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Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS
This nostalgic, fully-illustrated history of boy bands -- written by culture critic and boy band stan Maria Sherman -- is a must-have for diehard fans of the genre and beyond.
The music, the fans, the choreography, the clothes, the merch, the hair. Long after Beatlemania came and went, a new unstoppable boy band era emerged. Fueled by good looks and even greater hooks, the pop phenomenon that dominated the '80s, '90s, and 2000s has left a long-lasting mark on culture, and it's time we celebrate it. Written by super fan Maria Sherman for stans and curious parties alike, Larger Than Life is the definitive guide to boy bands, delivered with a mix of serious obsession and tongue-in-cheek humor.
Larger Than Life begins with a brief history of male vocal groups, spotlighting The Beatles, the Jackson 5, and Menudo before diving into the building blocks of these beloved acts in "Boy Bands 101." She also focuses on artists like New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, One Direction, and BTS before ending with an interrogation into the future of boy bands. Included throughout are Tiger Beat-inspired illustrations, capsule histories of the swoon-iest groups, in-depth investigations into one-hit wonders, and sidebars dedicated to conspiracy theories, dating, in-fighting, haters, fan fiction, fashion (Justin and Britney in denim, of course), and so much more.
Informative, affectionate, funny, and never, ever fan-shaming, Larger Than Life is the first and only text of its kind: the ultimate celebration of boy bands and proof that this once maligned music can never go unappreciated.
The music, the fans, the choreography, the clothes, the merch, the hair. Long after Beatlemania came and went, a new unstoppable boy band era emerged. Fueled by good looks and even greater hooks, the pop phenomenon that dominated the '80s, '90s, and 2000s has left a long-lasting mark on culture, and it's time we celebrate it. Written by super fan Maria Sherman for stans and curious parties alike, Larger Than Life is the definitive guide to boy bands, delivered with a mix of serious obsession and tongue-in-cheek humor.
Larger Than Life begins with a brief history of male vocal groups, spotlighting The Beatles, the Jackson 5, and Menudo before diving into the building blocks of these beloved acts in "Boy Bands 101." She also focuses on artists like New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, One Direction, and BTS before ending with an interrogation into the future of boy bands. Included throughout are Tiger Beat-inspired illustrations, capsule histories of the swoon-iest groups, in-depth investigations into one-hit wonders, and sidebars dedicated to conspiracy theories, dating, in-fighting, haters, fan fiction, fashion (Justin and Britney in denim, of course), and so much more.
Informative, affectionate, funny, and never, ever fan-shaming, Larger Than Life is the first and only text of its kind: the ultimate celebration of boy bands and proof that this once maligned music can never go unappreciated.
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2020
30 people are currently reading
1473 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
August 16, 2020
This really disappointed me. I can't imagine there's a reason for almost fully skipping over Menudo and New Edition, outside of explaining how they led to NKOTB, other than white guys were more interesting to the author. As a white woman whose childhood memories range from the late '80s to early '00s, I get how NKOTB/BSB/NS have an outsized presence in our creative consciousness, but this still seems like an oversight that's lazy at best, racist at worst.
The BTS section is interesting to me as someone who knows very little about K-pop but seemed overly focused on its tragedies and scandals. Almost no similar attention is given to the other bands, other than a quick mention of Donnie Wahlberg supposedly setting fire to a hotel room. This seemed like an strange choice to me.
The BTS section is interesting to me as someone who knows very little about K-pop but seemed overly focused on its tragedies and scandals. Almost no similar attention is given to the other bands, other than a quick mention of Donnie Wahlberg supposedly setting fire to a hotel room. This seemed like an strange choice to me.
March 3, 2021
I don't wanna brag, but I'm kind of a boy band guru. It all started with the New Kids and just exploded from there. While I was on the younger side for the New Kids (still a Blockhead to this day), I was the perfect age when NSYNC and BSB hit the mainstream. So to say boy bands are life doesn't even begin to cover it.
This book was given to me as a gift from a friend because of my love and so I sat down to read it, wondering what new information I could gleam about this phenomena. And while there were a few new tidbits to learn - Jesse McCartney wrote the Leona Lewis hit "Bleeding Love", the scale that New Edition was screwed in their contract - most of it was facts that a boy band follower already knew.
