Status
Available
Call number
Publication
W W Norton & Co Inc (2004), 406 pages
Description
The ballad has been part of American history since before the country had a name. In this book, the editors have assembled an astonishing group of writers and artists--novelists, essayists, performers, and critics--to explore the ineffable power of the American ballad. In words and in drawings, the collaborators have tapped the veins of America's most imaginative and expressive form. From "Barbara Allen," one of the earliest, through "The Wreck of the Old 97," to contemporary ballads by Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, The Rose & the Briar presents a rich new patch of art and commentary--like the ballads, no two the same, but all of a piece, about stories, storytellers, and American death, love, and liberty.--Publisher.
User reviews
LibraryThing member djalchemi
Inevitably a bit of mixed bag. Some of the essays on individual ballads take a relatively 'straight' approach, while others are more experimental and poetic - and the latter in particular vary from semi-successful to, well, unsuccessful. It will help a great deal if you know or can hear the songs
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referred to in the book. There is a companion CD, but I've also compiled a playlist of public domain recordings. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
406 p.; 9.5 inches
ISBN
0393059545 / 9780393059540