Literary Question

[Joel Fritz]

mlsullivan wrote:
> I have a 19-year-old nephew who's become fascinated with the blues. He
> discovered 60s-era folk singers at art school - Phil Ochs, early Dylan,
> Tom Rush, etc. and worked his way back to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly. I
> introduced him to the blues by sneaking him into local clubs, and he
> decided to go back to the beginning in that genre too and has been
> listening to Son House, John Hurt and Fred McDowell. I'd like to get him
> a book for Christmas and am wondering what would be the best one in
> terms of history. Deep Blues? The Land Where Blues Began? Lost Highway?
> Any input would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Mary Lou Sullivan
>
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I'd go with the Paul Oliver or Sam Charters books, but maybe that's
because those were the first ones I read. "Blues Fell This Morning" "The
Country Blues," etc. They may be superseded by more recent scholarship.
  There's a recently reprinted collection of lyrics called "The Blues
Line" that has a lot of the best pre-war songs.  Dave Edwards'
autobiography is really good.  "Voice of the Blues," a collection of
interviews mostly from "Living Blues" is fun. The Houston Stackhouse
chapter is priceless. Seems to me I read "Deep Blues."  If it's the one
with the chapter on Robert Pete Williams, it's pretty good although more
of a personal take on blues than anything else.

--
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