Product Description
In this compelling book, Robert Coles, the celebrated Harvard professor and Pulitzer Prize–winning author, turns his attention to popular music legend Bruce Springsteen, and to the powerful impact Springsteen’s work has had both on the lives of his audience and on this country’s literary tradition. Coles places Springsteen in the pantheon of American artists—Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams, Dorothea Lange, and Walker Percy, among others—who understood and were inspired by their “traveling companions in time,” the ordinary people of their eras.

With wisdom and a unique personal perspective, Coles explores Springsteen’s words as contemporary American poetry, and offers firsthand accounts of how people interact with them: A trucker listens to “Blinded by the Light” during long, lonely nights and reminisces about his mother; a schoolteacher is astonished when a usually silent student offers a comparison between “Nebraska” and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness; a policeman responds to “American Skin (41 Shots),” reflecting on his own role in his family and community. As these people, and others, candidly discuss the meaning Springsteen’s words have in their lives, Coles listens and, with the special insight and compassion that are the trademarks of his art, sheds new light on “The Boss,” removing the legendary American rock musician from fan-filled stadiums and placing the poet in a greater social, cultural, and philosophical context. Coles sees Springsteen as a representative of a uniquely American documentary tradition—as a sing-ing and traveling poet who does not simply embody the culture of which he is a part but fully engages it, interacting with its people and creating a conversation that has helped to shape a distinct way of looking at, and living, American life today.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Town full of losers
With so much great potential in this project, it's a shame it had to be so terrible.Can you imagine if the author had talked to people who had a functional understanding of Springsteen's music, instead of just people who were like, "Yeah, I listened to him back in the eighties!'Borrrrn in the USA!!!'"?

The author is remarkably uninteresting, and his subjects not much better.Even the cop, commenting on "41 Shots," could have been engrossing had they picked a more interesting cop.This one was just like, "How?How could be betray us?"Not even giving a moment's consideration to the real question of whether they were betrayed or whether those cops really were racists and murderers.Would have been nice to at least touch down on that point.

Don't Bother
I don't know what this book was supposed to be, but reading about how someone argues with his wife using Bruce Springsteen's lyrics is a waste of paper.

Born to Run -- far away from this book!
My god, this book is awful. How can a "celebrated Harvard professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author" write such a pretentious, embarassing, ridiculous, overwrought, narcissistic/self-centered, rambling, poorly edited (was it edited at all?), unreadable piece of drivel? Perhaps Coles was looking to cash in on the popularity of "this guy they call 'The Boss,'" or perhaps he was trying to get away from his Harvard ivory tower and slum it for a bit with a few "average Americans," showing what a down-to-earth guy he really is? Unfortunately, those "average Americans'" comments and thoughts, as presented here by Robert Coles, end up as little more than incoherent ramblings which shed no light and provide little if any insight into Springsteen the man or the artist. Is this why Springsteen tries so hard to control what gets written and said about him? So that books like this don't ever get written? My advice to any Springsteen fans (or anyone else) out there thinking about buying this book: you were Born to Run -- far away from this godawful book!

Fact or Fiction?
I should have listened to my first instinct not to get this book when I noted a Harvard child psychiatrist wrote it.But when you're a fan you suspend disbelief in order to hear what other "average Americans" have to say about Springsteen's work.I agree with one reviewer, Coles book sounds like Cole writing what he thinks common folk think about Springsteen's songs.Either that or he has worked with the people featured in the book so much, they have taken on his voice.I finished the book not out of fascination for what the people said (some of their insights and observations had me wondering if they really listened to the music or perhaps took some bad college literature classes), but out of what seemed strange similarities between the interviewees.They are purportedly from different walks of life and parts of the country, and yet, if you read through, you will find they have similar ways of phrasing ideas, ways of speaking they hold in common (that are not in keeping with how most people speak), and similar rhythms to their speech.It had the feel of coming from the same Harvard educated author and not interviews of different "common folk".I'm not going to accuse Coles of fabrication, rather of embellishing the stories (heavily) with his voice and his ideas.Beyond the question of authenticity, the interpretations and visions of Springsteen's songs in this book are soulless in my opinion.They do a poor job of exploring the teenage angst of his earlier work, the worker/adulthood angst in later work, and the angst of his favorite topic - societal misfits and deviant's.When one of the interviewees in the book states that the songs Nebraska and Johnny 99 are trying to get you to feel sorry for the main characters - it goes to show how far off the mark the interviewee and Coles are.

