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Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing
Forty years after her death, Janis Joplin remains among the most compelling and influential figures in rock-and-roll history. Her story—told here with depth and sensitivity by author Ann Angel—is one of a girl who struggled against rules and limitations, yet worked diligently to improve as a singer. It’s the story of an outrageous rebel who wanted to be loved, and of a wild woman who wrote long, loving letters to her mom. And finally, it’s the story of one of the most iconic female musicians in American history, who died at twenty-seven.
Janis Joplin includes more than sixty photographs, and an assortment of anecdotes from Janis’s friends and band mates. This thoroughly researched and well-illustrated biography is a must-have for all young artists, music lovers, and pop-culture enthusiasts.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2010
About the author
Ann Angel
16 books10 followersWhen I'm not writing or teaching at a women's college in Milwaukee, I hang with my family which includes my four grown kids, my husband Jeff and a cat named Sparkie. Jeff, who was an only child, loved to be around my siblings when we were dating. Ann Angel was one of nine kids — he once said, "This isn't a family; it's an experience."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
February 18, 2011
Ann Angel's entirely accessible and compelling biography of Janis Joplin is a marvel of a book and well deserving of the 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. Joplin's story is interwoven with period details about life and popular culture of the 50s and 60s, including pictures and descriptions for readers to use as they compare Joplin to her contemporaries. This approach is excellently executed, and walks a perfect line-- offering enough information for comprehension while enticing the reader to seek further resources on the era. I was particularly impressed by the book's layout. The selection of pictures and incorporation of graphic elements moves the reader through the narrative in a seamless fashion. I was afraid that use of 60s design elements would make the book seem dated, but the choices of color and pattern stamping somehow manage to be both true to the era and a bit contemporary at the same time.
Joplin's story is told warmly and simply, never faltering or pandering to a younger audience. Her journey from Port Arthur to Austin to San Francisco is set in a solid description of American mainstream life of the era, allowing readers to imagine what they might have chosen for themselves had they lived in conservative post-war times. Joplin's struggle to invent herself as an artist is depicted non-judgementally, with honest details about her experiences with drugs and alcohol as well as the brief time she spent attempting to live a "normal" life back home before abandoning herself to her art. Overall, I found this to be an exceptional addition to the field of biographies for teens.
Joplin's story is told warmly and simply, never faltering or pandering to a younger audience. Her journey from Port Arthur to Austin to San Francisco is set in a solid description of American mainstream life of the era, allowing readers to imagine what they might have chosen for themselves had they lived in conservative post-war times. Joplin's struggle to invent herself as an artist is depicted non-judgementally, with honest details about her experiences with drugs and alcohol as well as the brief time she spent attempting to live a "normal" life back home before abandoning herself to her art. Overall, I found this to be an exceptional addition to the field of biographies for teens.
January 26, 2012
Generally, biographies written for teens can be boring. They often contain a few black and white photographs with information presented in such a stale way that teens will only want to skim through them to attain information needed for school reports. Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing certainly breaks the mold of humdrum biography. First of all, each page border is beautifully decorated with colorful swirl patterns making it an attractive book to explore. Furthermore, author Angel writes in a conversational style that is sure to appeal to teens. Using quotes from various interviews by and about Joplin during her heyday, helps to make this an engrossing read. Angel tackles Joplin’s Texas childhood, college days and drug use as well as her various relationships, and concludes by discussing her untimely death caused by an accidental drug overdose. For those who want an honest look into 1960’s rock and roll, as well as intimate details on music icon, this is not a book to be missed.
October 1, 2015
Sweet and informative, but a bit shallow, I feel like it only glossed over some of the true story, though I guess understandably so as this was marketed as YA.
April 25, 2013
Name: Josephine Wold
APA Citation: Angel, A. (2019). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. New York: Amulet Books.
Genre: biography
Awards: 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Format: Print
Selection process:
1) Starred review by Booklist. Reviews by School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews
2) 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Review:
Janis Joplin is the symbol of an era. This book gives an intimate look at not only a person, but also an inside view of a unique time in American History, the 1960’s. Chapter titles like “Spreading Her Wings”, “Looking for Love”, “Cheap Thrills, Drugs and Self-Destruction” guide Janis Joplin’s mold-breaking story. We see how she went from being an unpopular Texas teen to a rock and blues icon in ten years and then died suddenly. Being different and unappreciated, bursting with creative talent, having the guts to go where no female singer had gone before, are all aspects of this remarkable musical artist that are revealed through Ann Angel’s book. She uses page art that reflects the time, as well as many photographs of Janis and her companions, magazine and album covers, to provide a visual experience.