One thing that bothered me was how biased the writer was. I get it, fans are loyal to their boy bands but if you're going to write a book on the history of boy bands AND you're an actual music journalist, maybe take the biases out. And in case you're wondering, One Direction was the author's mad love. There were also a few facts on the bands that were incorrect but I mean, there's a lot of information out there, it's just where you go for the source.
This book touches on most of the boy bands to have hit the scene, but it definitely does not cover all. And then there are some condescending tones used when discussing some of the not so known ones. If she hadn't stated it in the beginning, I would have questioned whether she was a fan of boy bands.
Overall, this is a good book for newbie fans looking to start their boy band education. But for those of us who have been here for awhile, it was just all right.
September 13, 2020
This book was marketed to former and current fans of boy bands, but unfortunately, the Millennials who read this didn’t learn anything new as the book oscillates between nostalgic “fangirling” by the author and a Wikipedia page of facts without delving into anything new for fans.
The description of the book says it’s a must-have for die-hard fans, which is wrong, as it is simply a regurgitation of more carefully crafted material and documentaries. Someone who is a “die-hard” fan would be better served to watch documentaries available for free on YouTube than purchase this book. “Larger than Life” claims it is the first book of its kind, but it frequently cites books and documentaries that have already poured over the history, marketing, and social effect of boy bands. The author is a music critic yet offered no new insights or interviews.
The book also purports to be delving into the history of the boy bands it examines, but every time it falls short beyond a Wikipedia page overview of white boy bands (with the singular exception of the chapter on K-pop). Although the author mentions appropriation from Black doo-wop and Motown, these incredibly influential aspects of boy band history are totally removed from the narrative of boy bands. They warrant no more than a few paragraphs instead of a chapter dedicated to a critical review of this relevant topic. Especially considering it was in the late 2010s when the author was writing this, and it was published in 2020, this is a harmful oversight that lends itself to the singular orientation on white boy bands.
The K-pop chapter was not anything new for a K-pop fan, but for non-K-pop fans, it was a generally good chapter. Out of all of the chapters, this may have been the most well-research chapter. If the author had given this less-biased, research-focused attention to all other chapters, this book would have been deserving of more stars.
Any topic that wasn’t mainstream white culture-based boy bands felt forced, and the quick examination of the queer community in the first chapter with then one page in the One-Direction chapter felt once again like tokenism and “checking the box” off for diversity discussion in the boy band fan space. For example, the author missed opportunities such as discussion of BTS’s open acknowledgment and support of gay K-pop artists in conservative South Korea.
The shoehorning in of the queer community can be found especially in the language the author uses. For chapters where the author might nod to the queer community (ex. Chapter 1, One Direction Chapter), the author includes queer fans in the language of people who are fans. However, the author quick reverts to “fangirling” and “young women” and “teenage girls” as the titular fans without remembering to include non-female-identifying fans. Further, the author completely ignores cisgender, heterosexual male fans, and the stigma for these fans to openly cherish the bands they love.
Overall, the book was a good attempt at bringing light to an interesting topic with a rich and complex history. Sadly, the execution was poor. Our book club hopes that the author would take into account these criticisms and create a second edition that gives attention to the true diverse history of boy bands and its fans.
One last note: the author missed an opportunity for a fun way to connect with readers by creating a Spotify playlist of the songs and bands examined in the book. One of the best parts of this book was that it brought together our book club, and we were able to share our favorite songs with each other via a shared Spotify playlist.
The concept itself and the selection of the topic deserves one star, while our book club gave another star for execution, leading to our 2 out of 5 rating. If we could, we would actually give it 1.5 stars.
We hope that the author is motivated to continue to write and research mindfully in future endeavors.
The description of the book says it’s a must-have for die-hard fans, which is wrong, as it is simply a regurgitation of more carefully crafted material and documentaries. Someone who is a “die-hard” fan would be better served to watch documentaries available for free on YouTube than purchase this book. “Larger than Life” claims it is the first book of its kind, but it frequently cites books and documentaries that have already poured over the history, marketing, and social effect of boy bands. The author is a music critic yet offered no new insights or interviews.
