Book review: This Woman’s Work – A fascinating fusion of female perspectives on music

Journalist Sinéad Gleeson and musician Kim Gordon have put together an entertaining collection of essays on the influence of music on women’s lives

American musician Laurie Anderson, musical heroine of writer Anne Enright, and the subject of her piece in the book This Woman’s Work: Essays in Music. Picture: Getty

“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” Thankfully, the 16 authors of This Woman’s Work have ignored the old adage attributed to actor and singer Martin Mull.

Edited by journalist and author Sinéad Gleeson with Kim Gordon, a founder member of the seminal US indie band Sonic Youth, this essay collection has an all-female contributor list, which includes Booker and Pulitzer Prize-winners.

Anne Enright’s Fan Girl recalls the moment she met her musical heroine, ...