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Bruce Springsteen: An Illustrated Biography
Bruce Springsteen: An Illustrated Biography is loaded with stage and candid photos of this peerless rock star, and removable memorabilia make this the ultimate collection for any fan of The Boss.
Through story, images, and removable memorabilia, Bruce Springsteen: An Illustrated Biography chronicles the life of The Boss—one of America’s favorite rock stars and one of the biggest-selling artists in history. Springsteen's monolithic music career spans a full half-century, from 1968 to present, and has included dozens of tours, awards, and 20 Grammys. Incredibly, Springsteen's stage presence, star power, and musicianship is as strong as ever. He continues to consistently sell out live musical performances, and this book showcases his life both on and off the stage.
With a new cover concept, along with a redesign of an envelope to deliver the interactive memorabilia, this reissue of The Bruce Springsteen Vault offers fans an intimate look into the life of the beloved artist.
Through story, images, and removable memorabilia, Bruce Springsteen: An Illustrated Biography chronicles the life of The Boss—one of America’s favorite rock stars and one of the biggest-selling artists in history. Springsteen's monolithic music career spans a full half-century, from 1968 to present, and has included dozens of tours, awards, and 20 Grammys. Incredibly, Springsteen's stage presence, star power, and musicianship is as strong as ever. He continues to consistently sell out live musical performances, and this book showcases his life both on and off the stage.
With a new cover concept, along with a redesign of an envelope to deliver the interactive memorabilia, this reissue of The Bruce Springsteen Vault offers fans an intimate look into the life of the beloved artist.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
184 pages, Hardcover
Published September 25, 2018
11 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Meredith Ochs
8 books2 followersMeredith Ochs is an award-winning broadcast journalist, author, deejay, and commentator for NPR's All Things Considered. Ochs has also worked as a magazine editor, photographer, touring musician, culinary judge, and boat skipper. She has traveled across the USA in a big rig and around the world by other means of transportation.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 25, 2021
I went to my first Bruce Springsteen concert when I was seventeen. It was the Born in the USA tour that took Bruce and his band to Europe, filling large stadiums with outrageous fans. It was an unforgettable experience. I have been following him and the E Street Band ever since; I saw them play in several European cities, making precious memories, never seeing the same concert twice, as the playlist always changes. And every time I see them play, it's an exciting, new experience. Going to a Bruce Springsteen concert is knowing you are always in for something special, a unique, unmatched treat you can not explain to people who have never been there. The energy, the way Bruce interacts with his fans, the intimacy, even when there are 50,000 others, the music. Let's not forget the music. Bruce and his band are the best musicians around; their experience, their enthusiasm, their skills, their energy...I have seen a lot of other bands play, but not one singer, not one band is able to match what Bruce and the band manage to give.
This book is a well documented biography. The photo's are interesting, seeing how Bruce has changed throughout the years, a documentation of his growth as an artist as well as a man. Having read Bruce's own biography, there was nothing new to read here, but still I liked where the author took us. The question about the loyalty of his fans is one that intrigues me too. If you ask me, I'm not even sure if I could answer that question myself. There's just something about the man that appeals to me, speaks to me. He's genuine. Unlike other rockstars, he's real and approachable. He shares his story's, but guards his privacy at the same time. He's respectful, even if he doesn't agree. And when he does speak out, he's able to put his thoughts into reasonable words, so you know he knows what he's talking about. He's an amazing songwriter, a poet, someone who is able to empathize with blue colored, working class people, never forgetting where he came from himself. He's intelligent, and he doesn't shy away from acknowledging when he's in the wrong. It's amazing how he can give you the feeling of intimacy when you're in a stadium full of people, he's an amazing guitarist and the energy that he's able to put out on stage, is unique, while the chemistry between Bruce and the rest of the guys in the band is just as rare.
He's a walking, talking music encyclopedia. He knows so many songs, of which a lot are included in his concerts, some without practice, because he honors the requests of his fans. He is not afraid to try something new, because if he fails, people don't mind, just respect him for trying.
Bruce has story's to tell and everyone wants to hear them.
So, the question is: what do all these people, all these fans, have in common? What is it that make them travel for miles to watch his shows, to spend all their savings just to be able to see him play? That question is not really answered here, but I think it's one that can't be answered just that easily.
Seeing Bruce and the E Street Band play is a life changing experience. And that may sound exaggerating, but it simply is.
This book is one I would recommend for every Bruce Springsteen fan out there. It's well written and the photo's make it well worth checking out.
I was kindly given an ARC by Netgalley and the publisher and this is my honest review
This book is a well documented biography. The photo's are interesting, seeing how Bruce has changed throughout the years, a documentation of his growth as an artist as well as a man. Having read Bruce's own biography, there was nothing new to read here, but still I liked where the author took us. The question about the loyalty of his fans is one that intrigues me too. If you ask me, I'm not even sure if I could answer that question myself. There's just something about the man that appeals to me, speaks to me. He's genuine. Unlike other rockstars, he's real and approachable. He shares his story's, but guards his privacy at the same time. He's respectful, even if he doesn't agree. And when he does speak out, he's able to put his thoughts into reasonable words, so you know he knows what he's talking about. He's an amazing songwriter, a poet, someone who is able to empathize with blue colored, working class people, never forgetting where he came from himself. He's intelligent, and he doesn't shy away from acknowledging when he's in the wrong. It's amazing how he can give you the feeling of intimacy when you're in a stadium full of people, he's an amazing guitarist and the energy that he's able to put out on stage, is unique, while the chemistry between Bruce and the rest of the guys in the band is just as rare.
