Madonna: A Rebel Life

"The pop megastar Madonna turned 65 this year, not long after she became the first female artist to earn a Billboard Top 10 album across five separate decades. (Five. Decades.) Whether you adore her or despise what she represents, she’s certainly earned a scholarly biography – and it’s finally arrived in the form of Mary Gabriel’s seriously hefty, earnest book. (It’s 858 pages! 858!) If you have a major Madonna fan in your life, this is the perfect deep dive into an endlessly complicated celebrity. Gabriel traverses Madonna’s many public personas, including Material Girl, Lady of the Manor and beatific mother of many, with grace and skill – and reflects on what she means as a pop culture doyenne."