Why Sinead O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe

This is a powerful and thoughtfully written study of O'Connor, her complicated life and her magnificent artistry. McCabe provides important context for O'Connor's life , the songs she wrote and the often questionable decisions she made. She also makes a strong argument for empathy in criticism, seeing it as a strength rather than a weakness. In light of O'Connor's suicide last year, this sometimes felt like a very painful book to to read but it's also a necessary one.