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Rachel Feder

Tiffany Tatreau

Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets

by Rachel Feder (Author), Tiffany Tatreau (Author) Format: Hardcover

(362)

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From a Robert Frost poem on her debut album to the myth of Cassandra on The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift’s lyrics are filled with literary connections.

Make sure you're catching them all with this expert guide to the novels, poems, and plays that influence her songwriting.

“Even the most obsessive Swiftie will discover new Easter eggs in these pages.”—Oprah Daily

Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets is an entertaining and insightful guide to the novels, poems, myths, and literary influences hidden throughout Taylor Swift’s songwriting. Written by literature professor Rachel Feder and musical theater artist Tiffany Tatreau, this fan-friendly deep dive helps Swifties uncover the literary Easter eggs woven across Taylor’s iconic discography.

Inside, readers will discover:

The literary roots behind Taylor Swift’s lyrics and imagery
Connections to Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, The Great Gatsby, Daphne du Maurier, Romantic poetry, mythology, and more
Deep dives into recurring themes like heartbreak, revenge, nostalgia, identity, and reinvention
Hidden references and lyrical Easter eggs across Taylor’s albums and eras
Accessible literary analysis written for fans, not academics
New ways to experience favorite songs through storytelling and symbolism

Perfect for Swifties, book lovers, pop-culture fans, and readers who love analyzing lyrics line by line, Taylor Swift by the Book transforms familiar songs into a fascinating literary treasure hunt.

Grab your cardigan, open the book, and start spotting the references hidden between the lines.

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Print length

256 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Quirk Books
Publication date

November 26, 2024
Dimensions

5.71 x 0.83 x 7.76 inches
ISBN-10

1683694740
ISBN-13

978-1683694748

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Stars Around My Scars: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift Annotated Poetry)

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Taylor Swift All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track

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Stars Around My Scars: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift Annotated Poetry)
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Brain Games - Puzzles and Quizzes - Taylor Swift: The Ultimate Swiftie Activity Book | Picture Puzzles, Trivia, Crossword, Word Search & More | Unauthorized & Unofficial
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Quirk Books, an imprint of Andrews McMeel, publishes seriously entertaining, engaging, and unconventional books for adults and children in a variety of genres

From the Publisher

Taylor Swift by the Book is written by an English professor and a lifelong Swiftie who together decode the poems, Greek myths, Gothic novels, and fairy tales woven into every album.

This book is for the devoted fan who's been defending Taylor's genius for years and finally wants the literary receipts to back it up. It's also for the newer listener who fell hard during the Eras Tour and wants to go deeper than the surface of the songs they love. And if you're a reader or poetry lover who wonders what all the fuss around Taylor Swift is about, this is the perfect, welcoming entry point.

Album by album, literary era by era, this book builds a genuine case that Taylor Swift is one of the most intellectually rich songwriters working today. Whether you're Team Quill Pen or Team Glitter Gel Pen, Taylor Swift by the Book turns every listen into a discovery.

Each chapter in the book explores an album song by song reflecting on the literary devices and allusions used. It also includes reading list suggestions and playlists based on recurring motifs in Swift's work.

	Stars Around My Scars: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift Ann...	Meet Me in the Afterglow: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift ...	From Eras to Ever After: Love Notes from Taylor & Travis	The Unofficial Taylor Swift Sticker Book: More Than 400 Swiftie-Inspired Stic...	The Knights of Tayrealm Coloring Book	Bracketivity Taylor Swift: 100% Unofficial Bracket Activity Book (Volume 6)
			Buying Options
Customer Reviews	195	2	31	27	338	30
Price	$9.24	$16.99	$9.99	$19.04	$7.88	$9.99
More Taylor Swift:	no data	no data	no data	no data	no data	no data

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Even the most obsessive Swiftie will discover new Easter eggs in these pages—and have their old knowledge of the singer’s literary brilliance confirmed by a PhD-carrying literature professor.”—Oprah Daily

“When you’re ready to take your fandom to a new (well-read) level, this is the book to get.”—Michael Giltz, Parade

“A true treat for Swifties.”—BookRiot

“Lively and smart. . . . For hardcore Swifties or neophytes, an accessible and incisive analysis of a star’s appeal.”—Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Rachel Feder holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Michigan and is an associate professor of English and literary arts at the University of Denver. She is the author of The Darcy Myth: Jane Austen, Literary Heartthrobs, and the Monsters They Taught Us to Love; Harvester of Hearts: Motherhood Under the Sign of Frankenstein; and Birth Chart, a poetry collection. With McCormick Templeman, she is the coauthor of AstroLit: A Bibliophile's Guide to the Stars. Rachel also edited the Norton Library's edition of Dracula.

Tiffany Tatreau is an actor, singer, and teaching artist born and raised in Southern California. She has starred in various musicals across the country and is best known for her portrayal of Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg in the musical and original cast album Ride the Cyclone. Tiffany has a BFA in musical theater from Roosevelt University and resides in New York City. She is currently performing in the national tour of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.