I wish I were blind
"I wish I were blind" is the name of a Springsteen song but it's also what readers of this inane drivel will be screaming within the first couple of chapters. I'm in my mid-40s, a writer and editor with book publishing experience, as well as a long-time, diehard Springsteen fan, so I hope the author and publisher will permit me some credit here for having at least a modicum of authority in declaring this book thoroughly unreadable. I've yet to finish 100 pages and I have already surrendered. The first two chapters--some 50 pages--ramble on as the author clumsily attempts to establish a connection between Walt Whitman, Frank Sinatra, Dorothea Lange, and the poet William Carlos Williams, about whom Coles delights in reminding us constantly, through interminable and meaningless quotations, was a personal friend. Why does he do this? Because they were all from New Jersey, a fact worthy of about a paragraph unless the topic of the your book is "Famous Artists from the Garden State." Worse, the author chooses to convey this information through pages-long transcripts of tape-recordings. I found myself reading some sentences three and four times trying futility to derive some understanding from the rambling babble of the author's interviewees, which seems to have been copied onto the page verbatim with little or no concern as to whether the words are actually related to the topic at hand. Early on, Coles quite obviously reveals himself to be of a much older generation and unfamiliar with Springsteen and popular music when he refers to a fan listening to "this guy they call The Boss" on "an electronic disc-playing gadget." Welcome to the '80s, Dr. Coles. They're called CD players. Coles even has the blood-curdling audacity to include a poem of his own about the connection he perceives between WCW and Springsteen, a shoddy and amateurish effort that serves only to embarrass both men, not to mention its author. I don't blame Coles for this journalistic travesty so much as I blame the publisher, Random House. They took an inferior work, slapped a photo of Springsteen on the cover, and mislead potential buyers in the jacket promo by claiming that this book is a deep and meaningful look at Springsteen's lyrics as understood by his fans. It's nothing of the kind and Random House owes, at minimum, an apology (if not a refund) to people like me who were duped into dropping $25 on this soon-to-be-remaindered abomination. Perhaps this book's single redeeming value is that it provides irrefutable proof that an elderly pediatrician has about as much business writing about Springsteen's poetry as Dave Marsh has taking a kid's rectal temperature. ... Read more

Product Description
This book follows Bruce Springsteen from the Jersey shore to the simultaneous covers of Time and Newsweek and beyond, tracing the artist's New Jersey upbringing, early bands, signing to Columbia Records, the creation of the E Street Band, and more. Marsh also provides an authoritative annotated discography and touring chronology that are sure to satisfy the most ardent of fans and collectors. 20 photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not a biography in the true sense of the word
I was looking for a biography of Bruce Springsteen so read this one. This is a critique of Springsteen's albums, songs and shows. It does tell you when he was born and goes into some details about his first bands, including who was in them. But if you're looking for an in-depth study of what Bruce Springsteen did that made him "The Boss," you won't find it here. Marsh's theories about Rock, Punk, Pop and Disco are a highly personalized POV driven largely from the perspective of exactly when he grew up. Historically, it is easy to disagree with him. Most of this book is a psudopsychological study of what he thinks Springsteen was talking about in each album and many songs up to and including "Darkness At the Edge of Town." If you love Springsteen, as I do, you'll no doubt find this interesting at least as far as you agree with Marsh. But if you want to know the family dynamics that drove Springsteen, the real issues around his short-lived college career, the exact circumstance around his traumatic motorcycle accident, how he learned to play guitar and how he learned to sing as he does, the whole story around his gigs at The Stone Pony, how he learned to command a stage, any depth to his personality, talent, and interactive behavior, you will not find them here. This "biography" is a lot more about what Dave Marsh thinks about Bruce Springsteen than it is about Springsteen, himself. When you consider the depth of detail a writer like David McCullough can raise about people dead 100 years, am I expecting too much to want that kind of detail about a living person? Personally, I don't think so.

Marsh's best Springsteen book
Okay, I'll be the first to admit that Dave Marsh has a Springsteen goo-goo, but "Born To Run", which I believe is his first book on Bruce, suffers quite a bit less for it than the books that followed.Here, Marsh did a nice job of describing Springsteen's childhood and early adulthood and didn't have quite as much time and space to worship.I bought this book as a beach read in 1984, and for a while I found myself referring back to it fairly regularly, but since reading the others in Marsh's Springsteen line-up, I've kind of retired it to the status of fondly remembered relic.Bruce just isn't the same anymore either.

Infectious but flawed.
June 10, 2002

In `Born To Run', biographer Dave Marsh successfully
immerses the reader in the origin and background of
both Bruce Springteen and the Jersey Shore of the
sixties and seventies.Some might chafe at the
occasionally purple prose (and praise), but Marsh's
tendency (not always forgivable) towards hyperbole
and emotionalism is indicative of the genuinely
live-or-die-with-Rock-And-Roll mandate by which its
subjects once lived their lives.

Particularly strong is the first half of the book,
wherein Marsh effectively paints New Jersey's
familial sixties Rock And Roll scene, the sort of
rebellious regional musical brewing pot that has
reinvented itself repeatedly across the continent
in any number of regions over the last thirty years.
The difference here is that Bruce's was the first
generation of working class youths to grow up in the
shadow of Elvis, and the Beatles, and Motown, and
rock's first great era.To these kids, Rock And Roll
was more than just something interesting to listen to
on your phonograph before supper.It was a revelation,
almost a religion.

Once the scene shifts to the late seventies and the
music industry, Marsh's take on things skews further.
His deification of Springsteen seems to be based on
little more than Bruce's having managed to not grow
a pot belly, "sell out", beat up his girlfriend, or
get busted for drugs.(Although, admittedly, that
does put the man in rare company for the times.)

The companion book to this effort, `Glory Days', isn't
too interesting, but `Born To Run', whether or not you
dig Bruce's music, packs a potent punch.As a glimpse
into an age of innocence and passion, it's inspiring
and re-readable . . .

