is stuff that a lot of swifties will know already.

Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and Quarto publishing group for an e-arc in return for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Tay Tay I knew I had to read this as soon as I saw it. There was so much information in this book I think it would be great for new swifties to read to learn more about her. The graphics were so cute and well done, giving it that pop of bedazzled any swiftie loves. Iconic outfits illustrated on the pages made it that much cooler. I learned new things I didn’t know before and enjoyed reading this one. It has a little bit of everything in there, even down to specific era information. If you are a fan, or even if you aren’t, and want to know more about Taylor, this is the book to read.

[Bailey Thompson Engle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

This was a super cute, quick read that dives into the highlights of Taylor Swift’s career. It talks about major awards, milestones, inspirations, and her background. But like her, it is also fun and quirky discussing things like Easter Eggs, chants, zodiac signs, etc. The graphics were absolutely adorable. This was a very fun book that gives readers more insight into her life. As a Swiftie, I loved it and would recommend it to other readers!

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect gift for every Taylor Swift fan in your life -- and for you, if you're a Swiftie too! Packed with info I didn't know before, beautifully designed, and ever compelling!

[Sierra 🌸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This was such a fun little book. I love that this included a little biography of her life, but that that’s not all it is and that it had all of the other little sections, too. I really loved all of the artwork throughout. My favorite part of this book was the section that went through each of her albums. I really got the impression that this book was probably written and completed but not yet published when The Tortured Poets Department came out. That is absolutely one of my favorite TS albums, so I'm happy it was in here, but it very much felt like an afterthought compared to everything else that was in here. I have been a fan of Taylor Swift clear from the very beginning. The first time I heard and loved one of her songs was her third single, Our Song, which was released in 2007. I can still remember the moment that music video came on MTV in the living room of my childhood home so well. I’ve been there for her whole journey, but given how big of a star she is now and how astronomically she’s breaking records today, I somehow didn’t realize how she’s always been kind of a big fucking deal and she’s been breaking records since the very beginning. I mean, it’s not like I thought she used to be some unknown artist that I just happened to stumble across, but I just didn’t realize how close to the top she has been from the beginning of her career. Throughout this book, it was fun to see how through the years she went from being the first female artist to do something to then the first artist full stop. It’s just so crazy and awesome to me that at this point, she’s breaking records that were held by artists like Elvis and the Beatles and Michael Jackson – the absolute biggest names in the music industry. AND she’s breaking records that it took their whole careers to create. She is still so young and presumably still has so much career left ahead of her. She has already absolutely obliterated so many records and now has the rest of her career to just keep getting further and further ahead to the point where no one will ever be able to break the records that she sets. This was a great little book. I’m glad I own it and that I read it.

[Rachael | Helpless Whilst Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

was gifted this for Christmas and while I normally marvel at little books like this, it’s rare that I buy them for myself. I started this on New Year’s Day (appropriate), and picked it up and put it down through the month as a bit of a coffee table type book.

I pulled out my eras tour jacket (that I made with a weeks notice of getting tickets to the show date, and took so long to do!) and wore for approximately 30 minutes for the 2 roasting hot dates I went to… at least it’s getting some more use!

In general, my favourite thing about this book was the illustrations, they are really cute and lots are based on iconic Taylor moments and costumes! The book overall is really well designed and pretty to flick through.

The book is split into 3 parts, covering “The Making of A Mastermind”, which is her origin story rise to fame, “Taylor-Made Music” an 3-4 page section on each album, key songs, moments, music videos, collaborators - notes on Taylor’s Versions, and “Swiftology” which covered Taylor’s Advice, Easter Eggs and anything else that didn’t fit into the above two sections.

The book was up-to date containing the discography up to TTPD and history containing the Eras Tour. And was mostly interesting tip-bits of information. Some of the facts presented in the book, I personally think some could be up for debate… As hardcore swifties will probably agree Joe Alwyn is not the sole subject of the penmanship on TTPD but this is what the book states.

Overall, a cute lil enjoyable read. If I’d read it in one sitting I would doubt it would take much longer than 90 mins to read.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m the mother of a Swiftie which means I’ve listened to her albums, went to Vegas for the Eras Tour and watched the Eras concert movie more than once. I watched the Super Bowl on a cruise ship only for the sightings of Taylor and not for who won the game. So for me I wasn’t surprised by anything I read in this book. I like the layout first going through a quick summary of her life and career. There are no photos but drawings in similar style to the cover with familiar outfits and looks. The book covers each album listing songs and talking about inspiration, awards, and unique things related to them. And the final third of the book covers “Swiftology” or things fans should know like easter eggs, sound advice and theme songs. I like the author does include quotes from interviews or times when Taylor is speaking. Sometimes I am perplexed how confidently people say this song is about so and so if Taylor doesn’t confirm it. This type of book can become outdated quickly after another album is released or a new relationship begins. But I enjoyed reading it and getting caught up in the Swiftie world. I’d recommend it to any fan of Taylor Swift. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot! It has allllll the info you could think of, and as a more recent fan, I really appreciated it and got some much-needed context on certain pieces of lore that I have sort of picked up by osmosis over the years.