Introduction

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the classic-literature-meets-pop-music party of your dreams. The friendship bracelet supplies are on the kitchen table. The chai sugar cookies are in the oven. And we will be having breakfast at midnight.
We’re your hosts, Rachel and Tiffany, two sisters-in-law ready to nerd out about Taylor Swift’s lyrics with you. One of us (Rach) is an English professor who loves quoting Taylor’s lyrics in class. One of us (Tiff) is an actor and singer who has been a devoted Swiftie since she met Taylor after a concert at age fifteen. And we come bearing gifts!
Maybe you’re a longtime fan who’s been defending Taylor’s music from people who say it’s “basic” or “for teen girls” since before she taught us how to “shake it off.” For you, we have vindication—proof that Taylor Swift doesn’t just write bops, she writes intellectual bops. Her music is a master class in literary allusion and a survey course in some of the greatest works of English literature. That’s why we’re going to pull out some of Taylor’s literary influences, quotes, connections, and references to give you the background you need to get an even fuller understanding of her work.
Or maybe you’re a newer fan who got on board because of the infectious joy of the Eras Tour and subsequent film—or because the spare orchestration of folklore hit at just the right moment, when you were isolated in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic with plenty of time to really meditate on her lyrics. Perhaps the rerecordings were the turning point, when you joined a global community of fans rallying behind an artist taking ownership of her work while opening the vault on some instant classics. For you, we’re going deep into the albums you love and the ones you may not have thought about as much, bringing new layers to the whole scope of her work by looking at it through a literary lens. (We won’t touch on every single track, but we will discuss most of them!)
But what if you’re just Swift-curious? Are you a voracious reader (or tortured poet) wondering why so many folks like Taylor Swift so much? Did a Swiftie in your life give you this book as a present? (We think that was really cool and nice of them, if so.) Are you a recovering Taylor skeptic ready to be converted? Yes, we brought something for you too. Because we’re about to take a delightfully bookish dive into the lyrics—album by album and literary era by era—of Dr. Swift. (That’s right: she holds an honorary doctorate from NYU.) Here, you won’t find the things you might expect from the phrase Taylor Swift book: official or authorized perspectives on Swift’s discography, readings that leave little room for your own interpretations, or speculations about Taylor Swift’s personal life. What you will find is evidence that Taylor’s work is full of party favors for the literature lover.
Wherever you are in your antihero’s journey, we’re so delighted that you’ve cracked open Taylor Swift by the Book. We can’t wait to share the lyrics, lyricist, and literature we love with you!

Forever and always,
Rachel and Tiffany

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quirk Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 26, 2024
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1683694740
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1683694748
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.71 x 0.83 x 7.76 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #95,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #117 in General Books & Reading
- #1,245 in Pop Culture (Books)
Customer Reviews:
(362)

About the authors

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Rachel Feder
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Literature professor, purveyor of weird books
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Tiffany Tatreau
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Tiffany Tatreau is an actor, singer, and teaching artist born and raised in Southern California. She has starred in various musicals across the country and is best known for her portrayal of Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg in the musical and original cast album Ride the Cyclone. Tiffany has a BFA in musical theater from Roosevelt University and resides in New York City. She is currently performing in the national tour of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.
See more on the author's page

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Customer reviews

362 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book fascinating and suitable as a gift for Swifties. They appreciate its scholarship, with one review highlighting its comprehensive analysis of literary influences throughout Taylor's discography.

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17 customers mention content, 16 positive, 1 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, with one mentioning it's a fun read about Taylor Swift.

I gave this to my niece who is a major Swiftie and she loved it! She let out a squeal that made me feel like I won Christmas....Read more

As an English major and a Swiftie, this is a perfect book. Honestly, it helped in some of my classes haha....Read more

This book is fascinating! I love all the connections to literature the author has made with Taylor Swift lyrics.Read more

Such a cool book for either die hard fans who love to analyze lyrics or an English teacher!Read more

7 customers mention gift, 7 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book makes a great gift for Swift fans, with one customer saying it made them feel like they won Christmas.

...Great gift for any Swiftie, but definitely the bookworm Swifties. I love the page design and artwork too....Read more

...She let out a squeal that made me feel like I won Christmas....Read more

Bought as a gift for a Swiftie. Recipient loved it!Read more

...The book itself is really neat. A great gift for Swifties!Read more

6 customers mention scholarship, 5 positive, 1 negative

Customers appreciate the scholarship of the book, with one customer noting how much information it contains and another highlighting its concise analysis of literary influences throughout Taylor's discography.

...She already knows a TON of Taylor trivia, but this book helped her learn some new facts. Plus she said the book was “SO pretty!”Read more

I really appreciate how this book is organized and how much information it has packed in....Read more

...Specific examples and a great glossary of terms are provided.Read more

Taylor has depth & writers acknowledge her overall talent. EDUCATION WITHIN!Read more

6 customers mention suitability for swifties, 6 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book great for Swifties, with one mentioning it's particularly helpful for English teachers.

...Honestly, it helped in some of my classes haha. I learned about bildungsroman in this book before exploring it in a class. Very cool.Read more

Taylor Swift is a reliable star for families. Thank you!Read more

Great for Swiftie English teachers!Read more

Great for SwiftiesRead more

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