Songbook by Nick Hornby

These are essays on a few popular songs and albums that has resonance only to the author. The music chosen varies from established stars like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan to independent movers and shakers like Ani Difranco, and Nelly Furtado. The author plunges into each song and comes up with some pearl of thought -- What makes a song catchy, another an all-time great and how it comes to play an integral role in a person’s emotional life. Some of the songs written about are obscure and although the essays make sense, without hearing the songs, you miss out on a complete experience.

Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux