Less a biography of Johnson than a dissertation on how white blues aficionados shaped how we view the early blues scene, Escaping the Delta is a well-thought-out and personable study into the making of a myth. Wald's love and passion for blues music shines through as he puts Johnson's life and music in context, creating a different portrait of the blues legend than has been painted before, but with no less love for Johnson's talent and craft than has been heaped on the singer/guitarist's short-lived career for years.