Lou Reed by Will Hermes

The most complete and penetrating biography of the rock master Lou Reed.

Since his death ten years ago, Lou Reed’s stature and living presence have only grown. The great rock-poet presided over the marriage of Brill Building pop and the European avant-garde, and left American culture transfigured.

In Lou- A New York Life, the critic Will Hermes offers the definitive narrative of Reed’s life and legacy, dramatizing his long, brilliant, and contentious dialogue with fellow artists from David Bowie to Andy Warhol. Will explore his craft as a singer and songwriter with the Velvet Underground as well as the gift for self-sabotage he took from his mentor Delmore Schwartz. This is a portrait of a committed artist who pursued beauty and noise with equal fervour and a man who left a lasting emotional imprint the world over.

About the Author: Will Hermes is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, a longtime contributor to NPR’s All Things Considered and The New York Times, and the author of Love Goes to Buildings on Fire and Lou Reed- The King of New York. He also writes for Pitchfork and other publications, and was co-editor of SPIN- 20 Years of Alternative Music.

09 Oct 2025
 

Lou Reed: The King of New York by Will Hermes ISBN 9780241971635