He's a walking, talking music encyclopedia. He knows so many songs, of which a lot are included in his concerts, some without practice, because he honors the requests of his fans. He is not afraid to try something new, because if he fails, people don't mind, just respect him for trying.
Bruce has story's to tell and everyone wants to hear them.
So, the question is: what do all these people, all these fans, have in common? What is it that make them travel for miles to watch his shows, to spend all their savings just to be able to see him play? That question is not really answered here, but I think it's one that can't be answered just that easily.
Seeing Bruce and the E Street Band play is a life changing experience. And that may sound exaggerating, but it simply is.
This book is one I would recommend for every Bruce Springsteen fan out there. It's well written and the photo's make it well worth checking out.
I was kindly given an ARC by Netgalley and the publisher and this is my honest review
July 4, 2021
I adore Bruce Springsteen and have done for many decades, but this book just missed the mark for me. I do need to confess that I had it in a protected pdf form to read on my laptop so not the full 'paper under the fingers' experience, but I still believe that even if I'd had the 'real thing' (to steal a Coca Cola phrase), the font was still way too small for most readers (and I'm not especially old for one of his followers and I don't need reading glasses).
Many of the photos are beautiful. Most are not especially unique or if they are, I'm not aware of it.
To my mind, if you're going to do a picture book biography, the pictures need to be more explained than they are in this book. I want to know who is in it, where was it taken, why is it significant. In this book, we just get the photo credits at the end but no information about the photos and their settings.
I found the text a bit dreary. There's just so much of it, in such tiny font, and the writing wasn't engaging enough for me. I couldn't see clear themes or 'get' what the main points were supposed to be. Springsteen fans know he's a great guy, that he's political, that he's a force of nature with the energy of a 20 year old and the charisma of Gandhi, MLK and Mandela all rolled into one. But the text, from my perspective, wasn't inspiring or especially informative.
Nice pictures, but this man deserves more than a coffee-table-book approach to his life.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers.
Many of the photos are beautiful. Most are not especially unique or if they are, I'm not aware of it.
To my mind, if you're going to do a picture book biography, the pictures need to be more explained than they are in this book. I want to know who is in it, where was it taken, why is it significant. In this book, we just get the photo credits at the end but no information about the photos and their settings.
I found the text a bit dreary. There's just so much of it, in such tiny font, and the writing wasn't engaging enough for me. I couldn't see clear themes or 'get' what the main points were supposed to be. Springsteen fans know he's a great guy, that he's political, that he's a force of nature with the energy of a 20 year old and the charisma of Gandhi, MLK and Mandela all rolled into one. But the text, from my perspective, wasn't inspiring or especially informative.
Nice pictures, but this man deserves more than a coffee-table-book approach to his life.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers.
October 10, 2018
I've read a lot of Bruce Springsteen books. I've read his acclaimed autobiography, I've read Peter Ames Carlin's solid biography, I've read Dave Marsh's magnum opus. Did I need to read another one? No...but you're not me. If you're just digging into Springsteen's long history, this volume will serve you well as an up-to-the-minute overview of all things Boss. I reviewed Bruce Springsteen: An Illustrated Biography for The Current.
October 18, 2018
Read More Book Reviews on my blog
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Summary:
A biography of The Boss, from his formative childhood years to just after the ending of the Obama administration, backed up by some familiar and some new photographs.
Main Characters:
Bruce Springsteen: The icon of modern rock & roll. He has written the soundtrack to countless lives, and is probably the most influential musician alive today.
The E-Street Band: The main characters appear as “plot devices” (no disrespect intended), with their timely insights as to what was going on at a particular time. This journey is Bruce’s, though.
His Fans: He often states “We’re here because you are!”. He is probably more popular internationally than in the US.
Minor Characters:
Too many to mention.
Carl “Tinker” West: His first manager, who used the reaction of the crowd to gauge whether he would take an act on. He jumped at Bruce.
Mike Appel: His next manager, with whom he would have an acrimonious lawsuit, but have a reconciliation of sorts years later.
Patty Scialfa: While hard to think of Bruce’s wife as a minor character, here we do not get to know her as much as we do Bruce, with the closest reveal being how she recognised his depression, having suffered from it herself.
Plot:
Born on September 23, 1949, into the solidly working-class Catholic town of Freeport, New Jersey, Bruce was not much interested in sports growing up, though he played Little League baseball. His environment would greatly influence his life and work. His father worked hard, when he could get it, and times were tough in the Springsteen household, with often not enough to go around.
