Amazing Grace

Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace (33 1/3), by Aaron Cohen, 2011, 176 pgs.

Final Rhythm n' Books read for 2024, capping off the year of our newest book club. I'm not a god-fearing man, but I do enjoy some old school gospel--not because of any religious messaging, but primarily because a lot of the music lends itself to other genres, like soul, blues and funk. There are harmonic things going on that you don't usually encounter in other forms of music. The consensus from the book group was that this felt like a decent book report, as opposed to an in-depth exploration. I was surprised to learn that out of everything Aretha has ever done, this is her highest selling album ever. The author explores Aretha's roots in the church and how she tried to walk the line between church and secular music, while also having a voice during the Civil Rights Movement. For all its limitations, the book pairs well with the documentary of the same name that came out in 2018. But everyone in the group absolutely loved the album, whether they listened to gospel before or not. Listening to her sing a live set for over an hour seemed to make her voice a God-given superpower. But you don't have to go to church to believe it; let Aretha take you there.