The definitive look at The Boss and how his music has both shaped and confronted American mythology

Emerging on the music scene with 1973's "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.", Bruce Springsteen was heralded as "the future of rock and roll", and since then his influence and popularity have exploded. Rob Kirkpatrick's Magic in the Night uses Springsteen's biography as a lens through which listeners can reevaluate his music as he morphs from "the next Bob Dylan" to a Reagan-era pop culture icon, and again to today's populist voice, discussing each album in chronological order. Kirkpatrick's keen insights show why the classic 1975 album "Born to Run" is the most popular album of all time (according to a recent ZagatSurvey) and what's made Springsteen the most respected and influential artist in rock music.

Though his career has been widely documented, Springsteen fans have never had a book like this one, which lets them immerse themselves in his music and learn about his influences, lyrical choices, and the themes Springsteen has been drawn to again and again in his career. Kirkpatrick's in-depth analysis of Springsteen's work-even unreleased songs-and the political controversies surrounding it make Magic in the Night a must for any true Springsteen fan.