However, we have his mother to thank for helping Bruce find his niche, somehow getting the money together to buy his first two guitars, which once he took up would never leave down.
This beautifully illustrated book takes us on a journey, much like one of his songs. We start off in his hometown, as he learns the ropes of being in a band. As he grows up, and home becomes more tense, he cuts and runs at around age 19, ending up in the seaside town of Asbury Park. Here, he hones his craft, and stands out in this town of musicians, playing with anybody at anytime. He also successfully avoids the draft through claiming concussion from a motorbike accident he had at seventeen.
Springsteen gets a ten-album deal with Colombia, and also a year-long absence from the studio, as he only wants to make the music he wants to.
He survives, somehow, and over the years and despite constantly touring, he produces the likes of “The River”, which was his breakthrough album, then “Born in the USA”. Achievements and awards begin to pile up, so eventually he has to buy a house to store them and his collection of classic American cars.
We see Bruce as he hits his mid Thirties, earning tons of money, and beginning to explore the power of his position. Wary of politics, he refuses to let presidents and other politicos to use his material in their promotions. He begins to espouse a more local, more human connection with politics, and his song-writing deepens to reflect this.
He feels a huge responsibility towards the E Street Band, so it is wrenching for him to call time on the band in 1989, just after “Tunnel of Love”, to focus and re-energise. This decision ultimately leads to what he calls his “lost decade”, although he produces “Human Touch”, “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, and a couple of little Springsteens following his second marriage, to Patty in 1991.
Reforming in 1999, they make up for lost time by taking the world by storm, touring relentlessly. After 9/11, when a man named Edwin Sutphin saw Bruce in his car, and yelled at him “We need you now!”, Bruce knew what he meant, and this began a third phase of his career. He played innumerable benefit concerts (big and small), reached out to many of those directly affected, which led to “The Rising” and so many other great songs.
He has been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, as separately has his band, he has received the US Medal of Freedom (his nation’s highest civilian award), won Oscars, Golden Globes and Grammys, and has had a career covering four decades (only artist with a number one record in each of those decades).
I’ve seen him live twice, and his shows are the stuff of legends. Keep ‘em coming, Bruce!
What I Liked:
- It is an honest read, and excellently researched.
- The pictures are superb, and some really sad (e.g. of Victoria Clemons).
- The images are perfectly placed to highlight the changes and environments Bruce operated in, and give real context to his life and times
What I Didn’t Like:
- Nothing.
Overall:
This is a perfect fan’s book. It covers all the important milestones of the journey, without feeling the need for an “expose” of salacious material. It is about the man who made and makes such fantastic material, and while the book does touch on sensitive subjects such as depression, and even more gently on his first divorce, it remains respectful. This is a super insight into Bruce’s trip, and I thoroughly recommend it.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for giving me a free copy of this book, in return for an honest and objective review.
Full Disclosure:
I have been an unashamed fan of Bruce since I first heard him, and this book has not changed my view that he is one of the greatest of all time. :D
Summary:
A biography of The Boss, from his formative childhood years to just after the ending of the Obama administration, backed up by some familiar and some new photographs.
Main Characters:
Bruce Springsteen: The icon of modern rock & roll. He has written the soundtrack to countless lives, and is probably the most influential musician alive today.
The E-Street Band: The main characters appear as “plot devices” (no disrespect intended), with their timely insights as to what was going on at a particular time. This journey is Bruce’s, though.
His Fans: He often states “We’re here because you are!”. He is probably more popular internationally than in the US.
Minor Characters:
Too many to mention.
Carl “Tinker” West: His first manager, who used the reaction of the crowd to gauge whether he would take an act on. He jumped at Bruce.
Mike Appel: His next manager, with whom he would have an acrimonious lawsuit, but have a reconciliation of sorts years later.
Patty Scialfa: While hard to think of Bruce’s wife as a minor character, here we do not get to know her as much as we do Bruce, with the closest reveal being how she recognised his depression, having suffered from it herself.
Plot:
Born on September 23, 1949, into the solidly working-class Catholic town of Freeport, New Jersey, Bruce was not much interested in sports growing up, though he played Little League baseball. His environment would greatly influence his life and work. His father worked hard, when he could get it, and times were tough in the Springsteen household, with often not enough to go around.
However, we have his mother to thank for helping Bruce find his niche, somehow getting the money together to buy his first two guitars, which once he took up would never leave down.
This beautifully illustrated book takes us on a journey, much like one of his songs. We start off in his hometown, as he learns the ropes of being in a band. As he grows up, and home becomes more tense, he cuts and runs at around age 19, ending up in the seaside town of Asbury Park. Here, he hones his craft, and stands out in this town of musicians, playing with anybody at anytime. He also successfully avoids the draft through claiming concussion from a motorbike accident he had at seventeen.
Springsteen gets a ten-album deal with Colombia, and also a year-long absence from the studio, as he only wants to make the music he wants to.
He survives, somehow, and over the years and despite constantly touring, he produces the likes of “The River”, which was his breakthrough album, then “Born in the USA”. Achievements and awards begin to pile up, so eventually he has to buy a house to store them and his collection of classic American cars.
