Includes index. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
We Take Care of Our Own / Wayne Swan The Growing Up with Bruce Springsteen / Eric Alterman -- How Bruce Springsteen Made a Middle-Aged Woman Believe in the Magic of Rock and Roll / Nancy S. Bishop -- From the Backstreets to the Badlands: My Springsteen Journey / Deepa Iyer -- The Ripple Effect / Frank Stefanko -- Part II: Springsteen, Politics, and American Society The Role of the Popular Artist in a Democratic Society / Jefferson Cowie and Joel Dinerstein -- Starting a Fire: Bruce Springsteen's Political Journey from "Born in the U.S.A." to "American Skin (41 Shots) / Gillian G. Gaar -- Springsteen's American Dream / Louis P. Masur -- At the River / Paul Muldoon -- The Ties That Bind / A. O. Scott -- Part III: Springsteen Live Live at the Roxy / Greil Marcus -- The Magic Circle / Wesley Stace -- Twist and Shout / David L. Ulin -- Part IV: Springsteen the Artist -- Brilliant Disguise: The Completely True Fictional Adventures of Bruce Springsteen / Peter Ames Carlin -- "The Welsh Springsteen": An Interview with Martyn Joseph / by Irwin H. Streight -- This Train: Bruce Springsteen as Public Artist / Colleen J. Sheehy -- Born to Write: Bruce Springsteen, Flannery O'Connor, and the Songstory / Irwin H. Streight -- Ten Great Springsteen Moments (and Five Iconic Concerts) / Kenneth Womack -- Part V: Springsteen, Sex, Race, and Gender Our Butch Mother, Bruce Springsteen / Natalie Adler -- Springsteen's Women: Tougher Than the Rest / Gina Barreca -- Shackled and Drawn / Lauren Onkey -- American Skin: Springsteen and Blackness / Elijah Wald -- Part VI: Springsteen and Aging -- Summer's Fall: Springsteen in Senescence / Jim Cullen -- Work and Play: Mid-Life Music / Daniel Wolff -- Part VII: Springsteen beyond Borders -- Bruce Springsteen's River in Dublin / Dermot Bolger -- The Boss in Bulgaria / Richard Russo -- We Take Care of Our Own / Wayne Swan
Summary:
"Bruce Springsteen might be the quintessential American rock musician but his songs have resonated with fans from all walks of life and from all over the world. This unique collection features reflections from a diverse array of writers who explain what Springsteen means to them and describe how they have been moved, shaped, and challenged by his music. Contributors to Long Walk Home include novelists like Richard Russo, rock critics like Greil Marcus and Gillian Gaar, and other noted Springsteen scholars and fans such as A. O. Scott, Peter Ames Carlin, and Paul Muldoon. They reveal how Springsteen's albums served as the soundtrack to their lives while also exploring the meaning of his music and the lessons it offers its listeners. The stories in this collection range from the tale of how "Growin' Up" helped a lonely Indian girl adjust to life in the American South to the saga of a group of young Australians who turned to Born to Run to cope with their country's 1975 constitutional crisis. These essays examine the big questions at the heart of Springsteen's music, demonstrating the ways his songs have resonated for millions of listeners for nearly five decades. Commemorating the Boss's seventieth birthday, Long Walk Home explores Springsteen's legacy and provides a stirring set of testimonials that illustrate why his music matters."--Publisher's website.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.