Our world today is all woven with threads from the past. A vibrant, crucial thread is the anti-authority, free-thinking, free-loving, drug-using, rock and roll activities of the young people of the sixties. Janis Joplin lived and spread these values and behaviors with her music and life style. Whether viewed as a cautionary tale, or a slice of history, the story of Janis Joplin as presented by Ann Angel is one that is bound to grab the interest of young adults along with their parents and grandparents.
Recommendation: Highly Recommend
APA Citation: Angel, A. (2019). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. New York: Amulet Books.
Genre: biography
Awards: 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Format: Print
Selection process:
1) Starred review by Booklist. Reviews by School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews
2) 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Review:
Janis Joplin is the symbol of an era. This book gives an intimate look at not only a person, but also an inside view of a unique time in American History, the 1960’s. Chapter titles like “Spreading Her Wings”, “Looking for Love”, “Cheap Thrills, Drugs and Self-Destruction” guide Janis Joplin’s mold-breaking story. We see how she went from being an unpopular Texas teen to a rock and blues icon in ten years and then died suddenly. Being different and unappreciated, bursting with creative talent, having the guts to go where no female singer had gone before, are all aspects of this remarkable musical artist that are revealed through Ann Angel’s book. She uses page art that reflects the time, as well as many photographs of Janis and her companions, magazine and album covers, to provide a visual experience.
Our world today is all woven with threads from the past. A vibrant, crucial thread is the anti-authority, free-thinking, free-loving, drug-using, rock and roll activities of the young people of the sixties. Janis Joplin lived and spread these values and behaviors with her music and life style. Whether viewed as a cautionary tale, or a slice of history, the story of Janis Joplin as presented by Ann Angel is one that is bound to grab the interest of young adults along with their parents and grandparents.
Recommendation: Highly Recommend
October 28, 2010
This exceptional portrait of Janis Joplin is admiring but also frank in discussing her flaws and self-destructive personality. Angel manages to explore all dimensions of Janis in a relatively brief narrative--the outsider and nonconformist growing up in small-town Port Arthur, Texas, her retreat into painting, finding her voice in music, her influences and sensibilities as a musician, her bisexuality, inability to maintain long-term relationships, insecurity about her appearance and talent, and almost pathological need for attention and acceptance, the two personas she had in public and private, her remarkable but short-lived musical career, and her addictions to drugs and alcohol that would lead to her tragic death at age 27. Angel reveals all the fascinating contraditions and tragic ironies in Joplin's life.
Teen readers will appreciate most Janis's headstrong individuality, her flamboyance and her insecurities.
I would have liked to have known more about Janis's influence on female musicians who came after her and how music critics and historians compare her to her greatest influences like Bessie Smith and Odetta. The book also needs a discography.
Teen readers will appreciate most Janis's headstrong individuality, her flamboyance and her insecurities.
I would have liked to have known more about Janis's influence on female musicians who came after her and how music critics and historians compare her to her greatest influences like Bessie Smith and Odetta. The book also needs a discography.
February 25, 2019
12 January 2011 JANIS JOPLIN: RISE UP SINGING by Ann Angel, Introduction by Sam Andrew, Amulet Books, October 2010, 128pp, ISBN: 978-0-8109-8349-6
"One of these mornings,
You're gonna rise, rise up singing,
You're gonna spread your wings,
Child, and take, take to the sky,
Lord, the sky"
-- from "Summertime" by George Gershwin, recorded by Big Brother and the Holding Co. on Cheap Thrills
"This was an era for fitting in."Janis tried. She joined the Future Teachers of America, the staff of the school newspaper, and the art club. But all that joining didn't help much with the girls at her school. Janis was too loud, her clothes too dark, her opinions too strange. While 'nice' girls listened to songs about chaste love sung by well-scrubbed stars such as Pat Boone and Debbie Reynolds, Janis liked black music -- blues songs about hard work, loss, and pain. She spoke out in class in favor of integration, of having black and white children attend the same schools. In a place like Texas, where separate neighborhoods, schools, churches, and even public bathrooms were the norm for blacks and whites, Janis's opinion deepened the chasm between her and her classmates. For a while, two boys followed her around her all-white school, pitching pennies at her and calling her 'nigger lover.'"
