Ocasek himself has had an illustrious career beyond The Cars, from writing and performing solo work, publishing poetry in Granta and elsewhere, and producing albums by musical artists like Weezer, Hole, Guided By Voices, and Jonathan Richman. In Lyrics & Prose, Ocasek collects his lyrics together for the first time—and included throughout are Ocasek’s early handwritten notes and set lists, doodles and all. His work spans from The Cars’ self titled debut album in 1978 to Move Like This, released in 2011, as well as Ocasek’s six solo albums.

This is not merely a songbook for fans of The Cars, however: Ocasek is a versatile and affecting poet as well as songwriter, and his original verses—interspersed with album artwork and more than twenty-five beautiful black and white photographs—round out this beguiling book.