"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all.” So begins Frank McCourt's bestselling memoir of his childhood in the slums in Limerick, Ireland, during the Depression -- a book that has become astonishingly beloved in a few short years.

Beck's eclectic mix of hip-hop, folk, psychedelia, pop, and rock 'n' roll wowed the critics and garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Album. Living up to his "loser" reputation, Beck got beaten out for the award by Celine Dion. In other Grammy news, the Fugees won the award for Best Rap Album, foreshadowing a brilliant solo effort from frontwoman Lauryn Hill two years later.