We see Bruce as he hits his mid Thirties, earning tons of money, and beginning to explore the power of his position. Wary of politics, he refuses to let presidents and other politicos to use his material in their promotions. He begins to espouse a more local, more human connection with politics, and his song-writing deepens to reflect this.
He feels a huge responsibility towards the E Street Band, so it is wrenching for him to call time on the band in 1989, just after “Tunnel of Love”, to focus and re-energise. This decision ultimately leads to what he calls his “lost decade”, although he produces “Human Touch”, “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, and a couple of little Springsteens following his second marriage, to Patty in 1991.
Reforming in 1999, they make up for lost time by taking the world by storm, touring relentlessly. After 9/11, when a man named Edwin Sutphin saw Bruce in his car, and yelled at him “We need you now!”, Bruce knew what he meant, and this began a third phase of his career. He played innumerable benefit concerts (big and small), reached out to many of those directly affected, which led to “The Rising” and so many other great songs.
He has been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, as separately has his band, he has received the US Medal of Freedom (his nation’s highest civilian award), won Oscars, Golden Globes and Grammys, and has had a career covering four decades (only artist with a number one record in each of those decades).
I’ve seen him live twice, and his shows are the stuff of legends. Keep ‘em coming, Bruce!
What I Liked:
- It is an honest read, and excellently researched.
- The pictures are superb, and some really sad (e.g. of Victoria Clemons).
- The images are perfectly placed to highlight the changes and environments Bruce operated in, and give real context to his life and times
What I Didn’t Like:
- Nothing.
Overall:
This is a perfect fan’s book. It covers all the important milestones of the journey, without feeling the need for an “expose” of salacious material. It is about the man who made and makes such fantastic material, and while the book does touch on sensitive subjects such as depression, and even more gently on his first divorce, it remains respectful. This is a super insight into Bruce’s trip, and I thoroughly recommend it.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for giving me a free copy of this book, in return for an honest and objective review.
Full Disclosure:
I have been an unashamed fan of Bruce since I first heard him, and this book has not changed my view that he is one of the greatest of all time. :D
May 30, 2019
Fans of The Boss will be thrilled with this well-written comprehensive bio. Filled with fabulous photos and complete with keep-sake memorabilia, it’s a must-have for lovers of the Born in the U.S.A. rock legend. 5 of 5 Stars.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine. Pub Date 25 Sep 2018. #BruceSpringsteen #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine. Pub Date 25 Sep 2018. #BruceSpringsteen #NetGalley
January 16, 2024
Review title: The once and always Bruce
OK so in keeping with the title of my previous review, "The once and future kings", here is a biography of Bruce Springsteen (the books reviewed are totally unrelated--see my Goodreads profile for the explanation of why I refer to myself as the catholic reader). This one will go on the shelf next to my signed copy of his autobiography (yes I stood in line at Powell's Books, a memorable place in its own right for any book lover, and got to shake Bruce's hand) and six other books about this great hymn writer.
And yes, I consider Bruce Springsteen one of the few popular artists (along with Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, and Jimmy Buffett) who can write lyrics and music that speak to the spiritual unity of body and soul that we were created by God to celebrate, contemplate, recreate, and sometimes execrate; in other words--hymns. I know when my son and I play Bruce's songs in our music room at home, we end up sometimes in joyful celebration or tearful contemplation. Those are hymns (I know not everyone will agree, just as when you go to your chosen place of worship you may not always agree with the choice of songs played and sung there).
Then on to this biography. It is, as the subtitle indicates, heavily illustrated on high quality glossy paper and oversized pages, and for fans coming to Bruce as fans like myself that is the reason for the strong rating. Ochs has written a commendable and readable biography of Springsteen within which the pictures are placed, and it can easily be read in a few hours (in my case in a single day, when an 8-hour power outage and 16-hour internet outage gave me time away from work and media). The basic details of his life (including his troubled relationship with his father), his music career (including his unique relationship with his bandmates in the E Street Band), and his love life (including his short first marriage and subsequent divorce and marriage to bandmate Patti Scialfa) are all here. She also discusses the arc of Springsteen's popularity through musical, political, and generational changes and attempts to analyze how he has built and maintained such a fanbase.
But it all comes back, in this book package, to the photographs, and the included (in a pocket inside the back cover) reproductions of memorabilia like his draft card and posters for early band dates. Note that even though this edition is copyrighted 2023, it was originally published under a different title (The Bruce Springsteen Vault) in 2015, so the biography stops as of 2014 and is not updated. The biography stops but Bruce hasn't, doing some of his best work ever in "Western Stars" since then. He is the once and always Bruce.
OK so in keeping with the title of my previous review, "The once and future kings", here is a biography of Bruce Springsteen (the books reviewed are totally unrelated--see my Goodreads profile for the explanation of why I refer to myself as the catholic reader). This one will go on the shelf next to my signed copy of his autobiography (yes I stood in line at Powell's Books, a memorable place in its own right for any book lover, and got to shake Bruce's hand) and six other books about this great hymn writer.