. . . and it'll make you want to start a band and hit
the road.

Too Much Hero-Worship to be Objective
Dave Marsh may be THE most pompous writer to ever cover popular music, and he is completely blind to his own prejudices.He is incapable of defending his analysis, but rather hands out his opinions with an air that utterly dismisses any thought that they might be anything short of proven fact.

In Springsteen, Marsh has a subject on which he is absolutely incapable of objectivity.According to Marsh, Springsteen has never written, much less recorded, a weak song.Marsh's attempt to assign profound meaning to mediocrities such as "Drive All Night" and "The Price You Pay" would be funny if not offered with such smug seriousness.

That said, the book offers much good early biographical information, even if it is very one-sided.However, an artist like Springsteen deserves the attention of a writer willing to be objective about the subject.

Authoritative
Although Marsh has been accused both of writing hagiography and of not revealing his connection to his subject (he is married to Springsteen's manager), there is no better source for insight into Springsteen and his history.This is the place to start for anyone interested in Springsteen's career.However, despite the comment above, there are more complete sources for a Springsteen discography and touring chronology.Of course, anyone who needs information more complete than what is provided here has probably read this book long ago ... Read more

Product Description
Bruce Springsteen - Let the Boss infuse your year with the down-to-earth soulfulness that defines his mystique. This wall calendar featuring 16 months of invigorating photos of the legend will aid you in planning out one rockin' year! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Stellar Bruce calendar - awesome Hyde Park shots
The Bruce Springsteen 2011 calendar is an improvement over the 2010 one (which I bought last year, as I am a huge Bruce fan and needed it for my office).Not taking anything away from Danny Clinch (whose work was in the 2010 calendar and has shot Bruce and Pearl Jam for years), as he is a fine photographer, but the 2010 calendar had a lot of artsy shots, whereas this 2011 calendar has more straightforward in-concert images that appear to have been taken at the Hyde Park concert in June, 2009 (this show was the one that was recently released on DVD/Blu-ray).The images for the 2011 calendar were taken by Jo Lopez, and are all pretty much straight-away action shots, most in color.Some of them, I dare say, might eventually approach iconic status as Bruce shots go - the one of him holding the "Rendevous" request sign (for the band to see, as part of his `request' portion of the show) is particularly striking, and the one taken from behind the stage as the band acknowledges the crowd is also excellent.Overall, this calendar is better than 2010's calendar, simply due to the action shots (and, it's printed on the usual high-quality paper stock). ... Read more

Product Description
Greetings from E Street celebrates the passionately loved group that has been entertaining the world for 35 years. Written with their cooperation, this fully illustrated informal biography combines rare photographs with 30 removable facsimiles of E Street memorabilia, including Bruce Springsteen's first business card and hand-written set list, and even two fabulous posters. Longtime band intimate Robert Santelli captures the ecstatic highs and devastating lows on the E Street Band's roller coaster ride to stardom. He follows the band from the early days in Asbury Park, New Jersey, to the critical acclaim of Born to Run, the mania of Born in the U.S.A. and international touring, and each member's unique projects. Throughout, the band's signature combination of friendship, humor, and stellar musicianship is revealed in stories, snapshots, and the ephemera of life of the road. Warm and personal, Greetings from E Street is a postcard from the most famous address in rock and roll. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Standard bruce springsteen book
Nice book but not the best.

Why?
Its a standard book with nice 2 know text and some nice facsimile things but not that much info and pictures. Ive bought it 4 almost free (10 euro) so i give it 4 stars.

Springsteen and E Street
What an outstanding purchase! My husband loves all things Bruce and has most everything.But not this.He loved it.Pull out copies of set line-ups, notes on potential songs, letters written, and on and on.So very much info in this book.He's loving it.I scored HIGH on this gift from Santa.This is must-have if you're a Springsteen fan!

Peace, Love, Justice, and no mercy....
You gotta have this book if you're a Bruce fan. Great history and old photos. Great back stories and nostalgia. I was a bit dissapointed with the reproductions - both in terms of relevance and also the quantity of them, but all in all it is well worth the money. I mean, people actually paid $50 for the Madonna book a few years back. Puh-lease.... there is only one BOSS!

Great for Young andOld
I recently took my 10 year old to a Springsteen concert and he is hooked. At his urging we went to the local library to see if they had a book on the Boss..we found this one and he loved it so much I ordered it..the great thing about it was that I loved it too !!Nothing better than something you can enjoy with your kids. I give this a thumbs up !!