The book also purports to be delving into the history of the boy bands it examines, but every time it falls short beyond a Wikipedia page overview of white boy bands (with the singular exception of the chapter on K-pop). Although the author mentions appropriation from Black doo-wop and Motown, these incredibly influential aspects of boy band history are totally removed from the narrative of boy bands. They warrant no more than a few paragraphs instead of a chapter dedicated to a critical review of this relevant topic. Especially considering it was in the late 2010s when the author was writing this, and it was published in 2020, this is a harmful oversight that lends itself to the singular orientation on white boy bands.
The K-pop chapter was not anything new for a K-pop fan, but for non-K-pop fans, it was a generally good chapter. Out of all of the chapters, this may have been the most well-research chapter. If the author had given this less-biased, research-focused attention to all other chapters, this book would have been deserving of more stars.
Any topic that wasn’t mainstream white culture-based boy bands felt forced, and the quick examination of the queer community in the first chapter with then one page in the One-Direction chapter felt once again like tokenism and “checking the box” off for diversity discussion in the boy band fan space. For example, the author missed opportunities such as discussion of BTS’s open acknowledgment and support of gay K-pop artists in conservative South Korea.
The shoehorning in of the queer community can be found especially in the language the author uses. For chapters where the author might nod to the queer community (ex. Chapter 1, One Direction Chapter), the author includes queer fans in the language of people who are fans. However, the author quick reverts to “fangirling” and “young women” and “teenage girls” as the titular fans without remembering to include non-female-identifying fans. Further, the author completely ignores cisgender, heterosexual male fans, and the stigma for these fans to openly cherish the bands they love.
Overall, the book was a good attempt at bringing light to an interesting topic with a rich and complex history. Sadly, the execution was poor. Our book club hopes that the author would take into account these criticisms and create a second edition that gives attention to the true diverse history of boy bands and its fans.
One last note: the author missed an opportunity for a fun way to connect with readers by creating a Spotify playlist of the songs and bands examined in the book. One of the best parts of this book was that it brought together our book club, and we were able to share our favorite songs with each other via a shared Spotify playlist.
The concept itself and the selection of the topic deserves one star, while our book club gave another star for execution, leading to our 2 out of 5 rating. If we could, we would actually give it 1.5 stars.
We hope that the author is motivated to continue to write and research mindfully in future endeavors.
March 25, 2022
BOYBANDS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And if you say otherwise you're dead to me lol :) also s/o to the bookclub, all of us found each other bc of a boyband, and there isn't any other group of people I would have wanted to read my pick with :')
Ahhh I absolutely adored this. I feel like... I let it sit on my shelf for 3 years because I was scared it wouldn't live up to the hype in my brain. But I really enjoyed it, especially learning about bands I only knew about in passing, and learning about how K Pop works, because I knew absolutely nothing about it!
I also really, really loved how this book challenged and confronted why boyband fans are automatically discounted. Like we aren't the backbone of the music industry lol.
4 stars instead of five because I did appreciate the author's wit, but, after a while it got kind of exhausting to keep up with. And also, because in the K-Pop section she cracked a joke about not bothering to learn all the names of K-Pop bands with lots of members, which, I found a bit insulting and a bit racist if I'm honest? I don't think that was the intent but just insensitive. If a white boyband had 13 members, would that be said?
Anyway, the ending (and 1D) chapter made me cry. This book made me feel seen and valid and... just... heard for the first time ever. Maria Sherman is great and I love her for this book, for making a space for us boyband fans. The OG's.
Ahhh I absolutely adored this. I feel like... I let it sit on my shelf for 3 years because I was scared it wouldn't live up to the hype in my brain. But I really enjoyed it, especially learning about bands I only knew about in passing, and learning about how K Pop works, because I knew absolutely nothing about it!
I also really, really loved how this book challenged and confronted why boyband fans are automatically discounted. Like we aren't the backbone of the music industry lol.
4 stars instead of five because I did appreciate the author's wit, but, after a while it got kind of exhausting to keep up with. And also, because in the K-Pop section she cracked a joke about not bothering to learn all the names of K-Pop bands with lots of members, which, I found a bit insulting and a bit racist if I'm honest? I don't think that was the intent but just insensitive. If a white boyband had 13 members, would that be said?
Anyway, the ending (and 1D) chapter made me cry. This book made me feel seen and valid and... just... heard for the first time ever. Maria Sherman is great and I love her for this book, for making a space for us boyband fans. The OG's.
September 30, 2020
Not enough Westlife. They are one of the best selling musical groups in the world, and they only got one teeny paragraph? No, I’m not bitter.