And yes, I consider Bruce Springsteen one of the few popular artists (along with Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, and Jimmy Buffett) who can write lyrics and music that speak to the spiritual unity of body and soul that we were created by God to celebrate, contemplate, recreate, and sometimes execrate; in other words--hymns. I know when my son and I play Bruce's songs in our music room at home, we end up sometimes in joyful celebration or tearful contemplation. Those are hymns (I know not everyone will agree, just as when you go to your chosen place of worship you may not always agree with the choice of songs played and sung there).
Then on to this biography. It is, as the subtitle indicates, heavily illustrated on high quality glossy paper and oversized pages, and for fans coming to Bruce as fans like myself that is the reason for the strong rating. Ochs has written a commendable and readable biography of Springsteen within which the pictures are placed, and it can easily be read in a few hours (in my case in a single day, when an 8-hour power outage and 16-hour internet outage gave me time away from work and media). The basic details of his life (including his troubled relationship with his father), his music career (including his unique relationship with his bandmates in the E Street Band), and his love life (including his short first marriage and subsequent divorce and marriage to bandmate Patti Scialfa) are all here. She also discusses the arc of Springsteen's popularity through musical, political, and generational changes and attempts to analyze how he has built and maintained such a fanbase.
But it all comes back, in this book package, to the photographs, and the included (in a pocket inside the back cover) reproductions of memorabilia like his draft card and posters for early band dates. Note that even though this edition is copyrighted 2023, it was originally published under a different title (The Bruce Springsteen Vault) in 2015, so the biography stops as of 2014 and is not updated. The biography stops but Bruce hasn't, doing some of his best work ever in "Western Stars" since then. He is the once and always Bruce.
November 15, 2023
Now if you are a Fan of Bruce Springsteen The Boss........this is a book for you.....
Bruce Springsteen by Meredith Ochs is a wonderful Illustrated Biography book of this wonderful the life of The Boss. He is still one of America’s favourite rock stars and one of the biggest-selling artists in history. Since 1968, Springsteen’s monolithic music career spans more than half a century and has included dozens of tours, awards, and 21 Grammys and he is still going strong.
This book has In-depth chapters that track Springsteen through his childhood in Freehold, New Jersey, the formation of the E Street Band, the breakout album Born to Run and mega-hit Born in the U.S.A. All the way to his smash hits, Springsteen on Broadway. Incredibly, as he continues to pack arenas and inspire generations of loyal fans, Springsteen’s stage presence, star power, and musicianship are as strong as ever.
This book also Includes 10 removable reproductions of memorabilia:
Springsteen’s draft card showing his 4F status
1965 concert poster for Springsteen’s first band, The Castiles
Concert poster for Springsteen’s band Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom
Concert ad for a Steel Mill concert
1975 contact sheet of photos to promote Born to Run
1974 postcard to promote Springsteen’s appearance at Armadillo World Headquarters
1976 print of Springsteen and saxophonist Clarence Clemons onstage
1975 concert poster for the E Street Band at the Paramount Theater
1987 cover of Rolling Stone
1985 concert promo sticker
And the list is still growing.............There is no stopping The Boss!
The memorabilia, also has 115 images of Springsteen, which is both on and off stage, in this illustrated biography shows what words can’t always tell, to give you a full and intimate look at the musician’s life.
This is a wonderful book and a must have for a fan of The boss!!!
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for my ARC.
Bruce Springsteen by Meredith Ochs is a wonderful Illustrated Biography book of this wonderful the life of The Boss. He is still one of America’s favourite rock stars and one of the biggest-selling artists in history. Since 1968, Springsteen’s monolithic music career spans more than half a century and has included dozens of tours, awards, and 21 Grammys and he is still going strong.
This book has In-depth chapters that track Springsteen through his childhood in Freehold, New Jersey, the formation of the E Street Band, the breakout album Born to Run and mega-hit Born in the U.S.A. All the way to his smash hits, Springsteen on Broadway. Incredibly, as he continues to pack arenas and inspire generations of loyal fans, Springsteen’s stage presence, star power, and musicianship are as strong as ever.
This book also Includes 10 removable reproductions of memorabilia:
Springsteen’s draft card showing his 4F status
1965 concert poster for Springsteen’s first band, The Castiles
Concert poster for Springsteen’s band Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom
Concert ad for a Steel Mill concert
1975 contact sheet of photos to promote Born to Run
1974 postcard to promote Springsteen’s appearance at Armadillo World Headquarters
1976 print of Springsteen and saxophonist Clarence Clemons onstage
1975 concert poster for the E Street Band at the Paramount Theater
1987 cover of Rolling Stone
1985 concert promo sticker
And the list is still growing.............There is no stopping The Boss!
The memorabilia, also has 115 images of Springsteen, which is both on and off stage, in this illustrated biography shows what words can’t always tell, to give you a full and intimate look at the musician’s life.
This is a wonderful book and a must have for a fan of The boss!!!
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for my ARC.
August 27, 2021
Meredith Ochs promises an illustrated biography. And the reader gets really a lot of photos. Especially those from the 70s were new to me, it was fun to see Bruce with lots of hair on his head and in his face.