There is nothing better than a high-interest work of nonfiction for adolescents that reads cover to cover like an engaging novel. That is what we find in JANIS JOPLIN: RISE UP SINGING, the 2011 winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.
Author Ann Angel mined books, old newspaper articles, websites, and then conducted extensive interviews with those still alive who knew her subject intimately in order to convey the tragic story of the rise and fall of Janis Joplin, who left her Cold War adolescence in that ass-backward Texas town, became the world's first female rock star, and then died alone in a motel room at age 27, from an overdose of heroin and alcohol, just days after recording some of her most memorable and lasting songs. Published exactly forty years after her death, this is a story that repeatedly returns to the impact that Janis's adolescence has on her life after escaping Texas. We feel the tension within this talented and oft-troubled young woman who clearly did not want to settle for the traditional path that her peers were so automatically following but, beneath her posing and stardom, also seemed to want a bit of the intimacy and security that she never really did find.
"When I'm on the road, playin' in a town without a name,
Honey, I'm feelin' low and everyone looks the same.
Well, it's lookin' good and you're the one that's lovin' tonight,
Don't you go and spoil it babe, by tryin' to get yourself all uptight."
-- Steve Gordon & Barry Flast, "One Night Stand" recorded by Janis Joplin with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band six months before her death
No corners were cut here in providing honest and detailed information about Janis, her one-night stands, and about the drugs she and those in that era were ingesting and shooting up. Nor are any corners cut in providing a visual feast of Sixties iconography and so much more: Janis' influences like Odetta, and Bessie Smith; others in the San Francisco music scene, including a great photo of Chet Helms and Bill Graham; stunning full-page reproduction of psychedelic Avalon Ballroom posters featuring Big Brother and the Holding Co.; a wealth of Janis and Big Brother photos I've never seen; and, by far, the hottest photo of a young Kris Kristofferson that I've ever seen.
I love how Ann Angel concludes the story by quoting from another voice I well remember from those days, the also tragically lost-so-young Lillian Roxon who summed up Janis's influence:
"'[Janis] perfectly expressed the feelings and yearnings of the girls of the electric generation -- to be all woman, yet equal with men; to be free, yet a slave to real love, to [reject] every outdated convention, and yet get back to the basics of life.'"
An extraordinary tale about an unforgettable voice and persona, JANIS JOPLIN: RISE UP SINGING is truly not to be missed.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
"One of these mornings,
You're gonna rise, rise up singing,
You're gonna spread your wings,
Child, and take, take to the sky,
Lord, the sky"
-- from "Summertime" by George Gershwin, recorded by Big Brother and the Holding Co. on Cheap Thrills
"This was an era for fitting in."Janis tried. She joined the Future Teachers of America, the staff of the school newspaper, and the art club. But all that joining didn't help much with the girls at her school. Janis was too loud, her clothes too dark, her opinions too strange. While 'nice' girls listened to songs about chaste love sung by well-scrubbed stars such as Pat Boone and Debbie Reynolds, Janis liked black music -- blues songs about hard work, loss, and pain. She spoke out in class in favor of integration, of having black and white children attend the same schools. In a place like Texas, where separate neighborhoods, schools, churches, and even public bathrooms were the norm for blacks and whites, Janis's opinion deepened the chasm between her and her classmates. For a while, two boys followed her around her all-white school, pitching pennies at her and calling her 'nigger lover.'"
There is nothing better than a high-interest work of nonfiction for adolescents that reads cover to cover like an engaging novel. That is what we find in JANIS JOPLIN: RISE UP SINGING, the 2011 winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.
Author Ann Angel mined books, old newspaper articles, websites, and then conducted extensive interviews with those still alive who knew her subject intimately in order to convey the tragic story of the rise and fall of Janis Joplin, who left her Cold War adolescence in that ass-backward Texas town, became the world's first female rock star, and then died alone in a motel room at age 27, from an overdose of heroin and alcohol, just days after recording some of her most memorable and lasting songs. Published exactly forty years after her death, this is a story that repeatedly returns to the impact that Janis's adolescence has on her life after escaping Texas. We feel the tension within this talented and oft-troubled young woman who clearly did not want to settle for the traditional path that her peers were so automatically following but, beneath her posing and stardom, also seemed to want a bit of the intimacy and security that she never really did find.
"When I'm on the road, playin' in a town without a name,
Honey, I'm feelin' low and everyone looks the same.