March 8, 2022
[3 stars] A text and graphic novelized overview of mid-90's to early-20's mainstream pop boy band culture. I got interested in this book because love reading about fandom, but ultimately found it lacking. I appreciated Maria Sherman's brief feminist analysis of the devaluation of young women's interests, including musical tastes. I wish that she had had a stronger and more self-reflective race lens, both around inclusion in the history she tells (New Edition and Menudo are included only as part of New Kids on the Block's narrative arc) and identification as a boy band (I thought her adamance that Boyz II Men was not a boy band when compared to her playful labeling of Blink-182 as one perpetuated the cultural notion that Black young people are adults no matter what while white men get to enjoy the benefits of adolescent innocence). I had already read the NPR essay reprinted as the One Direction chapter but the other content was new to me. Potentially recommended if you're looking for a light pop culture beach read that could situate itself somewhere between US Weekly and Bitch Magazine.
Goodreads Challenge 2022: 12/52
Nonfiction Reading Challenge: a book about celebrity
Goodreads Challenge 2022: 12/52
Nonfiction Reading Challenge: a book about celebrity
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November 17, 2021I had fun and learned some things! I can’t stop telling people that Jack in the Box created a boy band in the late 90s called “The Meaty Cheesy Boys”!!!
February 25, 2021
Boy bands have been a huge part of my pop culture obsessions, beginning in the early days with Hanson in elementary school, exploding with my love for *NSYNC in middle school, and continuing to today with my nostalgic joy and fandom love of Westlife (which did begin in high school, I promise). Celebrity crushes, and the safety net of boy bands as I came of age, has always been an important part of my history and I appreciated that this book took that seriously. It's still a breezy look at the concept of the boy band, focusing on the big names. It reminded me how many there were! Every generation has their own wave of the boy band, and I liked how Sherman situates the boy band ebbs and flows into where culture was at the time.
It is so hard to read about something that is so near and dear to my heart and, I think for most fans, there will be complaints about which bands she left out (hi yet again, Westlife!), parts of the bands stories that you feel are important that she glosses over, or just wanting it to be longer! It must be so hard to write a definitive history of the boy band, and I feel this is a great starting point because a book like that probably needs multiple volumes. Having fantastic illustrations and a great overview of the main points as a fun and colorful coffee table book is awesome though, and I know I'll keep it in my library forever.
It is so hard to read about something that is so near and dear to my heart and, I think for most fans, there will be complaints about which bands she left out (hi yet again, Westlife!), parts of the bands stories that you feel are important that she glosses over, or just wanting it to be longer! It must be so hard to write a definitive history of the boy band, and I feel this is a great starting point because a book like that probably needs multiple volumes. Having fantastic illustrations and a great overview of the main points as a fun and colorful coffee table book is awesome though, and I know I'll keep it in my library forever.
September 21, 2020
True boyband aficionados will love this book. It’s written with wit and the illustrations are fire. So glad I have a copy to keep!
October 25, 2020
A delightful & informative primer on the history of boy bands, by an expert fan, for less-expert fans.
May 31, 2023
This was fun. (IDK it says 224 pages, its definitely 200.) A nice palate cleanser, a fun and nostalgic look back for me, and very funny. Judge me if you will, but I don't care.
March 11, 2023
Fabulous. Loses 1.5 stars for not enough Westlife content.
December 30, 2020
First, I agree that I'm glad this book exists! I was/am a huge boy band fan, growing up in the later years of New Kids on the Block and the peak years of Backstreet Boys, flaming out with NSYNC (and embarrassingly watching Making the Band and carrying a fondness for O Town).
I really liked that Sherman wrote this book less analytically and more as a reference text for timeline and quick tangents and from both a loving perspective of boy bands, which have been so maligned, singling out that the fans are what shaped it and pop culture (quoting Jessica Hopper "replace fangirl with expert and see what happens.")
While I think it wasn't necessary to do a fully fledged deep dive into every boyband (how could she!) and it didn't position itself as such, the book did still did feel like a rush to talk about One Direction, glossing over New Edition, NKOTB, BSB primarily to get there. I think there were some important deets left out, especially the early BSB phase of being edgier and how BSB differed from NSYNC (I maintain BSB were definitely down, and tried to utilized all singers, whereas NYSNC, lead my JT, and overlying on JC and JT, gave off the scent immature boys *and their choreography in their first videos was definitely sped up*). Also I'm pretty sure some of the facts are incorrect, specifically about BSB and quit playin games was on their first CD and when rereleased in the states was still on the first eponymous album, not Backstreet's Back.