Cool book !
My daughter got this book for me for X-Mas,
and it's the neatest thing !
Great chronological history of Bruce and his
various bands, along with the cool artifacts
placed throughout the book, including 2 great
posters !
Great bargain and must-have for any fan of the Boss !! ... Read more

Product Description
Reading the Boss: Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Works of Bruce Springsteen, edited by Roxanne Harde and Irwin Streight, draws together close readings of Bruce Springsteen's lyrics by scholars across a range of academic disciplines. The editors first make a compelling comparison between Bruce Springsteen and William Shakespeare, carefully building the argument that both men offer profound insight into the hungry human heart. Springsteen, they argue, uses many Shakespearean themes such as the ties of blood and friendship, commitment to country and community, the monsters of lust and jealousy, vanity and power, and the hopeful pursuit of real love. These themes lift his music beyond stories of characters casing the Promised Land of America to universal matters of the heart's truth wherever it is found. Then, the twelve chapters of Reading the Boss, written by established and emerging scholars, engage readers both critically and enthusiastically with central issues in Bruce Springsteen's writing, as they read his explorations of gender, place, religion, philosophy, and other literary texts, notably the works of Walker Percy and Flannery O'Connor. Driven by arguments grounded in a wide variety of theoretical and critical positions, these essays offer a comprehensive and accessible discussion of Springsteen's oeuvre, from Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. to Working on a Dream that will appeal to both specialist readers and Springsteen fans alike. ... Read more

Product Description
This guide to the music of Bruce Springsteen provides an album-by-album, track-by-track examination of every song he has released, from the early albums, through the breakthrough with "Born To Run", to the present day. Shaped like a CD box, this book is designed to sit alongside a CD collection. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Here eighteen Springsteen fans who are also philosophy buffs offer their insights
Libraries strong in either philosophy or popular music - or both - will welcome Bruce Springsteen and Philosophy, a guide to Springsteen's music linking lyrics with modern philosophy. Here eighteen Springsteen fans who are also philosophy buffs offer their survey of topics ranging from the musician's concept of the soul to 'fatalism' in one of his songs.

The Boss transcends philosophy
I've read (at least parts of) several of the titles in the "Popular culture and philosophy" series; unfortunately, despite the general value of this sort of work, the series is very uneven.This title, I am glad to say, being both an armchair philosopher and a semi-professional Bruce Springsteen fan, is among the best entries.

The best feature of this book is that each of the authors (among the chapters I have read so far) takes Bruce seriously as what he is: a rock n' roll musician and contemporary poet.There is no attempt to make Bruce into something he is not (this point is clearly made in the first chapter).Instead, the authors stay true to the themes and issues that Bruce himself explores in his songs.In contrast to many of the other books in the series, for example, there are no chapters concerning how Bruce does (or does not) capture some element of Plato's theory of knowledge.There are, however, chapters on the nature of work and labor, the importance of human connection, the nature of freedom, and the possibility of redemption.Anyone familiar with Bruce's music will recognize these themes in his lyrics and choice of material.These themes are, moreover, profoundly philosophical, regardless of whether Bruce's explorations are as 'deep' as those of professional philosophers.(Although I would insist, as do many of the authors, that Bruce's music, in a sense, has greater depth than any philosophical treatise could achieve.)

This book is also notable, among the "Popular culture" series, for its list of contributors, which includes several prominent interpreters of classic and modern American philosophy (particularly the pragmatist tradition).This list includes: Randall Auxier and Doug Anderson (editors and contributors), John Shook, and Scott Pratt.This is possibly the best selection of professional philosophers among any titles in the series (apart from Slavoj Zizek's contribution to "The Matrix").But this selection is also important because there is a (mediated) connection between Bruce and classic American philosophy.Though I am not suggesting that Bruce has necessarily read James, Dewey, etc., I believe that both Bruce (and other musicians who could be classed in the same genre as Bruce - including perhaps Steve Earle, Tom Cochrane, John Mellencamp, and John Fogerty - call it 'heartland rock') and James et al. share common roots in the philosophy and literature of the American Renaissance: Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Melville...

A good book, in all - though definitely for a certain 'type' of Springsteen fan.There are chapters that should appeal to any fan, but, as I suggested above, one reason for Bruce's importance may be that he pursues philosophical issues in a profoundly non-philosophical medium.

Working on the highway?Springsteen academized
Uneven collection of essays reflects the range of interests and writing abilities of the writers, almost all of whom are professors of philosophy of apparently accredited institutions of higher education, raising questions as to the current standing and academic rigor of the philosophical field of study in 2008.

Not to say this set of essays is egregiously bad, but the writing and proofreading left numerous errors in the text of the essays, a sure sign for me that I should treat the material with the same level of seriousness that its authors and editors did.There are way too many bad puns and flat attempts at word play on Springsteen songs, characters, and lyrics, starting with the vapid subtitle.Truth has an edge?It's dark there?What does that mean, other than the "yeah, we get it" reference to Springsteen's "Darkness on the Edge of Town"?

And note to most of the writers:dial back (waaaaaaaaay back) on the wanna-be-Bruce vibes already.We get it.We all wanted to be Bruce, cut someplace of our own with these drums and these guitars, but we're not, and we didn't, so let it go, and write with the seriousness and focus and academic abilities that the subject and your positions demand.

A couple of the essays did stand out for their insight and interest:

--Auxier's "Blinded by the Subterranean Homesick Muse:The Poet as Virtuous and Virtuoso" pairs Springsteen and his constant comparator Dylan in this essay introducing the classical Muses and their uses in these great poets' lyrics (as well as tracing the etymological connection between the two adjectives in his essay's subtitle).

