Book Review: Screamin' Jay Hawkins All Time Hits by Mark Binelli

Screamin' Jay Hawkins All Time Hitts by Mark Binelli comes out on May 3rd 2016,.

Book Review:
Screamin' Jay Hawkins All Time Hits
by Mark Binelli
Metropolitan Books
Published May 3rd, 2016
(AMAZON BUY LINK)



  Author Mark Binelli writes both fiction and non-fiction.  He published a novel, Sacco and Vincetti Must Die, back in 2002.  In 2006 Detroit City is the Place to Be, a work of non-fiction about his hometown, was published.  In between he's contributed articles to Rolling Stone, where he is a contributing editor, and other publications.

  Screamin' Jay Hawkins All Time Hits treads the line between "creative non-fiction" and regular old literary fiction with a healthy contribution from the well known 33 1/3 series of books about specific albums and musicians.  Binelli has written an account of the life of Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the fifties rocker who is immortal for his hit, I Put a Spell On You.   Hawkins was also in on the ground floor of the mid 50s rock explosion, touring on one of the many package tours put together by radio DJ Alan Freed.

   Anyone with even a passing interest in the 33 1/3 series, early rock history or the idea of "creative non fiction" as a rival to traditional literature is likely to find much to like.  Those more accustomed to a traditional novel may not be as responsive, though it's hard to say that this novel doesn't succeed in exactly what it wants to do.  The only possible complaint might be lack of ambition, but it's not a complaint I would make.

   Screamin' Jay Hawkins All Time Hits is certain to find shelf space in independent book stores all over the country.  Just the title alone should be good for decent sales from people who are browsing at their favorite book store down the street.