Taylor's Version
the poetic and musical genius of taylor swift
$31.19
- Paperback
352 pages
- Release Date
27 October 2025
Summary
Taylor’s Version: Unpacking the Genius of Taylor Swift
One of the biggest stars in the world, Taylor Swift became so popular for many reasons - but first and last thanks to her songs. In Taylor’s Version, award-winning literary critic Professor Stephanie Burt charts the extraordinary journey from Swift’s teen country debut to her most recent record-breaking achievement as the highest-grossing touring artist in the world. Based on her Harvard University course, Taylor Sw…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781399820615 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1399820613 |
| Author: | Stephanie Burt |
| Publisher: | John Murray Press |
| Imprint: | Basic Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 352 |
| Release Date: | 27 October 2025 |
| Weight: | 435g |
| Dimensions: | 232mm x 152mm x 28mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
Taylor Swift treats her own life as worthy of artistic obsession and grandeur; Stephanie Burt treats her oeuvre as worthy of academic and poetic attention. In Taylor’s Version, Burt not only articulates the force of Swift’s songwriting genius, but - perhaps more importantly - makes the case for her place in the literary tradition. A provocative, sharp, well-argued book for any Taylor Swift fan - or skeptic – Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties
In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking tour of all things Taylor Swift, Stephanie Burt deftly balances the perspectives of fan and critic, diving deeply into each of Swift’s albums, and tracing her remarkable evolution as an artist and cultural icon. Whether you’re a diehard Swiftie or a casual listener, this insightful and illuminating book will send you back to the songs themselves with a fresh appreciation for where they came from, how they work, and why they mean so much to so many people
– Tom Perotta, New York Times-bestselling author of LITTLE CHILDRENDepending on your feelings toward Ms. Swift, you may or may not want to like this book. Too bad, it’s going to make you like it, and see the phenomenon in a way you never have before
– Catherynne M. Valente, New York Times-bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKINGTaylor Swift is lucky to have a fan, a listener, and a writer as open to her music and as acute to its internal and emotional rhythms, Swift’s craft and her audience’s response, as Stephanie Burt. With unfailing lucidity, empathy, and wit, she takes a reader through the songs, until you can hear, all over again, how they really work – Greil Marcus, music journalistAn outstanding look at one of the world’s most beloved entertainers … a smart, incisive look at the singer-songwriter who has captured the world’s imagination – Kirkus (starred)The book is an absolute riot - it is a joy to dive into such detailed exploration of the songs that defined my adolescence – ProspectBoth seasoned Swifties and complete novices and neutrals to Swift will find something of interest here … Overall, Taylor’s Version is hugely entertaining and fascinating, and will be especially for literature geeks and pop-culture fans – BuzzAbout The Author
Stephanie Burt
Stephanie Burt is Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Professor of English at Harvard University. Her work appears in the New York Times Book Review, New Yorker and London Review of Books, among others. Her books of poetry and literary criticism - fourteen in all - include We Are Mermaids, Advice from the Lights, and Don’t Read Poetry: A Book About How to Read Poems. She lives in Massachusetts.
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