Words and Music: Confessions of an Optimist

From his earliest days as a culture-beat reporter, through a wildly successful four decades in the book business, to his latest philanthropic ventures, Stephen Rubin has witnessed up close the highs and lows of publishing, music, and entertainment over the last half-century. Now, in this refreshingly forthright and uninhibited memoir, he shares the stories and secrets of a legendary career.

Freshly graduated from New York University, Rubin parlayed what had been a music column in his college...