Decoded -- Jay-Z

<i>Decoded </i>is a book like no other: a collection of lyrics and their meanings that together tell the story of a culture, an art form, a moment in history, and one of the most provocative and successful artists of our time.<br><b><br>Praise for <i>Decoded <p/></i></b>"Compelling . . . provocative, evocative . . . Part autobiography, part lavishly illustrated commentary on the author's own work, <i>Decoded</i> gives the reader a harrowing portrait of the rough worlds Jay-Z navigated in his youth, while at the same time deconstructing his lyrics."<b>--Michiko Kakutani, <i>The New York Times</i></b> <p/> "One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own."<b>--<i>The New Yorker</i></b> <p/> "Elegantly designed, incisively written . . . an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps."<b>--<i>Los Angeles Times</i></b><br> <b> </b><br> "A riveting exploration of Jay-Z's journey . . . So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism."<b>--<i>The Boston Globe </i></b> <p/> "Shawn Carter's most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z . . . The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating."<b>--<i>Entertainment Weekly </i></b><br><b><br></b>"Hip-hop's renaissance man drops a classic. . . . Heartfelt, passionate and slick."<b>--<i>Kirkus Reviews</i> (starred review)</b><br><br><b>Author:</b> Jay-Z<br><b>Publisher:</b> One World<br><b>Published:</b> 11/16/2010<br><b>Pages: