Springsteen in Print

Racing In the Street and Runaway American Dream.

The promise isn't that bad.
It's written by a fan and doesn't suck arse like the Dave Marsh books.

The Rolling Stone File is nice if you like the anecdote side of Bruce.
Songs is a must have, if you?re interested in lyrics (on black and white <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) and nice photos.
And yes, Dave Marsh is shite.

Point Blank by Christopher Sandford: Is pretty detailed, the guys done his research. But it gets a bit heavy at times by just sticking to fact and showing no passion for the subject matter.

I tried to read Point Blank but it twas to detailed and very hard to enjoy and in my opinion very badly written.

Bill Shakespeare.

I've got a spare copy of Rolling Stone Files, if anyone would like it, I'm in the UK so it would just be the postage to pay.

Another vote for Racing in the Street---great book. Point Blank was awful to read in terms of the style of writing.

EStreetman---if the book is still available--would love to have it.

[]The Rolling Stone File is nice if you like the anecdote side of Bruce.
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I think it's the best Bruce book--knowing how the last 30 years or so have unfolded, it's fascinating to read what Rolling Stone was writing about Bruce in 1973.

"Anit no sin to be clad your alive "by Eric Allramn is a good read as he comes over as a real fan
A heavy book is " Down Thunder road " the making of Springsteen by Marc Appel , and even heavier then that and deeper is " Born in the U.S.A -Springsteen & the Americam Tradition " by Jim Cullen if yer like yer Poiitics mixed up with Bruce's music ( and why not! ) thats the book .
"Point blank" reads as its been written by a 5 year old then again thats insulting all 5 year olds probably.

Regarding Point Blank, I never heard about any libel charges. You all just don't like anything ugly and probably true being written about the man.

Nothing to do with that SJ, it was quite interesting to read a biography without the blatant one sided views of Marsh, but the way it was written was so poor, it was hard to read more than a page at a time!

Blinded By the Light : Patrick Humphries I enjoyed many years ago, I have read Point Blank but can't remember too much about it! I'm just about to go on holiday and will be taking Fred Goodman's book - The Mansion On The Hill about the Rock 'Business' featuring Dylan, Young, Springsteen and the head on collision of Rock and Commerce. sounds heavy I'll let you know.

I liked the Rolling Stone Files and The ties that bind, but have some trouble to stay focused on the Dave Marsh-books...

anyway just started reading in the Daniel Wolff book about Asbury Park.

Growinup if you pm your details I'll send you the book.

I agree w/ those who have slagged Point Blank. Fucking awful writing.

Rolling Stone Files is great. But, I would go w/ Racing in the Street if I had to pick just one. Excellent cross selection of articles/excerpts...

I didn't think Sandford's Point Blank was all that bad; it was a little different. Alterman's book was a big bore, just the same old crap and it seemed to me he was too eager not to offend anyone, i.e. Landau. And Bruce.

Fred Goodman's Mansion on the Hill has some interesting Bruce stuff but the whole book is interesting in itself.

Rolling Stone Files and Racing in the Street are both superb.

Down Thunder Road by Marc Elliot, with Appel, is worth it for the legal depositions alone. You just have to get that one, though Elliot displays very little knowledge of Springsteen's post Born to Run career, right down to the wrongly captioned photos of band members (though, judging from the Essential Springsteen comp's booklet, even Bruce can't tell Danny from Garry).

Marsh's books are obviously far from objective but they played a big part in establishing the BRUCE myth...I read Glory Days at age 13, so I grew up believing Bruce was some sort of omnipotent, omniscient God.

I still think Backstreets' Springsteen: The Man and His Music is pretty essential.

Stefanko's '78 photos book is pretty damn cool, too.

The ones coming out at the end of this year look great, I forget the titles. Santelli has one forthcoming as does Marsh.

[]Blinded By the Light : Patrick Humphries I enjoyed many years ago, I have read Point Blank but can't remember too much about it! I'm just about to go on holiday and will be taking Fred Goodman's book - The Mansion On The Hill about the Rock 'Business' featuring Dylan, Young, Springsteen and the head on collision of Rock and Commerce. sounds heavy I'll let you know. [/]

"Mansion on the Hill" is a good read. Unfortunately I only read about half f it so far, but I found it very interesting. Takes some time though, for it is a bit on the heavy side, but well written.

I read "Blinded by the Light" too I believe, but cannot recall any of it.

Well, I think this thread confirms beyond all doubt that there are NO good Springsteen books.

Whatever we've learned in subsequent years, and whatever conclusive opinions we've come to about the author...
We ALL loved the first edition of "Born to Run" by Dave Marsh from 79 and the 81 paperback edition.
That was the myth builder.

I'm 3/4 the way through Mansion on the Hill, it is not what I expected, it is a heavy read but really good if your into the early rock n roll, the wheeler dealers and how they robbed the artists, this guy really likes Jon Landau and gives a very detailed retrospective of his early career from playing to journalism and production, Albert Grossman comes across as an early pioneer for the 'artist' but in the end gets too mixed up in the drugs and the greed. David Geffen follows in the footsteps of Grossman, all for the artist until it was revealed he stiffed the Eagles out of millions because of conflicts of interest, he went on to make millions. The author seems to question Springsteens integrity and suggests he is nothing more than Landau's brilliant creation, like I said I am now up to the main Landau / Springsteen career, from born to run, it will be interesting to see if it continues in the same vein.

Of course the definitive Springsteen biography won't be written until he--and most of us--are dead. With biographies there are too many interested parties and not enough perspective for a great objective one to be written while the subject is living.

Racing in the Street is a very good book. I also think that Bruce Sprinsteen's America by Robert Coles was very cool. The ties that Bind has a ton of information as well so, its up to the reader's interests.

I didn't have the feeling he likes Landau especially, but maybe it's me. After I finished the book, I liked Landau even less than before.
And it was a good read, very interesting.

The Robert Coles book is one of the biggest pieces of shit I have ever read. Scratch that -- it's the biggest. What a disappointment. Read any review. There's consensus. It sucks.

glad to here I am not the only one who struggled getting through point blank found it tough going took me two weeks to read ussually i get thru a book a week but it wasn't the easiest read