--Auxier deconstructs Wendy, the lover to whom Springsteen sings "Born to Run", and places her (and Springsteen) in the literary canon in the essay "An Everlasting Kiss: The Seduction of Wendy."

--"Straight Time:Images of Oppression" by Luke Dick examines that phrase and the use of images in meaning, understanding, imagination and empathy (along the way explaining why Dana Carvey's impression of Jimmy Stewart works).

This is the second book of literary, philosophical and historical examination of Springsteen's music that I have read recently (see Born in the U.S.A.: Bruce Springsteen and the American Tradition), and both fall short. We are still too close the power of his performance and the peak of his musical output to truly and accurately appreciate and define it.Dylan similarly suffers in literary examinations; although Dylan is closer to the end of his oeuvre, both men still have too much to say and a love and compulsion to play that makes it impossible for even the deepest among us to summarize, categorize, or academize them. ... Read more

Product Description
A thinking person's exploration of the cultural significance of Bruce Springsteen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Too Soon -- Wait for the 2nd edition in ten years
OK first-draft attempt to place Springsteen in American popular and political culture.

Cullen seems too much of a fan to treat Springsteen's work just as it stands, but he does a decent job of setting Springsteen in historical context with Twain, Whitman, Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr.In fact, this section is the meat of the book and Cullen could have drilled deeper into the relationships of Springsteen to these creators and leaders.As it is, the book barely reaches 200 pages and reads more like an extended magazine piece or post-grad thesis than a fully-finished book.

Another problem with the book is it may have been written too soon.Springsteen has continued to record, tour, and extend his artistic abilities, so a new edition of this book in another 10 years would have more perspective and more source material to pull from.Compare this to Ricks' book "Dylan's Visions of Sin", in a similar vein but better because it encompasses a longer career over a greater distance of years.

Dylan's Visions of Sin

One example is Springsteen's appearance on the VH1 "Songwriters" show after Cullen's book came out, where he dissects the history, lyrics and intent of some of his best songs, sometimes in explicitly religious terms.This material would have helped strengthen and deepen Cullen's argument, had he waited.

This isn't bad, just not as good as it will be in another decade.

AGreat Read
I highly recommend Geoffrey Hine's book on Born in the U.S.A.I had forgotten how good this album is. There were lots of good insights into Springsteen's creative process particularly how he was more successful when he started to pare down his lyrics for works such as Born in the U.S.A. There's fine research on the genesis of songs such as the title song. Also, there is a lot of additional information on the making of Nebraska, one of Springsteen's best works. You have to laugh when you read how politicians and pundits like Ronald Reagan and George Will praised the work of Springsteen at the time. They didn't quite get it. Finally, there is an excellent discography of Springsteen's work at the end of the book. A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed

Promising and interesting, but a little too light.
Both a recent convert to the Springsteen synod of the First Church of Rock n' Roll and a rogue scholar pursuing the aims of Deweyan democratic community, I have considered the possibility of a scholarly study of Bruce Springsteen's music.Such a study would consider (ideally) several themes: One, most importantly, is to situate Sprinsteen's music within a certain American literary and musical tradition; another is to present Springsteen's work as, in some respects, part of national dialogue on questions of citizenship, patriotism, manhood, etc.; yet another is to consider Springsteen's music as a sort of ethical practice, almost as an Aristotelian guide to character development.Jim Cullen's book, although it falls short of my ideal in many respects, does offer an interesting and, I think, ultimately compelling vision of the possibilities of scholarship on Springsteen.

Cullen's argument that Springsteen belongs to a literary tradition beginning with Walt Whitman, and including Mark Twain and John Steinbeck, is persuasive.Although his comparisons of these authors with Springsteen, both stylistic and thematic, are a little thin, the similarities are made evident.(One weakness of Cullen's argument is his failure to consider the most notable differences between Springsteen and Whitman, et al.)Springsteen's is an aesthetic of the everyday, offering a picture of lives and landscapes that form the stuff of life for most Americans, but are often overlooked (interestingly, by both conservative proponents of high modernism and and leftist supporters of avant-garde art).His stories are drawn from the very streets on which he grew and lived, from the events affecting his society, and from the plight of those left behind in the wake of society's progress ("The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "Nebraska" are most exemplary of this dimension of Springsteen's work -- having rather little to do with his own life).Thematically, this is the very stuff of Steinbeck and Whitman.

Cullen also makes an interesting case that Springsteen be seen as a proponent of American republicanism.(Not to be confused with the Reagan sort of Republicanism -- Springsteen is certainly not right-wing.)This is the political tradition to which Whitman, Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and (not mentioned by Cullen) John Dewey belong.It is a tradition which promotes and protects the rights of individuals, but always sees these individuals as members of a community.Springsteen's work, as a whole, it seems to me at least, in part traces a movement from individualism (consider the romantic idealism of Born to Run) to community (embodied in the group performance of "If I should fall behind" during the 1999 performance).His more recent work, "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "The Rising" particularly, is concerned explicitly with the importance of community in the face of both internal and external challenges.