I really appreciated the structure of the book. It began with a biography of Taylor, then went into more of a discography, and then went into some much misunderstood terms and things known by the fandom. I liked that the author did not really dwell too too much on the romantic relationships or get too in the weeds debating what songs might be about who. There is some of that but she mainly sticks to attributions that are widely agreed upon, i.e. All Too Well is about Jake. It is very easy to drag yourself down in timelines and hypotheses about songs when the real thing that matters is not who inspired a song - could be a combo of multiple who’s - and more that they strike a chord with her fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this ARC, I thought it was a great read and you taught me some things about my favorite singer!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't consider myself a Swiftie, but Taylor is definitely beautiful and fascinating. Honestly a large part of my desire to read Taylor Swift is Life was to determine what an Easter Egg was; yes, this book addresses that question.

I thought this book would be filled with photos of Taylor Swift; instead illustrator Adrian Valencia provides many illustrations that perfectly suit this book.

The book is around 160 pages, release date is July 16, 2024. I'm guessing that Swifties will snap up this book!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author Kathleen Perricone and Quarto Publishing for approving my request to review the advance read copy of Taylor Swift is Life in exchange for an honest review.

[Ludo · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, folklore is grey, not brown.
And that is not the only inaccuracy (for example, the TTPD name: a speculation of the fans given as certain).
I like the illustrations, they are very pretty, however, that's the only positive aspect for me.
There are already a lot of books out there about Taylor Swift, so this inaccurate and incomplete one has no reason to exist. I said "incomplete" because there's no mention of The Anthology. I get it that a book is written way before publishing, however, if the focus of the book is supposed to be all of Taylor's music/life and this book is getting published way after TTPD release, then that's a problem when the iconic and showstopping double album drop is not mentioned.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute little read with such adorable art. I loved, loved, loved the art. I found the book itself to be really fun reading and engaging, despite knowing basically everything already in here. It's not a complete comprehensive book of all things Taylor; it'd have to be a lot longer for that. But everything that is included was really enjoyable to read about. Only section I'm taking a star off for was Taylor A to Z, where I think it was a cute concept to do, but it was just...random...Taylor facts/moments/stories that didn't have very much flow to them, jumping all over the place in the Taylor timeline, so it felt jarring to read. It was all over the place, and I found myself a little bored here. Outside of that, lots of fun!

[Meghan Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute coffee table book for the Swifties. The author's decoding of TTPD seems fairly incorrect, but since this was published in July, just months after that album's release and without enough hindsight, I am willing to overlook. I just wish the mention of Ryan Adams' 1989 cover album was not in here, as he is an abuser. Other than that, I really loved reading the early history of Taylor as a teen up-and-comer, the breakdown of each album, and Taylor's impact via the alphabet. Great illustrations too. It's hard not to love any literature about one of the world's greatest living legends!

[Abbie Chandler · Rating 2 out of 5]

honestly. this was disappointing. i feel like this was not written by someone who is a swiftie. it seemed like someone who googled other work written by swifties and compiled it. she kept making super specific comments to try to act like she was in on something. idk maybe that’s mean, but it just didn’t feel authentic at all. there were MULTIPLE typos and song titles in the wrong place. it just didn’t seem like she actually knew things about taylor swift. all the information in this book is a quick google search.

[Kayla Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute little book that any Swiftie would enjoy reading through. This is probably better for a new Swiftie as a lot of the information covered in the book is stuff that anyone who has been a fan for awhile would already be well acquainted with. There were really adorable illustrations, though, and a fun little horoscope section in the back.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for the swiftie or new swiftie in your life. I’ll be honest I didn’t get the hype until I saw the era’s tour movie with my daughter. To sit in the movie theater and listen to the ppl just laugh & scream & sing along word for word, showed me what a phenomenon Taylor Swift is. This book delves into Taylor’s start and works its way to the current album. The illustrations are so whimsical and lovely. Just like the singer.

[Robin Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

This would be a great gift for the Swiftie in your life. Being just a passing Swift fan I found the book interesting but I would not have purchased this for myself. However, as a gift I think it is great, the book itself feels very high quality and the illustrations are nice throughout.

[Vickyy Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks netgalley for this copy. This was a cute book to look through and get some insight on all her past albums. The artwork was gorgeous. It is a cute and basic coffee table book that any Swiftie would love to have!

[Lisa Schandle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was both inaccurate and a bit boring.
Like song names (yoyok for example) and lyrics were inaccurate, not even to get into the meaning of songs, muses and other theories. I thought the Easter eggs and taylorscope were the best parts. As a swiftie I was disappointed.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains some interesting information for those of us who lost track of Taylor's career in recent times. I don't think there would be much/any new lore here for Taylor superfans. I am not sure what the point of the horoscopes section was.

[Mary-Ann Kourko · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing chronicle of a genius career. I certainly am a Swiftie now that I’ve learned about Taylor and her incredible talent.

[Brendy Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS ADORABLE!!

as a raging swiftie, I just loved reading this, it was clearly written with so much love, I appreciated it so much and the illustrations are super cute. Love it!

[Melissa Cripps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Halloween costume research 🙂