For the Record: Confessions of a Vinyl-Soundtrack Junkie

Hanson (The Peter Pan Chronicles) describes a fascination with musicals and their recorded soundtracks in this charming and informative story of his life as a “record geek.” Growing up in the 1960s, Hanson spent “joyful afternoons studying album covers and reading liner notes.” At age 12 he sold his comic books (Batman, Superman, etc.), making a beeline to a Manhattan record store to spend half his $200 profit. Hanson guides readers through his life and his treasured record collection, segueing neatly between recording trivia and anecdotes from his formative years as a “soundtrack junkie.” His parents didn’t expect this “dreamer” to amount to anything. Hanson adored singer Rosemary Clooney when he was eight, later moving on to follow Judy Garland, June Allyson, Barbara Cook, Debbie Reynolds, and other performers of the time. He also shares an interesting interview with Mary Martin, who played Peter Pan on Broadway. He attended high school on Staten Island, N.Y., and later continued studies in theatre arts, pottery, and sculpture, eventually becoming a visual arts teacher. Collectors will be entertained by Hanson’s impressive knowledge of records, including their graphics, cover art, and production details; his well-crafted and often humorous prose deftly conjures up the bygone era of musical theater’s golden age. (BookLife)