That said, not being in the know of Jonas Brothers, One Direction or K Pop, Sherman paints a really fascinating arc of all of them and it was really interesting to read the history of of how boybands have changed and where she thinks they will go.
If you like boybands, you will like parts of this book and probably be frustrated by others, such is our lot in life as boyband fans who homer hard.
Also it is CRIMINAL that Canadian teen dream boyband The Moffats were left out of this.
I really liked that Sherman wrote this book less analytically and more as a reference text for timeline and quick tangents and from both a loving perspective of boy bands, which have been so maligned, singling out that the fans are what shaped it and pop culture (quoting Jessica Hopper "replace fangirl with expert and see what happens.")
While I think it wasn't necessary to do a fully fledged deep dive into every boyband (how could she!) and it didn't position itself as such, the book did still did feel like a rush to talk about One Direction, glossing over New Edition, NKOTB, BSB primarily to get there. I think there were some important deets left out, especially the early BSB phase of being edgier and how BSB differed from NSYNC (I maintain BSB were definitely down, and tried to utilized all singers, whereas NYSNC, lead my JT, and overlying on JC and JT, gave off the scent immature boys *and their choreography in their first videos was definitely sped up*). Also I'm pretty sure some of the facts are incorrect, specifically about BSB and quit playin games was on their first CD and when rereleased in the states was still on the first eponymous album, not Backstreet's Back.
That said, not being in the know of Jonas Brothers, One Direction or K Pop, Sherman paints a really fascinating arc of all of them and it was really interesting to read the history of of how boybands have changed and where she thinks they will go.
If you like boybands, you will like parts of this book and probably be frustrated by others, such is our lot in life as boyband fans who homer hard.
Also it is CRIMINAL that Canadian teen dream boyband The Moffats were left out of this.
November 29, 2020
like this would get any less than five stars! 100% tailored to my interests and tbh the jonas brothers are all too often overlooked in the boy band conversation, so seeing a chapter dedicated to them specifically was the icing on the cake. boy bands 4 lyfe. big shout outs to joey mcintyre, howie dorough, and joe jonas in particular.
March 29, 2020
Super fun trip down memory lane (NKOTB & *NSYNC), but also a chance to learn more about some of those other groups out there. We may need a curated playlist for the July release. I know I’ll dive into the 1D and Jonas Brothers catalog...
March 5, 2025
I am only TEN PAGES into this book, and yet I have so much to say!!! I am so excited by the content that I'm having trouble sitting quietly and reading. I want to blast my CDs or watch concerts on VHS - lol! Yeah, I was psyched [90's expression!] to get and read this book. Anyone can claim it, but there can only be one #1 FAN... and that's me - lol! I won't be greedy, though, as I only want 'NSync and Backstreet. (I'm old school - haha.) I love my boy bands, I love being their fan, and I loved being a teeny-bopper. They inspire so many emotions and such wonderful memories.
Clearly, I'm excited by this book. Sure, I admit I went through a phase in college where one tries to distance oneself from the things one liked as a kid. And what a dumb waste of time that was, because I'm back (alright!). And probably more obnoxious than ever!? Because the older you get, the more you want to revisit the joys and loves of your youth...
The problem with most boy band books is that the author inexplicably feels the need to be objective, to show both sides of the argument, as to whether boy bands are legitimate music or not. UGH, I'm really sick of hearing that. They are. They're musicians, talented singers and dancers, and frankly, I couldn't care less who wrote the song or who played the instruments. That just doesn't interest me. I prefer the singing and dancing... and, obviously, good-looking guys. Duh. (People don't begrudge actors because they didn't write the script.)
Feels good to get that off my chest... I suspect there will be numerous updates to this post, as I move forward past page 10.
Also, we are currently sitting at 4-stars because it was illustrated with lackluster cartoons and not [highly preferable] photographs of the guys. :(
I am now 70 pages in, and I have more comments:
First of all, for a self-proclaimed fan, she is getting kinda mean and judgy. ("mediocrity?" "two left-feet?"???) You know how much I hate it when (and I quote myself here) "the author inexplicably feels the need to be objective." You shouldn't do that: a fan's love is unconditional!