Well, it's lookin' good and you're the one that's lovin' tonight,
Don't you go and spoil it babe, by tryin' to get yourself all uptight."
-- Steve Gordon & Barry Flast, "One Night Stand" recorded by Janis Joplin with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band six months before her death
No corners were cut here in providing honest and detailed information about Janis, her one-night stands, and about the drugs she and those in that era were ingesting and shooting up. Nor are any corners cut in providing a visual feast of Sixties iconography and so much more: Janis' influences like Odetta, and Bessie Smith; others in the San Francisco music scene, including a great photo of Chet Helms and Bill Graham; stunning full-page reproduction of psychedelic Avalon Ballroom posters featuring Big Brother and the Holding Co.; a wealth of Janis and Big Brother photos I've never seen; and, by far, the hottest photo of a young Kris Kristofferson that I've ever seen.
I love how Ann Angel concludes the story by quoting from another voice I well remember from those days, the also tragically lost-so-young Lillian Roxon who summed up Janis's influence:
"'[Janis] perfectly expressed the feelings and yearnings of the girls of the electric generation -- to be all woman, yet equal with men; to be free, yet a slave to real love, to [reject] every outdated convention, and yet get back to the basics of life.'"
An extraordinary tale about an unforgettable voice and persona, JANIS JOPLIN: RISE UP SINGING is truly not to be missed.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
March 18, 2012
This book cries out for a soundtrack. While a biography of the short life of Janis Joplin, it is also a chronicle of the development of her singing career, and describes her performances including an attempt to capture the unique sound of her voice with words:
Her long hair flying around her face and sticking to her sweat-soaked cheeks, she stomped her feet, sometimes rising up on her toes to capture a high note, swinging and swaying to the beat to the music. She would scream, “I’m gonna try…, “ picking up the tempo, “try, try, try…,” and reaching a crescendo of sound, “so I won’t lose, lose, lose you…” (p. 71)
The narrative describes as well Joplin’s unhealthy relationship with drugs and alcohol, clearly depicting it as the cause of her death and unhappy personal life. The author Ann Angel writes a great deal about Joplin’s thoughts and insecurities which Angel asserts as the main cause for her addictions. She makes conclusions about very personal aspects of Joplin’s life, which though supported by sources such as her letters to her sister and interviews and fan sites seem presumptuous at times.
This book contains large text and a short narrative full of colorful pictures of Joplin, her bands, and album covers, which add context to the story of her life. This book was classified as Young Adult Nonfiction and is most likely put there because of its length and the abundant pictures. Another possible factor is its focus on Joplin’s personal growth as a young person and her experiences in high school; as well as how they continued to affect her even in her twenties. Angel focuses on a particular episode when Joplin attends her high school reunion, quoting her sister Laura who said, “Janis came home to get the accolades she didn’t get in high school” (p. 93). The book is obviously very personal for the author as well; Angel’s short bio in the back cites other “biographies she has written for young adults”, and starts with a sentence about how she was influenced by Joplin as a teen.
At times the focus on Joplin’s relationship with drugs and alcohol becomes a bit didactic, holding Joplin up as a model of what not to do. Clearly writing for young adults, Angel is sure to present Joplin’s choices as reckless and stupid, perhaps to counteract any descriptions that might glamorize the singer’s life, while portraying the incredible contributions she made to rock music and the role of women in the music industry.
Her long hair flying around her face and sticking to her sweat-soaked cheeks, she stomped her feet, sometimes rising up on her toes to capture a high note, swinging and swaying to the beat to the music. She would scream, “I’m gonna try…, “ picking up the tempo, “try, try, try…,” and reaching a crescendo of sound, “so I won’t lose, lose, lose you…” (p. 71)
The narrative describes as well Joplin’s unhealthy relationship with drugs and alcohol, clearly depicting it as the cause of her death and unhappy personal life. The author Ann Angel writes a great deal about Joplin’s thoughts and insecurities which Angel asserts as the main cause for her addictions. She makes conclusions about very personal aspects of Joplin’s life, which though supported by sources such as her letters to her sister and interviews and fan sites seem presumptuous at times.
This book contains large text and a short narrative full of colorful pictures of Joplin, her bands, and album covers, which add context to the story of her life. This book was classified as Young Adult Nonfiction and is most likely put there because of its length and the abundant pictures. Another possible factor is its focus on Joplin’s personal growth as a young person and her experiences in high school; as well as how they continued to affect her even in her twenties. Angel focuses on a particular episode when Joplin attends her high school reunion, quoting her sister Laura who said, “Janis came home to get the accolades she didn’t get in high school” (p. 93). The book is obviously very personal for the author as well; Angel’s short bio in the back cites other “biographies she has written for young adults”, and starts with a sentence about how she was influenced by Joplin as a teen.