Overall, while Cullen's book does provide an interesting and compelling case for the 'serious' study of Springsteen's work, I think it does have a few significant flaws.For one, which I have already suggested, his comparisons of Springsteen with other literary figures are somewhat superficial.More detailed comparisons (involving, in part, more thorough examination of Springsteen's lyrics), even where this brings out the differences, would strengthen the argument.(In general, Cullen's presentation of the general historical and cultural settings of Springsteen and other artists is too superficial -- especially as compared with the studies in his other work on American popular culture.) For another, I think his analysis of Springsteen's political significance would benefit by a more individualistic interpretation (paired with his republican analysis).While I think it is true that Springsteen's political vision fits closely with that of Whitman, etc., it is also true that the direct impact of Springsteen's music (as is true of any art), is registered on the individual level.I believe that our moral identities are shaped, in large part, through identifications with various models, which may be culled from popular culture (among other sources, of course).Springsteen's music maintains a serious and generally consistent moral vision, and provides a model of moral character worth emulating. (This seems to be true of Springsteen the man as well.)And thus his music may actually serve as a valuable democratic resource.

This book is a fine read and a fairly unique interpretation of Springsteen's work.As an early serious effort to assess Springsteen's cultural and political significance it will of course have some problems, but these can be excused for the simple fact that so few other authors have tackled this subject in this manner.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Whether you're a fan of springsteen's or a student of american history, this is a must-read. This book is by no means a biography, it is a study of Springsteen's work and its' meaning and context. I have no idea what this fella from spain is talking about calling these essays overblown and that Cullen has no right to compare someone of springsteen's stature to whitman. Cullen does an excellent job of discussing his theses - two of the most intriguing being how springsteen's viewpoints on parenthood and women grow and mature throughout his body of work (how many other rock stars work have that degree of sophistication?). Well-written, well-executed, anove all, SMART. More books like this - serious studies on a musician's work and not his/her life and lifestyle - should exist.

p.s. I originally wrote this way back when.I recently got a new e-address and am in the process of updating all my old postings.So, yes, you may see this review twice. It is worth noting that since the time I originally wrote this, I've re-read various sections, and was impressed with how well they stood up to repeated readings. So - yes, I stand beside my original review and then some.

Thoughtful and a bit esoteric.Rewards your close reading.
Jim Cullen's book carries a weighty premise:Bruce Springsteen is the cultural heir of Emerson, Whitman, Lincoln, and The American Kings (Martin Luther King and Elvis Presley).Cullen divides Springsteen's themes into useful categories and explores them in the context of America's great artists, thinkers, and cultural movements.Although it reads a little like a dissertation in places, I found Cullen a credible Springsteen expert.His discussions illuminated dimensions of Springsteen's work for me, as well as provided interesting but arguable perspectives on other American artists and cultural figures.This isn't a pop biography, but it rewards the thoughtful reader. ... Read more

Product Description
Titles are: Born in the U.S.A. * Born to Run * Cadillac Ranch * Cover Me * Dancing in the Dark * Fire * Glory Days * Hungry Heart * I'm on Fire * My Hometown * Pink Cadillac * Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) * Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out * The River * Thunder Road. ... Read more

Product Description
"It is a magnificent album that pays off on every bet ever placed on him—and it should crack his future wide open." - Rolling Stone, on the 1975 release of Bruce Springsteen’s album Born To Run.
Photographer Eric Meola was hired thirty years ago to do a photo shoot which resulted in the iconic rock n’ roll album Born to Run. This magnificent book recreates that photography session, contains all of Bruce’s lyrics, and includes an introduction by distinguished popular music writer Daniel Wolff.
Bruce Springsteen is one of the most important songwriters and performers of the last three decades. Born to Run is the album that put Bruce Springsteen on the cover of both Newsweek and Time. It is a timeless snapshot of Americana—all sweaty, high energy, and tuned to a carnival-like level. For many critics of the day, Born to Run made Springsteen the most important artist of his generation. It was this album that Springsteen’s songs first portrayed a glorious yet very real side of the American Dream.
In this book, Eric Meola shares the photographic alternates and outtakes, most for the very first time, in stunning black- and-white quadratones, more than thirty years after the album’s release. In addition to the many never-before –seen photographs, here for the first time and in one place are all of the lyrics from this iconic American album.
The Limited Edition features: 1,350 numbered copies, clamshell box, and signed photograph ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The old bruce springsteen!
Ive bought this book 4 almost nothing (thanks 2 amazon and the euro!). Few text, lots of pictures!

Born to Run: The Unseen Photos
For any true Springsteen fan to have anything that gives you a glimpse into the beginnings of greatness is awesome.Great photos, some amusing, worth the purchase. Only disappointment had nothing to do with the book itself but with the way it was shipped.Came in a bit banged up and dirty - Amazon should bubble wrap the individual item and not just toss it in a box.

Bruuuuuuuuuce
Very professional and quick delivery time. Would do business again in a heartbeat, no complaints.

great book,better pictures,the best songwriter
This book has been made by a person who really apreciates Bruce's songs and for people who feel the same. It's a beautiful review of the pictures taken 30 years ago for Born to Run album. The paper used,the quality of the material, the compositon of the images...

