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ttodd86's review against another edition
3.0
Probably a 3+ book if you are a Springsteen fan. Some good info about the early days -- the more recent time period (unfortunately) reads more like a checklist or resume of Bruce's carer.
If you are not a fan, but just curious, then the book is maybe a 2. It could have used a better editor. A lot of redundancy in the text. Too many footnotes -- most should either be in the body copy or removed. Some odd choices in how and when people are introduced to the story. By the way, author Peter Carlin wants to be sure you know that he interviewed Clarence Clemons right before his stroke -- and he points it out many times.
If you are not a fan, but just curious, then the book is maybe a 2. It could have used a better editor. A lot of redundancy in the text. Too many footnotes -- most should either be in the body copy or removed. Some odd choices in how and when people are introduced to the story. By the way, author Peter Carlin wants to be sure you know that he interviewed Clarence Clemons right before his stroke -- and he points it out many times.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
I thought about giving this book a five star rating. In the end I think it is 4.5. This is partly, because I think that while I'll re-read portions, I might not re-read the whole book. Also, I am not sure if the book is too long, or nor long enough. The first 300 pages cover 80 years, or so, and the last 160 cover 35 years. I understand that with most history books, no matter if the subject is a person, place or thing, that the more recent time frame is less fleshed out, but I am not sure that works here. I wonder if another 100 pages could have fleshed out the last 10 years better. Bruce has put out a lot of music in that time. There is text covering the E-Street band's reaction to being on hiatus and seeing other musician's playing their music in the early 90s, but no reaction to not being asked to play on the Seeger themed albums. I am not sure this adds anything, but I can't help wondering if there really were 2 300 page books here.
The overall tone is great, though the last two chapters find a more personal, "us" tone to them, and the book is meticulously researched. I read a review, or two, that stated that this is the most personal book about Springsteen, that will be written by anyone not in the inner circle. I can see that. The interviews and access were obviously well thought out and planned.
I did wonder what was there new to say? A lot of the information is either in the culture's or fan base's general knowledge (Regean trying to co-opt the music, the 1980s dominance, the anti-Bush themes), but it all clearly written with a personal touch (from the interviews not from the author's POV). When you consider that there was a book on Bruce in 2011 and 2012, and that I've read 12 in total, you wonder how much there is to say. Yes this took 9 days to read, but that wasn't because I was tired of the topic, or stymied on why to read it, that was because it isn't a good bedtime book. This book deserves your attention as you read it. Your attention and a re-listen to the albums as you read.
I'm glad I added this to the Springsteen collection, like his music, I am sure that I'll dig it out in a few years and think, "oh this was really good, why haven't I flipped through it lately?"
The overall tone is great, though the last two chapters find a more personal, "us" tone to them, and the book is meticulously researched. I read a review, or two, that stated that this is the most personal book about Springsteen, that will be written by anyone not in the inner circle. I can see that. The interviews and access were obviously well thought out and planned.
I did wonder what was there new to say? A lot of the information is either in the culture's or fan base's general knowledge (Regean trying to co-opt the music, the 1980s dominance, the anti-Bush themes), but it all clearly written with a personal touch (from the interviews not from the author's POV). When you consider that there was a book on Bruce in 2011 and 2012, and that I've read 12 in total, you wonder how much there is to say. Yes this took 9 days to read, but that wasn't because I was tired of the topic, or stymied on why to read it, that was because it isn't a good bedtime book. This book deserves your attention as you read it. Your attention and a re-listen to the albums as you read.
I'm glad I added this to the Springsteen collection, like his music, I am sure that I'll dig it out in a few years and think, "oh this was really good, why haven't I flipped through it lately?"
sjgrodsky's review against another edition
4.0
Only worth reading if you are a true Bruce fan but really fun for those of us who are. Carlin's song by song discussions of individual albums are intelligent, insightful, articulate.
Excellent on the early years. The last 100 pages or so, covering about 1995 to present, have that careless, oh-my-god-my-advance-is-running-out-feel.
Excellent on the early years. The last 100 pages or so, covering about 1995 to present, have that careless, oh-my-god-my-advance-is-running-out-feel.
barbarab's review
informative
medium-paced
3.0
För lång, för detaljerade uppräkningar av alla låtar som spelades på alla konserter, kändes som inte som att författaren riktigt fått prata med Bruce annat än vid enstaka tillfällen.
johndiconsiglio's review against another edition
3.0
For Bruce nuts only. A straight-forward, fan-friendly bio. Fun nuggets throughout (Bruce thought “Linda Let Me Be the One” was as good as “Backstreets” & lobbied for its inclusion on “Born to Run.” Clarence’s review of Bruce’s 90s LA band: “They sucked.”), but far from an expose. I read it between books as a palate cleanser.
therevisionist's review against another edition
5.0
I'll be honest here, there could be a book written about Bruce's bowel movements and I would give it five stars. That being said, this was a very in-depth biography without a lot of stones overturned. I learned a ton of new stuff about The Boss (including a few things I wish I wouldn't have known about), and it painted a vibrant and intriguing picture of the man's life.
mattycakesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Obviously, if you're reading this, you're going to be a fairly huge Bruce fan, so in that sense, it's hard to really dislike this. That said, I found myself kind of frustrated and annoyed at the end of the book. A few years ago, at the beginning of the Wrecking Ball tour, I read a New Yorker article that I feel got a little bit deeper into the musician's personal life and psyche than this book, at a solid 460 pages longer did (here: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/07/30/120730fa_fact_remnick?currentPage=all).
I know this is a big task, and I know that a lot of it depends on the access he has to his sources. But this book seems hamstrung by its promotional line, that it was the first biography to have Bruce's cooperation. It just doesn't go deep enough for that to be the case. There are times that Bruce being a bit of a dick and prima donna sneak through, but he excuses them. He actively defends Bruce against negative reviews published a decade ago. He barely touches on Bruce's serious mental illnesses until the last chapter, and when he mentions a brief bout of depression in the early 90's, he says friends used the word "suicidal" and then doesn't expand.
The relationships between him, Jon Landau, and Steve Van Zandt seem relatively well fleshed out as well, but it was strange reading a book where both Clarence and Patti seemed like peripheral characters. It was particularly frustrating because of how much detail each recording session got. We're familiar with his music, we want to hear about him.
It's possible I'm being too hard on this book. It just seems like it missed a lot of the stuff that I was looking for when I bought a Bruce Springsteen biography.
I know this is a big task, and I know that a lot of it depends on the access he has to his sources. But this book seems hamstrung by its promotional line, that it was the first biography to have Bruce's cooperation. It just doesn't go deep enough for that to be the case. There are times that Bruce being a bit of a dick and prima donna sneak through, but he excuses them. He actively defends Bruce against negative reviews published a decade ago. He barely touches on Bruce's serious mental illnesses until the last chapter, and when he mentions a brief bout of depression in the early 90's, he says friends used the word "suicidal" and then doesn't expand.
The relationships between him, Jon Landau, and Steve Van Zandt seem relatively well fleshed out as well, but it was strange reading a book where both Clarence and Patti seemed like peripheral characters. It was particularly frustrating because of how much detail each recording session got. We're familiar with his music, we want to hear about him.
It's possible I'm being too hard on this book. It just seems like it missed a lot of the stuff that I was looking for when I bought a Bruce Springsteen biography.
egumeny's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed it, though it felt a bit rushed at the end and Carlin's prose wasn't always the clearest. All in all, though, pretty solid.