Night People: How to Be a DJ in ’90s New York City

Grammy-winning producer Ronson debuts with a mesmerizing memoir about his Manhattan DJ roots. As child, Ronson nurtured his love of music by spending time in the home studio of his stepfather, Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. He developed a love for nightlife as a teenager in New York City, learning quickly that “night meant good times, so long as it was full of loud music and people.” Here, Ronson recalls cutting his teeth in various Manhattan clubs before and during college, writing rapturously of (often drug-fueled) gigs and highlighting key connections he made along the way, including with his NYU classmate Ben Velez, who introduced Ronson to a cabal of rare vinyl collectors, and club promoter “Big Frank” Walston, who helped the author brand himself and regaled him with stories of Debbie Harry and other downtown legends. Ronson’s account sometimes gets lost in nitty-gritty details of DJing, which will fly over the casual reader’s head, and pop fans might wish it touched on his work with Amy Winehouse or Lady Gaga, but the focus on music as a community-building force ultimately proves poignant. This wondrous snapshot of a bygone New York will make readers want to get out on the dance floor. Agents: David Kuhn and Nate Muscato, Aevitas Creative Management. (Sept.)