The biography part on the other hand is not very distinct. There are a few facts about Springsteens beginnings, and then his albums function as the red thread in describing Bruce Springsteens career. Why some of the songs were written, which people joined Bruce on his road to success (and mostly stayed for a very long time), how his music style evolved. Most of the times this was too "technical" for me, I was missing some heart in this story, some anecdotes, something to get a better feeling for this outstanding musician - the really interesting stuff.
However, one really interesting thing I learned is that he used to write lots and lots of song for an album. And from those 60 or even 90 songs they then picked only a few for release on the album. Which means that there should be a massive amount of material lying around in some drawers that might see the light of day one time.
Ochs did a very great job in garnering a lot of information from lots of different sources. And decorated it with many photographs, but mostly from various gigs Springsteen played around the globe. So after a while they just get more of the same. For a more personal view on him I should better read his autobiography.
The biography part on the other hand is not very distinct. There are a few facts about Springsteens beginnings, and then his albums function as the red thread in describing Bruce Springsteens career. Why some of the songs were written, which people joined Bruce on his road to success (and mostly stayed for a very long time), how his music style evolved. Most of the times this was too "technical" for me, I was missing some heart in this story, some anecdotes, something to get a better feeling for this outstanding musician - the really interesting stuff.
However, one really interesting thing I learned is that he used to write lots and lots of song for an album. And from those 60 or even 90 songs they then picked only a few for release on the album. Which means that there should be a massive amount of material lying around in some drawers that might see the light of day one time.
Ochs did a very great job in garnering a lot of information from lots of different sources. And decorated it with many photographs, but mostly from various gigs Springsteen played around the globe. So after a while they just get more of the same. For a more personal view on him I should better read his autobiography.
July 16, 2021
If you are a hardcore fan of Bruce Springsteen then this book may not provide you with any information you don not already know but this a good book with a little bit of information about "The Boss", his family, forming of the bands he was a part of in the past and continues to be. A history of the putting together of the various albums and what inspired his music. There are many pictures also in this book. It is amazing to read that when he was recording that he may 80 0r 90 songs that he has written for that album before he chooses which ones will be used. There is no denying that this man and performer gives you your moneys worth whether it is in a album, concert, or his 500 page memoir. Longtime fan or newcomer to his music this is a good book.
There is one issue I have with the format if you are reading on a kindle app and using a phone to read the book or the Netgalley Bookshelf app there were times it took a little work to maneuver pages and keep it straight. Thank you to Netgalley and Chartwell Books for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
There is one issue I have with the format if you are reading on a kindle app and using a phone to read the book or the Netgalley Bookshelf app there were times it took a little work to maneuver pages and keep it straight. Thank you to Netgalley and Chartwell Books for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
October 16, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: AN ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY by author Meredith Ochs is a biography of the artist that begins with his childhood in the blue collar environment of New Jersey which he grew up in and has always been associated with him, along with the unique sound he strove for and found success with due to his persistence in the earlier days of his career.
Overnight success is not something that can be said of Springsteen or his band mates who were eventually made famous and known as the East Street Band, and the importance of their influence and input that created a soundboard for his ideas, also well documented is the artist’s OCD-like obsession with details of his most successful songs and albums.
Several famous and lesser known pictures of Bruce and his band members help give a window into the development of Bruce Springsteen and his various band members, and would be of interest to all interested in the life and career of the artist.
4 stars.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: AN ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY by author Meredith Ochs is a biography of the artist that begins with his childhood in the blue collar environment of New Jersey which he grew up in and has always been associated with him, along with the unique sound he strove for and found success with due to his persistence in the earlier days of his career.
Overnight success is not something that can be said of Springsteen or his band mates who were eventually made famous and known as the East Street Band, and the importance of their influence and input that created a soundboard for his ideas, also well documented is the artist’s OCD-like obsession with details of his most successful songs and albums.
Several famous and lesser known pictures of Bruce and his band members help give a window into the development of Bruce Springsteen and his various band members, and would be of interest to all interested in the life and career of the artist.
4 stars.
October 10, 2018
This book by Bruce Springsteen is awesome and it is well written and has so many great things in the book from his beginnings as a child, up to now. This book has so many illustrations and pictures and I loved how it follows the course of his career.
Bruce Springsteen has been an icon in the rock and roll industry and he is always is appreciative of his fans. He has been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, won Oscars, Golden Globes and Grammys, and has been at it for forty years or more with a hit in each decade! He has received the US Medal of Freedom (his nation’s highest civilian award) and the list goes on. There is no one like Bruce Springsteen and it was a joy to read this book and get to know even more about him. I gave this book 5 golden stars!
Bruce Springsteen has been an icon in the rock and roll industry and he is always is appreciative of his fans. He has been inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, won Oscars, Golden Globes and Grammys, and has been at it for forty years or more with a hit in each decade! He has received the US Medal of Freedom (his nation’s highest civilian award) and the list goes on. There is no one like Bruce Springsteen and it was a joy to read this book and get to know even more about him. I gave this book 5 golden stars!
