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ttodd86's review
3.0
Good, not great. Some nice pieces within. Overall, too many referenced the same few lines from the same handful of songs. Given that the audience is likely his most loyal fans, it’s disappointing that there was not more of a push for creativity across the essays.
metros232's review
2.0
Presented individually, these are generally good essays, but too many repeated examples and references are stacked side by side when presented as a collection.
bibliophiliac's review
3.0
If you are Bruce Springsteen fan, this collection of essays by fans and music critics is for you. It was enjoyable for me because I am a decades-long fan who has been to many of his shows in the US and Europe. I am not sure that someone who is not a fan would have any interest in it though. Nice collection. I first read some of the essays last fall while I was distracted by the pandemic. I am glad I revisited it this summer.
sed7's review
2.0
Presented individually, these are generally good essays, but too many repeated examples and references are stacked side by side when presented as a collection.
booksuperpower's review
4.0
Assigned-
GULP- The Boss is almost seventy! Nice celebratory commemorative collection of essays.
GULP- The Boss is almost seventy! Nice celebratory commemorative collection of essays.
annarella's review
5.0
This book is highly recommended to any fan of the Boss. Highly recommended
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
sonyaw's review
4.0
A collection of essays written by a wide range of authors explaining Springsteen’s influence on their lives. Some essays were less compelling to me (the common fanboi white dude perspective), but there are some really terrific ones as well.
I particularly enjoyed essays by Deepa Iyer (who grew up feeling an outsider in Louisville, KY); Colleen J Sheehy (Springsteen “builds a public that is compassionate and principled”); Natalie Adler (who recognizes Bruce as “the butch mother of my hungry heart”); Gina Barreca’s essay about Springsteen’s tough-as-nails, “undainty, undaunted, and maybe unquenchable” women in his songs; Lauren Onkey's great piece on Springsteen's legacy around race.
When I tell people how much I love Springsteen I often get a blank or "oh, okay" look which suggests to me they don't know the Bruce I know; the one whose lyrics I've pored over since childhood; the benevolent ever- but never-present "uncle" who soothed my mom into being less angry; who felt like he was a part of my family, but perhaps understood me better than any one of them did. Many folks associate him with the white dude fandom; I wish they could see past that. To me he is so much more, and I wish that people would stop and listen -- really listen -- to the messages in his songs. (I'm listening to Nebraska as I write this!
I particularly enjoyed essays by Deepa Iyer (who grew up feeling an outsider in Louisville, KY); Colleen J Sheehy (Springsteen “builds a public that is compassionate and principled”); Natalie Adler (who recognizes Bruce as “the butch mother of my hungry heart”); Gina Barreca’s essay about Springsteen’s tough-as-nails, “undainty, undaunted, and maybe unquenchable” women in his songs; Lauren Onkey's great piece on Springsteen's legacy around race.
When I tell people how much I love Springsteen I often get a blank or "oh, okay" look which suggests to me they don't know the Bruce I know; the one whose lyrics I've pored over since childhood; the benevolent ever- but never-present "uncle" who soothed my mom into being less angry; who felt like he was a part of my family, but perhaps understood me better than any one of them did. Many folks associate him with the white dude fandom; I wish they could see past that. To me he is so much more, and I wish that people would stop and listen -- really listen -- to the messages in his songs. (I'm listening to Nebraska as I write this!
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