At times the focus on Joplin’s relationship with drugs and alcohol becomes a bit didactic, holding Joplin up as a model of what not to do. Clearly writing for young adults, Angel is sure to present Joplin’s choices as reckless and stupid, perhaps to counteract any descriptions that might glamorize the singer’s life, while portraying the incredible contributions she made to rock music and the role of women in the music industry.
June 4, 2015
( posted on junior high library blog for my students) this biography on Janis Joplin won the Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction from the American Library Association. It is a colorful depiction of the rock star's troubled high school years, her life as a young adult figuring out her niche, and as a super star leading the way in psychedelic rock. Behind her bravado, you also get to know the sweet, shy, lovable Janis as well. This book talks about her struggle with many enemies - namely alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. I believe that we all should read biographies once in a while. You can always take some thing away from learning more about another person, whether it how not to live life, (as in the case with Janis), or learn positive things from someone else's life philosophies. I highly recommend this book. My favorite quote - "sometimes Janis's amazing voice sings out - a startling surprise - from a radio or a friend's iPod. Her voice resonates with the blues of lost love, struggle, and exclusion. Yet as her voice cries those mournful notes and then reaches high in celebration, it continues to draw listeners into the spirit of freedom and unfettered emotion that defined a generation. Sometimes, all the love and passion of a lifetime can be found in a single voice raised in one heartbreaking song."
March 24, 2011
I enjoyed this look at Janis Joplin's life and career very much. I hadn't known much about her, so it was interesting to see where she started and what influenced her (like Bessie Smith, for example). The book is thorough and while written for young people, it doesn't shy away from discussing tough issues such as Janis' drug and alcohol use, and mentions her many relationships with both men and women (just glancingly so on the latter). I thought it was very well done; not too detailed but with historical context given so that kids today can get a good idea of what life was like for young people in the Sixties, and how Janis wanted to fit in yet be the center of attention too by acting out and being so "out there." It is a beautiful book, full of photos and album covers and the page design has great colorful swirls that fit in with the psychadelic era. I now want to go listen to all of her music, since I had really only been familiar with "Me and Bobby McGee" and a few others, and I feel like I got to know her through this book.
October 24, 2012
Joplin's life is just tragic. As a teenager, she tried so hard to fit in with the rest of the other girls, but she was born to rebel. When kids were listening to Dean Martin and Ol Blue Eyes, she sang along to Motherless Child by Bessie Smith. She tried to go to college, but the call to make music was overwhelming. Unfortunately, with the music, came lots of demons - mostly in the form of alchohol and drugs. She had tried to get clean at one point - going almost 12 mths. without - hoping to settle down and marry, but it didn't work out, and soon she found herself in the grips of fame, caught in a downward spiral.
Angel's depiction of Joplin is one that any teenager could relate to - a girl desperate to fit in, but just not meant to.
Angel's depiction of Joplin is one that any teenager could relate to - a girl desperate to fit in, but just not meant to.
January 18, 2026
Winner of the 2011 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing is a heartfelt and well-written account of a wildly talented yet ill-fated singer who is still considered a musical legend. Angel's tidy 120 pages include large and interesting photos, a helpful timeline, and detailed bibliographical information. The real gem, however, is Janis's story itself. Her meteoric rise and heartbreaking demise amidst a turbulent era of American history should resonate with teens who enjoy reading about music, a woman pioneering a traditionally man's world or just a wonderfully written biography.
December 17, 2010
I have a secret prize waiting for the first person who can point me to a biography that is 1) well-written, 2) interesting, and 3) actually illuminates something interesting about the person, rather than just recounting their life's events.
April 1, 2011
Really liked it. Glorified the things that should have been glorified and didn't the things that didn't. Wish some of the photos were more relevant. Wish it came with a CD with some tracks and the video from Monterey. Enjoyed this title and glad it won the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award.
March 17, 2024
I didn' t know anything about her before reading her biography.
You might learn something new.
I enjoyed the pictures & posters.
You might learn something new.
I enjoyed the pictures & posters.