July 3, 2021
As a lifelong fan of Springsteen, as well as a second of three generations of fans, this was a nostalgic, somewhat bittersweet overview of all that is Bruce. From his somewhat depressing childhood to his perseverance in becoming a legend, from his aversion to being political to the powerhouse he became for Obama and Biden, from his first marriage and his refusal to ever bash his first wife to his self-deprecating humor and wit, this was perfect for anyone who doesn’t know much about him or anyone who does and wishes to see some memories. Now, after this book, I want him to tour near my city again so I can revisit the weeks of deafness after a show and the feelings of communion and hope during the spiritual revival show that is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
August 23, 2021
This impressive collection of images showing Bruce Springsteen throughout his life is accompanied by elucidating text describing various stages of his life from his childhood through the present. I've been a Bruce Springsteen fan since the 1980s, but unlike some people, have become a bigger fan as he's become more outspoken on social justice and political issues. I am by no means an expert, so I did learn a lot from this book. It's a quick read, and the photographs are fabulous. It's definitely a must-read and view for serious Bruce Springsteen fans. #BruceSpringsteen #NetGalley
September 1, 2020
I saw this book on sale at an "Ollies" discount store, and picked on up. I have already read 5 books on the Boss, but the photographs looked good, so I got this one too. It turns out to be one of the best books that I have ever read on the Boss, and the author includes many extra details that I was not aware of. It follows the Boss up to 2018 and really reveals the man that Springsteen has become.
August 7, 2021
Meredith Ochs’ visual biography of Bruce Springsteen is a gem.
The photographs and story flow well with each other. Additionally, there are a nice combination of candid and live shots.
It’s an absolute must for any fan of “The Boss”.
A job well done!
#MeredithOchs #BruceSpringsteen #visualbiography #NetGalley
The photographs and story flow well with each other. Additionally, there are a nice combination of candid and live shots.
It’s an absolute must for any fan of “The Boss”.
A job well done!
#MeredithOchs #BruceSpringsteen #visualbiography #NetGalley
September 11, 2021
This pictorial overview of Bruce Springsteen’s life is thin and not all that necessary after Bruce’s own award-winning autobiography BORN TO RUN. There is some insight here on his early life and career. But a true Bruce fan will not be surprised by much in this book. But it is about Bruce, so it has that going for it.
July 30, 2021
Bruce Springsteen was my very first crush. So when I saw this book I had to jump on it. There was so much information I had no idea included in this book. Thoroughly impressed. The pictures were wonderful.
September 15, 2023
Great book about The Boss! I would love to gift this to my son and another one for my husband. They are huge Springsteen fans. Ochs has gathered great stories, details, and photos of this talented man. The book was beautiful. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
September 16, 2023
A stunning, beautiful book for all fans of The Boss. It’s full of fabulous photos, trivia and the story is told respectfully and well.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.
September 17, 2023
Very good book with pictures. Perfect for a Bruce Sprinsteen fan. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.
October 15, 2018
The author wrote an amazing and well researched biography that was enjoyable and informative to read. I highly recommend this!
July 20, 2021
A must for any Springsteen fan. Informative, interesting and the photos are wonderful. This is certainly one I'll buy in hardback to add to my collection.
July 26, 2021
A must read for Springsteen fans: great illustrations and well written.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
November 18, 2023
This is a new edition of a book I read a few years ago. The big extra is 10 removable reproductions of memorabilia, which makes getting a physical copy of this essential for the diehard Springsteen fan. What follows is what I wrote about the book previously since it still holds.
Bruce Springsteen from Meredith Ochs offers a very nice biography with plenty of photographs both familiar and unfamiliar. The biography itself does a great job of walking the line between being too detailed for this type of book and being too shallow and just touching the highlights. A reader who doesn't know much about Springsteen's life (I'm assuming there are a few) will get enough to appreciate what he has accomplished and perhaps whet the whistle to learn more about him and his music. For those of us who have been fans since the 70s it is a great walk down memory lane with a few new tidbits or reminders of things we forgot.
Most readers buy an illustrated biography for the photographs and this volume doesn't disappoint. We follow his evolution from learning to play and write through to his iconic status.
For anyone considering this book I want to clear up a couple misconceptions. First, the font is not particularly small. My eyesight is not perfect but I had no trouble reading the text. Second, in the review copy I had, from the same source as another reviewer, every picture had explanatory text with it. It wasn't right next to each picture but at the bottom of the page. But if one was reading the book one would see the captions there. If one was just skimming through the book then one might miss them. But as long as you plan to read the book you won't have any trouble finding the captions for the pictures. So don't let someone's skimming the book mislead you.
