American lonesome: the work of Bruce Springsteen

Cologne-Brookes, G (2018) American lonesome: the work of Bruce Springsteen. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge. ISBN 9780807169469

Abstract

Cologne-Brookes proposes that the American philosophical tradition of pragmatism, which assesses the value of ideas and arguments based on their practical applications, provides a lens for understanding the diversity of perspectives and emotions encountered in Springsteen’s songs and performances. Drawing on pragmatist philosophy from William James to Richard Rorty, Cologne-Brookes examines Springsteen’s formative environment and outsider psychology, arguing that the artist’s confessed tendency toward a self-reliant isolation creates a tension in his work between lonesomeness and community. He considers Springsteen’s portrayals of solitude in relation to classic and contemporary American writers, from Frederick Doug-lass, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Emily Dickinson to Richard Wright, Flannery O’Connor, and Joyce Carol Oates. As part of this critique, he discusses the difference between escapist and pragmatic romanticism, the notion of multiple selves as played out both in Springsteen’s work and in our perception of him, and the impact of performances both recorded and live. By drawing on his own experiences seeing Springsteen perform—including on tours showcasing the album The River in 1981 and 2016—Cologne-Brookes creates a book about the intimate relationship between art and everyday life.

Item Type:	Book
Divisions:	School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities
Date Deposited:	03 Aug 2018 12:14
Last Modified:	06 Jan 2022 19:28
URI / Page ID:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/11374

	Request a change to this item or report an issue
	Update item (repository staff only)