‘Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion,’ Chris DeVille

It might hurt for millennials to admit it, but the indie boom that defined our youth in the 2000s is now far enough in the rearview for a well-written, entertaining history book like this to feel right on time. DeVille, a longtime Stereogum contributor who knows this subject as well as anyone on earth, explores what it meant for idiosyncratic acts like MGMT, the Postal Service, and Bon Iver to become national stars, delivering plenty of fresh insight. He zooms his lens backward to include Nineties legends like Radiohead and Pavement, too, and takes us all the way into the late 2010s with Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, and more. If you have fond memories of any of those generation-defining acts, make sure to check this book out before you file for your AARP card. —S.V.L.