For real old school fans only
We just took a ton of photos of my 6 month old twin girls for our Christmas card.Looking at all those digital images trying to decide which was the best shot reminded me a lot of looking at this book.A lot of pictures of the subjects (in their case Bruce and Clarence Clemons and in my case Katie and Maggie) in a couple of different outfits in poses only slightly different from the shot before.After awhile they all start to look alike until finally you just say, "Uhh, that one," the person next to you agrees and you have your album cover/Christmas card.

Seriously, I am a big Springsteen fan and liked both his music and his look from that time best, so the book was a must for me, but if you're not that kind of fan and like Springsteen because you think he is or was cute--this ain't the book for you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

fantastic
I feel the book captures the belief that Bruce not only has in his music, but also in himself.It is a must for all Springsteen fans.And for all those people who have not seen him live, get this book to see what you aremissing out on! ... Read more

Product Description
For the first time ever comes the inside story of Clarence "Big Man" Clemons--his life before, during and beyond the E-Street Band, including unbelievable, never-before-told adventures with Bruce Springsteen, the band, and an incredible cast of other famous characters recounted by himself and his best friend, television writer/ producer Don Reo.

Here are just a few things you'll get from reading it:

• The truth behind the final hours of making Born To Run
• The real story of how the E-Street Band got its name
• What happened when Clarence and Ringo Starr were sitting in a hotel room and Clarence got the call that Bruce was breaking up the band
• How Bruce and Clarence met that dark, stormy night at the Student Prince
• The E-Street band's show at Sing-Sing prison where all of their equipment blows out right as they take the stage
• The secret that Robert De Niro told Clarence and Bruce they had to keep for 25 years

Customer Reviews (38)

Fascinating Look Inside the Springsteen World
Filled with actual accounts and fictionalized legends, this book by Clarence Clemons and Don Reo provides a humorous glimpse inside the world of the E-Street Band. In the intro, Clarence says that he tried not to make this another book about Bruce Springsteen, but because many of the stories involve Bruce, you get a glimpse into life in the E-Street Band. It is a great book to read at the beach.

Disappointing with a capital D
If I had known this was just another descent into tales of drugs & infidelity, I would have never purchased this book.Then, we get to read the "Tall Tales"..and really, where does the one end and the other begin?A "legend in his own mind" comes to MY mind and isn't that a tall tale ?I'm not referring to his musical talents and the history of his career, relationship with Bruce Springsteen, OR any ofthe other musicians he must have met.Unfortunately, there is precious little of that in this book.If you were hoping to read about that, better look for a different artist, as Clarence apparently didn't think anyone would be interested in that.

Bad as it gets
Disclosure: No I am not a Springsteen fan by any means. Love rock & roll, classic & otherwise, but not Bruce. I'm sure he's a great guy and all but I find his music extremely weak. But so what? Just one opinion. So... The Big Man... good sax player, great road stories... what's not to like? I pick up this book and regretted it immediately. I found it to be an exercise in pretentious, name-dropping, self-importance interspersed with endless whining by Clemons about his bad knees and hips. I'm sure that sucks, but I'm sure it sucks for my grandfather also. Not really interesting reading.

As a literary effort, this book is flat out awful on every level. What this other writer, Don Whoever, who co-wrote it, is doing there--other than being a starstruck Springsteen groupie--is hard to fathom. Just laziness probably so Clemons didn't have to write too much. In fact, Clemons willingly admits much of this book is just junk he made up anyway. Great anecdotes that never happened.

The whole piece is Clemons' exercise in gloating about what a luxurious life he has lived due to his acquaintance with Bruce, who I at least respect greatly for doing all the heavy lifting, writing the songs and putting his name on it all. All Clemons talks about is how many white women he had, how many Cuban cigars he smoked, how much expensive liquor he drank on private jets and yachts... Yuck, I need a shower.

This thing is as shlock as shlock gets. Save your Sheckels rock fans and buy a book about the Davies Brothers, Neil, Bob, Duane, Keith or someone else who has lived a real rock & roll life and had something to say, not another shallow celebrity wallowing in his own wonderfulness. If you don't believe me, buy it and read the part about what an amazing guy he is because he actually got out of his limo and kissed a woman in a wheelchair after a show. Nice.

Mixed Feelings
This is quite an erratic read.First of all, I wih Clarence had taken a more chronological approach.He jumps around in time with no rhyme or reason as to why one chapter follows another.Secondly, the theme of each story seems similar. Clarence is hanging out with some supposed entertainment big shots drinking and smoking and reflecting on various things.Some have more interest than others.

What one does gather is that Clarence and Bruce are truly close friends.One does learn a little bit about some of the songs and relationships here and there.What tension between Vinny Lopez and Clarence.It also nice to know how Clarence appreciated Dan Federeci and how he felt let down when Bruce brought out a new band to tour with him.The different failed relationships are a bit heart wrenching until the Big Man finally finds true love.I like the story about Clarence shooting pool with Fidel Castro and the stories about how Jackie Gleason was not a nice man.

I definitely would have liked to hear more about Clarence's attepted career at professional football.This does not even get a one line mention.A little more commentary about the early days would be good as well.Nonetheless, there are a lot of strong moments which make this about a 3-3 1/2 star rating.

