Book cover of The Girl in the Back: A Female Drummer's Life with Bowie, Blondie, and the '70s Rock Scene

Book description

Nineteen seventy-seven. New York City. Dark. Dangerous. Thrilling. Punk Rock. Blondie. David Bowie. Drinking. Drugs. Happening at the speed of light.THSeventeen-year old Laura quaking within her skin while the bursting punk rock revolution explodes around her starts a band with her teenage friends called the Student Teachers. She's the drummer.…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Girl in the Back as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Having lived through the time featured in Laura’s memoir, I was able to relive fond memories and learn much more about the people and incredible music of that era, when these bands were “our little secret” before the world caught on. 

This memoir was written by Laura, the young drummer of the New York band Student Teachers in the late 1970s. Laura was Jimmy Destri's girlfriend (Blondie's drummer). She shares sometimes harrowing and many joyful tales of NYC’s downtown rock scene and the bands that would become legendary. 

If you love The Girl in the Back...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Girl in the Back?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Girl in the Back.

Browse books like The Girl in the Back

Book cover of Just Kids
Book cover of Confessions of a Rock N Roll Name Dropper: My Life Leading Up to John Lennon’s Last Interview
Book cover of Be My Baby: A Memoir

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

186

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Girl in the Back, you might also like...

Book cover of Child of Vanris

Child of Vanris by Nikki McCormack,

At five years old, Kasiel was found with the pointed ends of his ears cut off. Despite that brutal start, he’s lived twelve peaceful years with the man who took him in. Keeping his hair long over his mutilated ears helps him hide the fact that he is Vanrian, a…

Book cover of Almost Home

Almost Home by Howard Means,

Almost Home is a fictional retelling of the last great tragedy of the Civil War.

In late April 1865, almost 2,000 newly freed Union prisoners of war are packed onto the steamer Sultana, in poor repair and with a listed capacity of 376 passengers. Among them are four Indiana soldiers…

5 book lists we think you will like!