Heartbreak Is the National Anthem

The book is incredibly frustrating. I can't make sense of the disconnected chapters; there's no rhyme or reason to their organization. It's not linear—neither by her age, her album releases, nor her years in the music industry. It doesn't delve deeply into her lyricism or the lore surrounding her, nor does it explore her personal life or professional struggles in any meaningful way. The entire book feels like a scattershot approach—dabbling here and there without focus.

I expected more from a Rolling Stone journalist. The only way I managed to finish it was by switching to the audiobook version and treating each chapter as a standalone ramble. If you're looking for a deeper dive into the cultural phenomenon of Taylor Allison Swift, I recommend checking out Swiftologist or Evolution of Snake.

The reason my rating is somewhat generous is that I did learn new things about her musical influences, and I've discovered a trove of new music to explore further.