June 19, 2023
Janis Joplin has been described as one of the most talented singers of her generation. In her book, Rise up Singing, Ann Angel portrays her origins, as an insecure young woman from Port Arthur, Texas, with sensitivity and poignancy. Janis was an outcast in her town with its conservative values and was rejected by her peers for her raucous laugh and her unconventional values. She was a fine visual artist but soon found that she had a need to connect with an audience and began singing. Unfortunately, Joplin’s profound need for love and acceptance was only addressed when she performed on stage.
In 1966 with the help of promoter Chet Helms, she was lucky enough to earn herself a gig with the sixties band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. Janis’ bawdy stage alter ego earned her a reputation as a free-living drug addict. Thousands of young people exploring in the sixties with drugs and free love saw Janis as their idol. The more exaggerated she became, the more they loved her and Janis became the victim of a negative vicious cycle.
Angel’s biography is a seamless read that zooms ahead with the power of an engrossing YA novel. She transports us to a magical time in America’s past where youth were involved and active about loving one another, rejecting the temptations of capitalism and protesting the Vietnam War.
Angel explains how Janis’s voice was unique among white female singers in the sixties. Until her wailing, gravelly voice full of pain and emotion came along, audiences had only heard similar songs from the black community.
Rise Up Singing is the story of a true pioneer and vocal genius who paved the way for emerging female singers like Stevie Nicks, Amy Winehouse and Adele. Ann Angel’s book is a thoughtful tribute to a fragile talent who, despite her distractions, left us at age twenty-seven a compendium of songs and a gift to the world of music.
In 1966 with the help of promoter Chet Helms, she was lucky enough to earn herself a gig with the sixties band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. Janis’ bawdy stage alter ego earned her a reputation as a free-living drug addict. Thousands of young people exploring in the sixties with drugs and free love saw Janis as their idol. The more exaggerated she became, the more they loved her and Janis became the victim of a negative vicious cycle.
Angel’s biography is a seamless read that zooms ahead with the power of an engrossing YA novel. She transports us to a magical time in America’s past where youth were involved and active about loving one another, rejecting the temptations of capitalism and protesting the Vietnam War.
Angel explains how Janis’s voice was unique among white female singers in the sixties. Until her wailing, gravelly voice full of pain and emotion came along, audiences had only heard similar songs from the black community.
Rise Up Singing is the story of a true pioneer and vocal genius who paved the way for emerging female singers like Stevie Nicks, Amy Winehouse and Adele. Ann Angel’s book is a thoughtful tribute to a fragile talent who, despite her distractions, left us at age twenty-seven a compendium of songs and a gift to the world of music.
October 8, 2024
This book would be on incredible if they included QR codes for the corresponding songs mentioned as the story unfolds.
I loved all the photos and information, but there could’ve been deeper content dives. I assume it was kept lighter due to being a YA-targeted release.
Still an excellent book for any fellow Joplin fans, and would make a great gift.
“Cooke (Janis’ road manager) disliked the materialism and greed of the recording industry, and the way talent was considered a commodity for profit. It was not in keeping with the spirit of the hippie movement, in which music was something to shared and enjoyed freely.” So very true!
I loved all the photos and information, but there could’ve been deeper content dives. I assume it was kept lighter due to being a YA-targeted release.
Still an excellent book for any fellow Joplin fans, and would make a great gift.
“Cooke (Janis’ road manager) disliked the materialism and greed of the recording industry, and the way talent was considered a commodity for profit. It was not in keeping with the spirit of the hippie movement, in which music was something to shared and enjoyed freely.” So very true!
January 23, 2017
I knew nothing about Janis Joplin before I read this book. It was fascinating and so, so sad. This book does a great job of painting the story of a girl with low self esteem but immeasurable talent. She was smart and had the potential to really be a leader in her field for rock and roll and female musicians. I think when someone is so gifted in one realm of their life, the weaknesses swing far to the other extreme and ultimately her weaknesses killed her.
January 23, 2017
I knew nothing about Janis Joplin before I read this book. It was fascinating and so, so sad. This book does a great job of painting the story of a girl with low self esteem but immeasurable talent. She was smart and had the potential to really be a leader in her field for rock and roll and female musicians. I think when someone is so gifted in one realm of their life, the weaknesses swing far to the other extreme and ultimately her weaknesses killed her.
May 6, 2025
It must be hard to write a biography for a younger audience of someone as controversial and wild as Janis Joplin. This book fits a pretty good job of balancing the telling of her brilliance and charisma with the realities of her drug use, struggles, and final overdose at only 27. An interesting look at a meteor of a person.
