Overview

A love letter to pop music, American Spirits charts an icon’s fall—and an obsessive fangirl’s rise. One of Vulture’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026 “A titillating romp!” —Booklist (starred review) • “I imagine the book as a Lynch film with a score by Lana Del Rey.” —Los Angeles Times Thirty-eight-year-old Blue Velour has finally achieved the critical acclaim she’s long been chasing. Over the last decade, she’s released six studio albums to mixed reviews, landing her somewhere between performance artist and niche legend. But her latest album, Blue’s Beard—a cheeky reference to the subreddit fanatically dedicated to her suspected secret relationship with longtime producer Sasha Harlow—has rocket-launched her reputation. Blue hires nerdy superfan Rose Lutz as her assistant to handle the pressures of the upcoming tour. When the pandemic shuts down the tour, however, Blue decides to hole up in the redwoods with Sasha to make another album. An aspiring singer herself, Rose is frothing at the mouth to be isolated in a cabin with these two legends, but what begins as a creative retreat spirals into a flurry of chaos and betrayal—culminating in a tragic act that changes their lives forever. Smart, entertaining, and edgy, American Spirits is a compelling exploration of the dark side of fame.

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9781668085530

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Reviews

""I inhaled this smoky, sinuous deep dive into the mechanics of fame and obsession. Dorn’s prose is addictive—sharp, textured, and endlessly perceptive about the ambition and resentment that often drive artists. A combustive cocktail of desire and self-destruction... I’ll read anything Anna Dorn writes.""  —Kate Folk, author of Sky Daddy “I hate pop culture and I love this book.” —Melissa Broder, author of Death Valley

""Dorn has a fine ear for dialogue and a sharp view of a celebrity’s cosseted world. Just like its characters, this is messy and appealing in equal measure.""  —Publishers Weekly ""The music writing in this book is outstanding, including intriguing real-world references and annotated playlists that will make you grateful for your streaming service. Dorn has a profound understanding of the relationship between an artist and her work . . . Nuanced characters, lively writing, and a heaping helping of bad behavior make the pages fly."" —Kirkus Reviews ""I inhaled this smoky, sinuous deep dive into the mechanics of fame and obsession. Dorn’s prose is addictive—sharp, textured, and endlessly perceptive about the ambition and resentment that often drive artists. A combustive cocktail of desire and self-destruction... I’ll read anything Anna Dorn writes.""  —Kate Folk, author of Sky Daddy “I hate pop culture and I love this book.” —Melissa Broder, author of Death Valley

""I hate pop culture and I love this book."" --Melissa Broder, author of Death Valley

Author Information

Anna Dorn is the author of the novels Perfume and Pain, Exalted, Vagablonde, and American Spirits. She was a Lambda Literary Fellow and Exalted was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She lives in Los Angeles.

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