Since many readers considering this book likely know a fair amount about his life, I want to suggest another book that would make a great companion to this one. This book is as much about nostalgia and what he and his music means for us. Another book, Long Walk Home from Rutgers University Press, collects a number of essays of people writing about what Springsteen and his music has meant in their lives. In some ways, when a fan of his reads this book by Ochs we are, in our minds, writing our own essay about what he meant to our life, so this other book offers other people's lives in a similar way.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Bruce Springsteen from Meredith Ochs offers a very nice biography with plenty of photographs both familiar and unfamiliar. The biography itself does a great job of walking the line between being too detailed for this type of book and being too shallow and just touching the highlights. A reader who doesn't know much about Springsteen's life (I'm assuming there are a few) will get enough to appreciate what he has accomplished and perhaps whet the whistle to learn more about him and his music. For those of us who have been fans since the 70s it is a great walk down memory lane with a few new tidbits or reminders of things we forgot.
Most readers buy an illustrated biography for the photographs and this volume doesn't disappoint. We follow his evolution from learning to play and write through to his iconic status.
For anyone considering this book I want to clear up a couple misconceptions. First, the font is not particularly small. My eyesight is not perfect but I had no trouble reading the text. Second, in the review copy I had, from the same source as another reviewer, every picture had explanatory text with it. It wasn't right next to each picture but at the bottom of the page. But if one was reading the book one would see the captions there. If one was just skimming through the book then one might miss them. But as long as you plan to read the book you won't have any trouble finding the captions for the pictures. So don't let someone's skimming the book mislead you.
Since many readers considering this book likely know a fair amount about his life, I want to suggest another book that would make a great companion to this one. This book is as much about nostalgia and what he and his music means for us. Another book, Long Walk Home from Rutgers University Press, collects a number of essays of people writing about what Springsteen and his music has meant in their lives. In some ways, when a fan of his reads this book by Ochs we are, in our minds, writing our own essay about what he meant to our life, so this other book offers other people's lives in a similar way.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
September 14, 2018
As a long time fan of The Boss, I was excited to read this book and it didn't disappoint. It was rich in trivia and photographs. I felt it to be well researched in terms of events and history.
What I especially enjoyed was that the book was about the man and his music - no "gossipiness'. His personal life was touched upon - growing up, family, wife, children etc. but the story focused on him.
The backgrounds on various of his songs was a good touch and I found that very fascinating. As a non-US citizen, it explained a lot to me about why the song was written and after reading about it, I'll never listen to the song in the same way again. It almost makes the songs richer in value.
On the negative side, it did feel a bit "gappy" between chapters in the beginning.
Also I read an e-version of this book and the format wasn't Kindle, so the format was a bit "clunky" for me personally, but as this book is probably designed best as a hardcover coffee table book that the reader can dip into for their The Boss fix, this is a minor issue.
A great memoir of a legendary songwriter and singer. A must for every true fan.
What I especially enjoyed was that the book was about the man and his music - no "gossipiness'. His personal life was touched upon - growing up, family, wife, children etc. but the story focused on him.
The backgrounds on various of his songs was a good touch and I found that very fascinating. As a non-US citizen, it explained a lot to me about why the song was written and after reading about it, I'll never listen to the song in the same way again. It almost makes the songs richer in value.
On the negative side, it did feel a bit "gappy" between chapters in the beginning.
Also I read an e-version of this book and the format wasn't Kindle, so the format was a bit "clunky" for me personally, but as this book is probably designed best as a hardcover coffee table book that the reader can dip into for their The Boss fix, this is a minor issue.
A great memoir of a legendary songwriter and singer. A must for every true fan.
September 20, 2018
As a massive fan of Bruce Springsteen - I thoroughly enjoyed this book - particularly loved the photos!
This is a great mix of images and text - giving a concise insight into the life of the The Boss and some of the stories behind the songs - I'd love to have a hard copy of this book on my bookshelf!
This book would make a fantastic addition to any fans collection and I couldn't think of a better gift for the Springsteen fan in your life!
This is a great mix of images and text - giving a concise insight into the life of the The Boss and some of the stories behind the songs - I'd love to have a hard copy of this book on my bookshelf!
This book would make a fantastic addition to any fans collection and I couldn't think of a better gift for the Springsteen fan in your life!
October 31, 2018
This book was published as a children's title but please don't let that stop you adults out there from reading it too! This is an extremely well informed book about Bruce Springsteen. Readers will learn about his growing up (a practicing Catholic until he was thirteen, a so-so student and a boy with Little League skills), the complexities of his relationship with his father, his mother's purchase of a guitar for him, his love of music, his success as a musician and songwriter and his many principled positions. All this, plus loads of photos! If you are a Springsteen fan, be sure to take a look at this book. You will be glad that you did!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto!
March 20, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the read of Bruce Springsteen An Illustrated Biography by Meredith Ochs.
It was such fun reading this book on “The Boss”.
The book was well researched, entertaining and not cheesily celebritized.
It gave great insight into his song-writing, how much more I appreciate that now. His family life growing up, wife and children, very respectfully written.
A wonderful ode to one of the greatest musicians of all time.
Recommended for sure!
It was such fun reading this book on “The Boss”.
The book was well researched, entertaining and not cheesily celebritized.
It gave great insight into his song-writing, how much more I appreciate that now. His family life growing up, wife and children, very respectfully written.
A wonderful ode to one of the greatest musicians of all time.
Recommended for sure!
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