July 12, 2019
The target audience seems to be “Eighth graders who have to write a report about a famous person” - not that there’s anything wrong with that!
If you want a more in-depth book, I’m sure there are several out there. This is a pretty solid primer for new or casual fans.
If you want a more in-depth book, I’m sure there are several out there. This is a pretty solid primer for new or casual fans.
August 18, 2021
I really liked the format and layout of the book including the live concert and poster photos. It wasn't a deep analysis of JJ but it provides much more detail than a Wikipedia article. Easy to read and informative.
November 8, 2017
Very insightful read. Shines a light onto one of the most iconic women in music.
March 2, 2019
Easy read, informative.
Read
June 9, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
Overdose
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
Overdose
March 30, 2022
The book taught me some interesting facts about Janice, and painted a portrait of who she was outside of her rocker persona.
May 17, 2023
She enrolled at UT Austin in 1962 and was nominated for “ugliest man on campus.” Those jerks!
April 24, 2024
The best book ever
Perfect time to read it
Changed my perspective on life
Perfect time to read it
Changed my perspective on life
May 12, 2024
Simple book easy to get through, love her and her music!
May 2, 2015
Angel, A. (2010). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. New York: Amulet.
Write the Title of the Book
Janis Joplin: Rise up Singing.
My Review:
Janis Joplin wanted to want to fit into small town life in Port Arthur, but she was meant to be more: an artist, a singer, a leader in the rock world and a woman who understood the depth of blues, but not the simple pleasures of the hearth. She instead found success as a singer and song writer through a meandering path from Louisiana to California and back into Texas which also led to experimentation with vices of alcohol and drugs that eventually led to her death. The weakness of the book is a lack of access to the music Janis created. The author could have chosen to do a link to mp3, included a cd of clips or a QR code access to Janis’ music through the ages. Without it, some of the power of this book is lost. Students could research the music on their own, but I feel a direct link is significant.
My Recommendation:
Being an avid fiction reader, I typically do not enjoy nonfiction. This book breaks the mold. Musicians, teachers looking to support creative outlets in students, budding artists and avid nonfiction readers will all enjoy the style, layout and narrative structure of the biography of Janis Joplin. Although this book is beautifully written, includes sources and references and detailed photography which adds depth to the historical context, the nature of the book is rather mature: drugs, sex, alcohol and rock and roll. Due to the nature of the book, I believe it would best meet the needs of high school readers to adults.
Grade Level: 7th and up
Awards/Honors:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2011 Bank Street College of Education
Booklist Book Review Stars , Nov. 1, 2010 American Library Association
Booklist Top 10 Arts Books for Youth, 2011 American Library Association
Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth, 2011 American Library Association
Choices, 2011 Cooperative Children's Book Center
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2010 Cahners
Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, 2011 Winner Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska/Wisconsin/Illinois/Michigan United States
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, 2011 Winner United States
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2012; Texas
Goodreads Tags: Project 1, YA, Required Reading, Nonfiction, Biography, Best Children's Books of the Year, Booklist Top 10 Arts Books for Youth, Top 10 Biographies for Youth, 2011 American Library Association 2011 Cooperative Children's Book Center
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2010 Cahners
Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
Write the Title of the Book
Janis Joplin: Rise up Singing.
My Review:
Janis Joplin wanted to want to fit into small town life in Port Arthur, but she was meant to be more: an artist, a singer, a leader in the rock world and a woman who understood the depth of blues, but not the simple pleasures of the hearth. She instead found success as a singer and song writer through a meandering path from Louisiana to California and back into Texas which also led to experimentation with vices of alcohol and drugs that eventually led to her death. The weakness of the book is a lack of access to the music Janis created. The author could have chosen to do a link to mp3, included a cd of clips or a QR code access to Janis’ music through the ages. Without it, some of the power of this book is lost. Students could research the music on their own, but I feel a direct link is significant.
My Recommendation:
Being an avid fiction reader, I typically do not enjoy nonfiction. This book breaks the mold. Musicians, teachers looking to support creative outlets in students, budding artists and avid nonfiction readers will all enjoy the style, layout and narrative structure of the biography of Janis Joplin. Although this book is beautifully written, includes sources and references and detailed photography which adds depth to the historical context, the nature of the book is rather mature: drugs, sex, alcohol and rock and roll. Due to the nature of the book, I believe it would best meet the needs of high school readers to adults.