Driven Off by the Misogyny
The book is pretty clever and interesting, the egotism of CC and Don R notwithstanding. But I'm halfway through and can't keep seeing women referred to as the p-word, etc. Like many substance abusers (and people who become famous at a young age), CC seems outrageously narcissistic and immature. At least one anecdote reflects very negatively on Bruce, but CC has provided him cover with the "tall tale" schtick....
... Read more

Product Description
Bruce Springsteen, writer of more than 250 songs, is among the most literate rock singers.His songs touch people's hearts and minds. Simply put, he is the storyteller of our generation. Tougher Than the Rest discusses the best of Springsteen's vast body of work, from Greetings from Asbury Park, NY to Devils & Dust. The author comments on each song's origin and the critical response it received. The book shares insights into the songs' literary, historical, and cultural references. It's packed with numerous sidebars and is accompanied by photographs and lots of extras, including a complete song list, discography, and bibliography. A must for all Springsteen fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not exactly
a reflection on the content of the book itself, but it seems a shame that they wouldn't pay the photographer of the cover photo. Also, what's with the publisher's product description: Greetings from Asbury Park, NY? Writing a blurb about a book about Springsteen's work and you can't get an album title correct? And confusing NY and NJ with Springsteen? Silly.

photo used without permission
I only bought this book as I made the cover photograph and they used it without ever getting my permission or paying me.

Bruce-ology
Simply a great book for any Bruce Springsteen fan.The author does a fine job of gathering information and writing it in such a way that will inspire any reader.
"Slow dancing in the dark with an angel on my chest..." ... Read more

Product Description
The greatest hits from the greatest rock and roller of the past 20 years, arranged for Easy Tab guitar. Titles are: Born in the U.S.A. * Born to Run * Cover Me * Dancing in the Dark * Glory Days * Hungry Heart * I'm on Fire * My Hometown * Pink Cadillac * Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) * The River * Thunder Road. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good help for all musicians!
Nice looking, strong book that will be goodlooking for ages. All the greatest hits of a great rocker are here. Usefull for anyone who wants to play Springsteen songs and just can't figure out how he plays certain songs. The transcriptions are not that difficult and sound great to play along with the record or a band. I would surely recommend this one for all musicians out there. And besided that, it looks great between your regular books :-) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The albums, the tours and other little facts about The Boss
Think you know everything about the Boss? Think twice! Deborah Mayer, a New York girl enamored of Springsteen's music since she was a teenager, has put together, in the form of questionnaires, a collection of little known facts and anecdotes about the Boss. It's worth mentioning also that there are several b&w pictures in the book that I at least have never seen in other sources. What I liked most about it, though, was the brief but striking introduction by the author, recalling how her own life was related to Bruce Springsteen's tours and albums, and after that, the disillusionment of watching his heroe fade away. I hope Deborah was able to see the E Street Band in their come back and farewell (?) tour this year. I am sure that she, as we all Springsteen fans, smiled again. ... Read more

Product Description
This album-matching folio to the most evocative album of Springsteen's career also contains stark photographs of The Boss. Titles are: The Ghost of Tom Joad
* Straight Time
* Highway 29
* Youngstown
* Sinaloa Cowboys
* The Line
* Balboa Park
* Dry Lightning
* The New Timer
* Across the Border
* Galveston Bay
* My Best Was Never Good Enough. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Appel''s version of events
The famous split between Appell and Springsteen, who opted to have Jon Landau at his side.

The book is well balanced and, of course, it has Appel's version of events. But it's not, by any meands, biased. The writer gives a balanced narrative of the vents that culminated ina a long legal battle that almost put Bruce's career to a ignominious halt.

A good and fast read (if you do not spend time reading the tons of legal papaers printed in the last part of the book!) ... Read more

Product Description
Titles include: Brilliant Disguise
* Spare Parts
* Valentine's Day and bonus selection Lucky Man. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

whoops--made a mistake on previous review
The book review prior to this (by me--"The Title says it all") is for a different novel altogether!The one I reviewed is an out-of-print version by Hilma Worlitzer. Sorry!

The Book's Title Says it All
"Tunnel of Love" is a story about relationships. Family love, affectionate love, sexual love, maternal love, sibling love, and friendship are explored from the perspectives of two very different women. Linda is 28 years old, widowed after only six weeks of marriage to an older man who hasa fifteen year-old daughter, Robin. In addition, she finds out she is alsopregnant! She is determined to make the best out of life for herself andher new "instant family".Robin is a truculent, troubled, and inmany ways, typical teenager. The story is told from her point of view, aswell as Linda's. This makes for an interesting and realistic examination ofthe issues in the book.When baby Phoebe is born, we experience the wonderof learning to love a brand new person, from the view of a big sister and anew mom.I admired Linda's perserverance, optimism, and "never saydie" attitude. It was in contrast to the anger and frustration I feltfor Robin...which goes to show how good the writing in this book is. I am a36 year old mother with a daughter approaching the teenage years; theauthor managed to convey the struggle and, ultimately, the love betweenmother and daughter.While the story doesn't exactly qualify as apage-turner, I truly enjoyed this book about the many ways love isexpressed and experienced. Four stars is the highest rating I have yetgiven a book on Amazon.com. ... Read more