However, I have found a couple lines that made me laugh out loud...
-In "'Quit Playing Games,' [they are] total moist beefcakes... prancing around in fully unbuttoned button-downs, absolutely dosed in rainwater; it is entirely vestal, illustrative of their ability to really emote, teen girl fodder, and the horniest thing any young person at the time had ever seen, at least on a boy... here, the Backstreet Boys were danger-immune sex gods who wore collared shirts, and they were dripping."
Amen to that. Also, if you're not familiar with what she's talking about, here ya go (you're welcome): https://youtu.be/Ug88HO2mg44?si=z8uF0...
-"The impulse to begin and end any conversation of '90s boy bands with the Backstreet Boys (and *NSYNC--hold your horses, that's the next chapter..."
Hey, that's good enough for me.
I am now 113 pages inand Backstreet's chapter and 'NSync's chapters are over. My interest is seriously starting to wane. Sorry. :(
I have finished the book having started skimming at the end. She lost me at K-Pop. And sadly, the book turned more snarky and judgy than I had expected! I could knock it down to three stars, but I'll keep it at four since I was so excited and happy to read it at first.
Clearly, I'm excited by this book. Sure, I admit I went through a phase in college where one tries to distance oneself from the things one liked as a kid. And what a dumb waste of time that was, because I'm back (alright!). And probably more obnoxious than ever!? Because the older you get, the more you want to revisit the joys and loves of your youth...
The problem with most boy band books is that the author inexplicably feels the need to be objective, to show both sides of the argument, as to whether boy bands are legitimate music or not. UGH, I'm really sick of hearing that. They are. They're musicians, talented singers and dancers, and frankly, I couldn't care less who wrote the song or who played the instruments. That just doesn't interest me. I prefer the singing and dancing... and, obviously, good-looking guys. Duh. (People don't begrudge actors because they didn't write the script.)
Feels good to get that off my chest... I suspect there will be numerous updates to this post, as I move forward past page 10.
Also, we are currently sitting at 4-stars because it was illustrated with lackluster cartoons and not [highly preferable] photographs of the guys. :(
I am now 70 pages in, and I have more comments:
First of all, for a self-proclaimed fan, she is getting kinda mean and judgy. ("mediocrity?" "two left-feet?"???) You know how much I hate it when (and I quote myself here) "the author inexplicably feels the need to be objective." You shouldn't do that: a fan's love is unconditional!
However, I have found a couple lines that made me laugh out loud...
-In "'Quit Playing Games,' [they are] total moist beefcakes... prancing around in fully unbuttoned button-downs, absolutely dosed in rainwater; it is entirely vestal, illustrative of their ability to really emote, teen girl fodder, and the horniest thing any young person at the time had ever seen, at least on a boy... here, the Backstreet Boys were danger-immune sex gods who wore collared shirts, and they were dripping."
Amen to that. Also, if you're not familiar with what she's talking about, here ya go (you're welcome): https://youtu.be/Ug88HO2mg44?si=z8uF0...
-"The impulse to begin and end any conversation of '90s boy bands with the Backstreet Boys (and *NSYNC--hold your horses, that's the next chapter..."
Hey, that's good enough for me.
I am now 113 pages inand Backstreet's chapter and 'NSync's chapters are over. My interest is seriously starting to wane. Sorry. :(
I have finished the book having started skimming at the end. She lost me at K-Pop. And sadly, the book turned more snarky and judgy than I had expected! I could knock it down to three stars, but I'll keep it at four since I was so excited and happy to read it at first.
September 20, 2020
This was a fun one... this book's style is similar to Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction, so if you like short histories and humorous, conversational writing - but about boy bands - I recommend.
The first couple chapters focus on what makes a boy band and the predecessors of boy bands. Then every chapter focuses on one big boy band that made it in the American market: NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Jonas Brothers, One Direction, and BTS. It also has many asides discussing bands that didn't make it on the same level, how the culture affected the need for boy bands at any particular time, and conspiracies/scandals these bands faced. It's not the end all be all on boy bands, but it is an entertaining and effective journey down memory lane (Hit Clips... Limewire... Disney stars' purity rings...). I would've loved it to be longer and more detailed, but I read the second half in a fury.
