Bloom, Harold. Falstaff: Give Me Life. Scribner. Apr. 2017. 176p. ISBN 9781501164132. $22; ebk. ISBN 9781501164156. LITERATURE Distinguished critic Bloom, known especially for his Shakespeare scholarship, shows us why Falstaff—central to the three Henry plays—is considered Shakespeare’s greatest comic character. As Bloom explains, readers experience Falstaff differently as they move through life, which clarifies how he captures our humanity. Goodman, Lizzy. Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001–2011. Dey Street: HarperCollins. Apr. 2017. 400p. ISBN 9780062233097. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062233127. MUSIC New York City vibrated with folk, punk, and hip-hop in the late 20th century, then quieted down for a while as the music center of the world shifted. But it’s back, with The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Vampire Weekend representing the transformative music of a smart new generation. Music and culture journalist Goodman pulls on 500 original interviews to tell the story. With a 40,000-copy first printing. Hass, Robert A Little Book on Form: An Exploration into the Formal Imagination of Poetry. Ecco. Apr. 2017. 464p. ISBN 9780062332424. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062332448. LITERATURE Poetry: it’s got rhythm, it’s got rhyme, and even when it doesn’t it’s got a passel of literary terms to describe how it does what it does so well. But poetry is ultimately defined by heightened language rooted in our most imaginative impulses. How to explain the seeming contradiction of form vs. freedom? Ask National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Hass. Not just for the cognoscenti. Oates, John with Chris Epting. Change of Seasons: A Memoir. St. Martin’s. Apr. 2017. 384p. ISBN 9781250082657. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250082664. MEMOIR/MUSIC The 21 albums the duo Hall & Oates has recorded since the early 1970s have collectively sold over 80 million units; induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and star status on the Hollywood Walk of Fame enhance the luster. So you might want to read this memoir from the generally guitar-strumming half of the duo. Sheffield, Rob. Dreaming the Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World. Dey Street: HarperCollins. Apr. 2017. 288p. ISBN 9780062207654. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062207678. MUSIC A columnist for Rolling Stone, Sheffield reflects on what the Fab Four means for today’s young music fans—those who learned about the band from their parents. Since Sheffield is the author of Love Is a Mix Tape, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, and Turn Around Bright Eyes, you know the writing will be affectingly good. Lots of promotion and a 75,000-copy first printing; originally scheduled for October 2016 as Meet the Beatles. Zagajewski, Adam. Slight Exaggeration: An Essay. Farrar. Apr. 2017. 288p. tr. from Polish by Clare Cavanagh. ISBN 9780374265878. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780374709631. LITERATURE Acclaimed poet/critic Zagajewski’s new work might be billed as an autobiographical portrait, but its blend of criticism, personal reflection, and European happenstance over the last three quarters of a century also make it intellectual history. From World War II to Joseph Brodsky’s funeral in Venice to influences like D.H. Lawrence, Zbigniew Herbert, Rembrandt, and Brahms, this promises to be a smart, bracing read. Zinoman, Jason. Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night. Harper. Apr. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9780062377210. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062377241. TELEVISION/BIOGRAPHY Comedy critic for the New York Times (now there’s a plum job), Zinoman doesn’t just report on the life and laughs of iconic television talk show host David Letterman. He examines Letterman’s legacy, showing how aspects of his coolly ironic style have become commonplace in comedy today. With a 100,000-copy first printing.