Grade Level: 7th and up
Awards/Honors:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2011 Bank Street College of Education
Booklist Book Review Stars , Nov. 1, 2010 American Library Association
Booklist Top 10 Arts Books for Youth, 2011 American Library Association
Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth, 2011 American Library Association
Choices, 2011 Cooperative Children's Book Center
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2010 Cahners
Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, 2011 Winner Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska/Wisconsin/Illinois/Michigan United States
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, 2011 Winner United States
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2012; Texas
Goodreads Tags: Project 1, YA, Required Reading, Nonfiction, Biography, Best Children's Books of the Year, Booklist Top 10 Arts Books for Youth, Top 10 Biographies for Youth, 2011 American Library Association 2011 Cooperative Children's Book Center
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2010 Cahners
Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
September 8, 2012
Bibliography:
Angel, A. (2010). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 9780810983496. (120 pages).
Summary:
The Summer Texan, a school newspaper in Austin best portrayed the young and vibrant Joplin as - “She goes barefooted when she feels like it, wears Levi’s to class because they’re more comfortable, and carries her Autoharp with her everywhere she goes. She leads a life that is enviously unrestrained” (Angel, 2010).
Texas native Janis Joplin led a remarkable career in music and is still known for her strong vocals and distinctive voice. All too early she was tragically taken from us but many still love to listen to her music. Perhaps her move to California to pursue her dream led to her demise. There was a community that contained “coffeehouses, art galleries, and bookstores; that staged readings, performances, and exhibitions. Creativity, freedom of expression was celebrated parts of everyday life – as were drugs and alcohol” (Angel, 2010). Janis career and life was cut short but her story is powerful and captivating.
Critical Analysis:
As I write my book review I have Janis playing in the background. Ann Angel sets up the story of Janis Joplin in chronological order. I was intrigued to read about an artist that I knew very little about, aside from her popular song, Me and Bobby Magee. The book is very easy to read and understand. I feel that few students would, initially, be interested in reading about an artist from so long ago and perhaps one that no one has heard of in this generation. She led a fascinating and wild life and if students were provided some attention-grabbing background about Janis, I believe they would want to read more. They would want to learn about her dangerous and irresponsible drug and alcohol abuse, and about her promiscuous ways. Janis was not understood by her peers and was considered an outcast. Some students may also be able to relate to this. Angel also does a great job explaining not only important events in Janis’ life, but she also includes information about her, as a person. She does a good job painting a picture of her inner thoughts and struggles. The biography includes a well-rounded portrait of Janis that shares both her feats and her flaws. The photography & illustrations are bright and wild which accurately portray her life and personality.
Angel, A. (2010). Janis Joplin: Rise up singing. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 9780810983496. (120 pages).
Summary:
The Summer Texan, a school newspaper in Austin best portrayed the young and vibrant Joplin as - “She goes barefooted when she feels like it, wears Levi’s to class because they’re more comfortable, and carries her Autoharp with her everywhere she goes. She leads a life that is enviously unrestrained” (Angel, 2010).
Texas native Janis Joplin led a remarkable career in music and is still known for her strong vocals and distinctive voice. All too early she was tragically taken from us but many still love to listen to her music. Perhaps her move to California to pursue her dream led to her demise. There was a community that contained “coffeehouses, art galleries, and bookstores; that staged readings, performances, and exhibitions. Creativity, freedom of expression was celebrated parts of everyday life – as were drugs and alcohol” (Angel, 2010). Janis career and life was cut short but her story is powerful and captivating.
Critical Analysis:
As I write my book review I have Janis playing in the background. Ann Angel sets up the story of Janis Joplin in chronological order. I was intrigued to read about an artist that I knew very little about, aside from her popular song, Me and Bobby Magee. The book is very easy to read and understand. I feel that few students would, initially, be interested in reading about an artist from so long ago and perhaps one that no one has heard of in this generation. She led a fascinating and wild life and if students were provided some attention-grabbing background about Janis, I believe they would want to read more. They would want to learn about her dangerous and irresponsible drug and alcohol abuse, and about her promiscuous ways. Janis was not understood by her peers and was considered an outcast. Some students may also be able to relate to this. Angel also does a great job explaining not only important events in Janis’ life, but she also includes information about her, as a person. She does a good job painting a picture of her inner thoughts and struggles. The biography includes a well-rounded portrait of Janis that shares both her feats and her flaws. The photography & illustrations are bright and wild which accurately portray her life and personality.
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