The first couple chapters focus on what makes a boy band and the predecessors of boy bands. Then every chapter focuses on one big boy band that made it in the American market: NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Jonas Brothers, One Direction, and BTS. It also has many asides discussing bands that didn't make it on the same level, how the culture affected the need for boy bands at any particular time, and conspiracies/scandals these bands faced. It's not the end all be all on boy bands, but it is an entertaining and effective journey down memory lane (Hit Clips... Limewire... Disney stars' purity rings...). I would've loved it to be longer and more detailed, but I read the second half in a fury.
January 6, 2021
I knew Maria Sherman should be my friend when she compared Nick and Brian from the backstreet boys to Engels and Marx. Whilst this was very much a history book, It was more like reading a zine written by a close friend. I had so much I wanted to discuss with her at the end of every segment!
Reading Larger than life transported to a time in my life that never really existed. When I was young enough to be reading smash hits & top of the pops magazines, yet simultaneously old enough to understand queer, feminist, colonialist and economic theory.
Naturally many boy bands and boy band adjacent culture are neglected, does Maria know about channel 4s one season sitcom boyz unlimited (starring the awful James corden) for instance? Whether she does or not she does a great job of documenting the boyband phenomena internationally. I just really want a chufty badge for presenting her with an unturned stone.
Reading Larger than life transported to a time in my life that never really existed. When I was young enough to be reading smash hits & top of the pops magazines, yet simultaneously old enough to understand queer, feminist, colonialist and economic theory.
Naturally many boy bands and boy band adjacent culture are neglected, does Maria know about channel 4s one season sitcom boyz unlimited (starring the awful James corden) for instance? Whether she does or not she does a great job of documenting the boyband phenomena internationally. I just really want a chufty badge for presenting her with an unturned stone.
August 14, 2020
This was delightful! I was glad to read something on this topic that's written at an adult level. (I even had to look up a few words.) I wish there had been entire chapters on the Osmonds and the Jackson 5, but this book is really aimed at a younger demographic. I learned a lot and even burst out laughing at one point: Sherman describes the shock and horror that ensued when Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears wore all-denim formalwear in public. When trying to assign blame for this fashion crime, Sherman points out that Britney's middle name is Jean.
August 5, 2020
Larger Than Life is a fun read, a bright large-format paperback generously illustrated by Alex Fine. Whether it's a nostalgia trip or a list of your current favorite artists, it's a no-brainer gift for any boy band fan in your life. I reviewed Larger Than Life for The Current.
March 10, 2021
Maybe 2.5 - for the illustrations. I skipped a few sections in some of the chapters for groups I wasn’t into (or groups I never heard of). Doesn’t go into too much depth, so light reading if you know absolutely nothing about boy bands. Could be a starting point of the uninitiated. If nothing else, it may convince you to create a Spotify playlist and reminisce.
November 11, 2020
A super fun, light read for anyone who is obsessed with pop culture and/or boy bands. But beneath the fun, I really appreciated the analysis of how these musical acts (and other piece of pop culture) are often viewed as “less than” simply because of their large female following. Some food for thought with this fun read.
December 25, 2020
A fun and quick read about an uninvestigated topic! While you may not consider them “real musicians” boy band members are hard workers. This gave a very inclusive take on them, with humor and the idea that the fan is a participant in the magic.
June 16, 2024
On one hand I wanted something light to read before bed and this accomplished that.
On the other hand, the writing isn’t that good or engaging. I’m sorry bc I can tell it’s a labor of love.
Visually, tho this book is appealing but the text that accompanies the illustrations is boring and not informative.
On the other hand, the writing isn’t that good or engaging. I’m sorry bc I can tell it’s a labor of love.
Visually, tho this book is appealing but the text that accompanies the illustrations is boring and not informative.
September 9, 2020
A fantastic coffee table book - just check our that cover! I enjoyed it, fun facts about one of my favorite topics: BOY BANDS!!
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March 28, 2021This book assumes the reader comes in with universal knowledge and opinions, but the book only gives an extremely shallow version of history. Was hoping for something more nuanced.
September 11, 2021
Fantastic. Proud, feminist, and intersectional and so much fun.
June 13, 2023
The vibes were off
January 31, 2024
Utterly skippable.
January 19, 2021
3.5/5. Definitely a fun read, but I have notes.
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