The 1970s provided a bridge between the folksy ’60s and the over-the-top ‘80s, filling the disco decade with flowy bohemian fashion, manmade fabrics designed to show off bodies on the dance floor, and vintage references like turbans and feather boas. Sink into the glamour of the 1970s by reading a book set in that era. Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas!
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Written as an oral history of the fictional biggest band of the 70s, Daisy Jones & the Six, this book will scratch your tell-all itches. The ups and downs of stage life will have you feeling like a Fleetwood Mac roadie without all the hassle. (Hint: This one is especially good as an audiobook!)
Nothing to Lose: The Making of Kiss 1972-1975 by Ken Sharp
70s music wasn’t all folksy singer/songwriters and disco, and the proof lies in this memoir about the formative years of the iconic rock band KISS. It’s an oral history of the band’s creation, and includes interviews not only with band members, roadies, and publicists, but also fellow musicians who watched it all happen, like Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, and members of Black Sabbath.
Never a Dull Moment: 1971 The Year That Exploded by David Hepworth
To look at the musical releases and events of 1971 is to see an overwhelming list of iconic songs, people, and moments. Here are just a select few covered in this history of the year: Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” David Bowie’s arrival in the US, The Who’s “Baba O’Reilly,” the death of Jim Morrison, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” and the release of Carole King’s “Tapestry.”
Come Fly the World: the Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke
In addition to an iconic music scene, the 70s were also the glory days of air travel. This history of Pan Am stewardesses explores not only the freedom found in a jet setting lifestyle, but also the historical role that these women played during the Vietnam War and Operation Babylift.
Groupies by Sarah Priscus
In 1977, Faun Novak loses her mother and starts a new life by hopping a bus to California with nothing more than a love of music and a Polaroid camera. She reconnects with a childhood friend and ends up enmeshed in the life of a rock ‘n roll hangaround, photographing the band and especially the groupies while also getting closer and closer to the dark side of the lifestyle.