CONTENTS

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS v
3. Introduction 1
4. Part I. Springsteen Stories
5. 1. Growing Up with Bruce Springsteen 11
6. 2. How Bruce Springsteen Made a Middle-Aged Woman Believe in the Magic of Rock and Roll 30
7. 3. From the Backstreets to the Badlands 36
8. 4. The Ripple Effect 44
9. Part II. Springsteen, Politics, and American Society
10. 5. The Role of the Popular Artist in a Democratic Society 49
11. 6. Starting a Fire 60
12. 7. Springsteen’s American Dream 66
13. 8. At the River 73
14. 9. The Ties That Bind 74
15. Part III. Springsteen Live
16. 10. Live at the Roxy 81
17. 11. The Magic Circle 86
18. 12. Twist and Shout 90
19. Part IV. Springsteen the Artist
20. 13. Brilliant Disguise 105
21. 14. “The Welsh Springsteen” 119
22. 15. This Train 128
23. 16. Born to Write 135
24. 17. Ten Great Springsteen Moments (and Five Iconic Concerts) 143
25. Part V. Springsteen, Sex, Race, and Gender
26. 18. Our Butch Mother, Bruce Springsteen 155
27. 19. Springsteen’s Women 163
28. 20. Shackled and Drawn 170
29. 21. American Skin 176
30. 22. Summer’s Fall 189
31. 23. Work and Play 200
32. Part VII. Springsteen beyond Borders
33. 24. Bruce Springsteen’s River in Dublin 209
34. 25. The Boss in Bulgaria 217
35. 26. We Take Care of Our Own 227
36. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 235
37. ABOUT THE EDITORS 239
38. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS 241
39. INDEX 249