New Kids on the Block - by Nikki Van Noy (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An authorized biography of supergroup New Kids on the Block--tracking their rise, fall, and triumphant return as one of the biggest acts of all time (with a special focus on the fans who have supported them every step of the way).

Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.

They set the bar for every boy band that followed and changed the course of pop music forever. In the 1980s, for millions of young girls around the world, they were gods. But behind the scenes, they were just kids. In this authorized biography of the band, the New Kids tell it all to rock author Nikki Van Noy.

"What distinguishes this from similar biographies is Van Noy's inclusion of the voices of dozens of NKOTB fans both in the story itself--commenting on events from a fan's perspective--and sharing personal tales of kindnesses shown by the band members at the end of each chapter" (The Boston Globe).

With frankness and honesty, each New Kid recalls nearly thirty years of experience with the group, both on and off the stage. Like a time machine, this book will take you right back--giving you an inside look at the New Kids like you've never seen them before.

Review Quotes

"In the dozens of fascinating interviews with super fans that Van Noy records for posterity in this well-researched, smartly organized book, it becomes clear it's not about the music. (It never is.) It's about remembering the way we were -- those junior-high days when so many of us loved nothing more than this band, when you could dream of marrying Jordan Knight and fully believe it really would come true."-- "LA Weekly"

"The book deftly shows the sense of community the group has with its fans, the genuine love and affection both sides feel, and how five young boys from Boston became a cultural phenomenon. Fans of the group will want to get this inside look into their life on and off the road."-- "Graffiti Magazine"

"The story of how five boys from Boston rose from nothing to become unlikely international recording stars in the late 1980s.... There is true profundity in the stories of accomplished adult women who, during their formative years, fell in love with five flickering images on TV screens and never let go."--Kirkus Reviews

"This new book offers readers an intimate all access, backstage pass to NKOTB including their incredible rise in the 1980s, the group's tumble during the following decade and, of course, the triumphant rebirth.... A highly readable story."-- "Tucson Citizen"

"Van Noy takes what seems like a clichéd pop story--New Kids meteoric rise and equally swift collapse--and turns it into something special, a fascinating tale that will delight the band's large fan base as well as enlighten its harsh critics."--Publishers Weekly

"What distinguishes 'Five Brothers' from similar biographies is Van Noy's inclusion of the voices of dozens of NKOTB fans both in the story itself -- commenting on events from a fan's perspective -- and sharing personal tales of kindnesses shown by the band members at the end of each chapter. ... If you didn't think NKOTB had the right stuff in the '80s, 'Five Brothers' won't change your mind, but it does a decent job of explaining what those million sisters continue to scream about."-- "The Boston Globe"

About the Author

Nikki Van Noy is the author of So Much to Say, a biography of the Dave Matthews Band, and New Kids on the Block, a biography of the eponymous band. She works as a writer and editor in Boston, Massachusetts.