Any fan of rock'n'roll will find enjoyment in these numerous anecdotes and behind the scenes stories about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum and induction ceremonies. A fun, quick read. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Diversion Books for an advanced reader copy.

Having visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year, I was intrigued to read about how the museum came to be, especially why it was built in Cleveland. Told from the perspective of the museum's founding curator, Craig Inciardi spent four decades meeting, uncovering, and preserving music history. The plans and opening of the museum coincided with the rise of rock and roll memorabilia being collectible. But this book highlights the challenges a curator faces in building a collection.

What I particularly enjoyed about this book is learning why Cleveland was selected, little details about how they made the mannequins to display the clothing, how it was often the mothers of the musicians who held the key to providing artifacts, and spilling the tea regarding in-band tensions and drama. I don't think you necessarily need to be a fan of classic rock to get something out of this book, as most of the names are pretty familiar. Although I will note the endless listing of executives and musicians got a bit tiring, as did the chronological format. It started becoming a little samey by the end.

Nevertheless, whether you're interested in museum curation or rock and roll history, this book is an easy and enjoyable read.

Diversion Books provided an early galley for review.

As a librarian, I can relate to Inciardi as a curator (archivists is another aspect of MLIS studies). The hunt for the interesting to build a collection is always thrilling and full of surprises. As a music nerd, this book also connected to me on that level.

Inciardi's stories are informative and fun. Hearing about the behind-the-scenes of induction ceremonies and the interactions of music personalities was interesting. I found myself devouring the stories as a very quick, easy read.

Strongly recommended for fans of music and the Rock Hall itself.