Blues Books

Showing 1-50 of 1,184
Deep Blues: A Musical and Cultural History of the Mississippi Delta Deep Blues: A Musical and Cultural History of the Mississippi Delta (Paperback)
by (shelved 33 times as blues)
avg rating 4.21 — 2,055 ratings — published 1981
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Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 20 times as blues)
avg rating 4.02 — 1,517 ratings — published 2004
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Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday (Paperback)
by (shelved 19 times as blues)
avg rating 4.29 — 1,762 ratings — published 1998
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Blues People: Negro Music in White America Blues People: Negro Music in White America (Paperback)
by (shelved 16 times as blues)
avg rating 4.16 — 2,470 ratings — published 1963
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Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters (Paperback)
by (shelved 14 times as blues)
avg rating 4.10 — 1,149 ratings — published 2002
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The History Of The Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People The History Of The Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People (Paperback)
by (shelved 14 times as blues)
avg rating 3.95 — 288 ratings — published 1995
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The Land Where the Blues Began The Land Where the Blues Began (Paperback)
by (shelved 13 times as blues)
avg rating 4.31 — 869 ratings — published 1993
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Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music (Hardcover)
by (shelved 13 times as blues)
avg rating 4.29 — 808 ratings — published 2008
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Searching for Robert Johnson Searching for Robert Johnson (Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as blues)
avg rating 3.87 — 763 ratings — published 1989
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Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson (Hardcover)
by (shelved 11 times as blues)
avg rating 4.14 — 382 ratings — published 2020
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When I Left Home: My Story When I Left Home: My Story (Hardcover)
by (shelved 10 times as blues)
avg rating 4.32 — 1,351 ratings — published 2012
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The Blues: A Very Short Introduction The Blues: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 10 times as blues)
avg rating 3.84 — 274 ratings — published 2010
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The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as blues)
avg rating 3.92 — 220 ratings — published 1976
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The Country Blues The Country Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as blues)
avg rating 4.07 — 115 ratings — published 1959
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Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as blues)
avg rating 4.21 — 585 ratings — published 2004
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Chasin' That Devil Music: Searching For The Blues Chasin' That Devil Music: Searching For The Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as blues)
avg rating 3.89 — 120 ratings — published 1998
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Big Road Blues: Tradition And Creativity In The Folk Blues Big Road Blues: Tradition And Creativity In The Folk Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 8 times as blues)
avg rating 4.00 — 31 ratings — published 1982
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Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 7 times as blues)
avg rating 4.19 — 780 ratings — published 2019
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Do Not Sell at Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records Do Not Sell at Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records (Hardcover)
by (shelved 7 times as blues)
avg rating 4.03 — 1,361 ratings — published 2014
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The Story of the Blues The Story of the Blues (Hardcover)
by (shelved 7 times as blues)
avg rating 4.01 — 90 ratings — published 1969
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Urban Blues Urban Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as blues)
avg rating 3.75 — 48 ratings — published 1966
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Feel Like Going Home Feel Like Going Home (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as blues)
avg rating 4.19 — 508 ratings — published 1971
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Stomping The Blues Stomping The Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 4.08 — 222 ratings — published 1976
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Blues & Chaos: The Music Writing of Robert Palmer Blues & Chaos: The Music Writing of Robert Palmer (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 4.15 — 118 ratings — published 2009
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The Chitlin' Circuit: And the Road to Rock 'n' Roll The Chitlin' Circuit: And the Road to Rock 'n' Roll (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 3.98 — 510 ratings — published 2011
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Blues Fell this Morning: Meaning in the Blues (Canto original series) Blues Fell this Morning: Meaning in the Blues (Canto original series)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 3.83 — 48 ratings — published 1960
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Black Pearls: Blues Queens of the 1920s Black Pearls: Blues Queens of the 1920s (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 3.88 — 42 ratings — published 1988
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Father of the Blues: An Autobiography (Da Capo Paperback) Father of the Blues: An Autobiography (Da Capo Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 3.70 — 47 ratings — published 1985
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Blues From The Delta Blues From The Delta (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 3.91 — 67 ratings — published 1970
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The Big Book of Blues: The Fully Revised and Updated Biographical Encyclopedia The Big Book of Blues: The Fully Revised and Updated Biographical Encyclopedia (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.19 — 32 ratings — published 1994
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Bossmen: Bill Monroe & Muddy Waters Bossmen: Bill Monroe & Muddy Waters (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.90 — 31 ratings — published 1972
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Nothing But the Blues: The Music and the Musicians Nothing But the Blues: The Music and the Musicians (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.30 — 81 ratings — published 1993
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Stevie Ray Vaughan : Caught in the Crossfire Stevie Ray Vaughan : Caught in the Crossfire (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.15 — 711 ratings — published 1993
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Heroes of Blues, Jazz, and Country Heroes of Blues, Jazz, and Country (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.27 — 879 ratings — published 2006
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Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.24 — 2,379 ratings — published 1986
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Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.83 — 157 ratings — published 1999
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Barrelhouse Words: A Blues Dialect Dictionary Barrelhouse Words: A Blues Dialect Dictionary (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.84 — 56 ratings — published 2009
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Bessie Bessie (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.07 — 202 ratings — published 1972
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Savannah syncopators: African retentions in the blues (Blues paperbacks) Savannah syncopators: African retentions in the blues (Blues paperbacks)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.60 — 15 ratings — published
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King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.76 — 38 ratings — published 1988
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I Am the Blues: The Willie Dixon Story I Am the Blues: The Willie Dixon Story (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.17 — 109 ratings — published 1989
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Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey Biography of a Phantom: A Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.94 — 251 ratings — published 2023
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Barrelhouse Blues: Location Recording and the Early Traditions of the Blues Barrelhouse Blues: Location Recording and the Early Traditions of the Blues (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.58 — 26 ratings — published 2009
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In Search of the Blues In Search of the Blues (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.76 — 131 ratings — published 2007
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Portrait Of The Blues Portrait Of The Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.83 — 12 ratings — published 1996
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A Blues Life (Music in American Life) A Blues Life (Music in American Life)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 4.00 — 10 ratings — published 1999
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The Blues Line: Blues Lyrics from Leadbelly to Muddy Waters The Blues Line: Blues Lyrics from Leadbelly to Muddy Waters (Paperback)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 4.31 — 36 ratings — published 1975
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Beyond the Crossroads (New Directions in Southern Studies) Beyond the Crossroads (New Directions in Southern Studies)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 4.00 — 27 ratings — published 2017
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White Tears White Tears (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.67 — 10,562 ratings — published 2017
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Recording the Blues Recording the Blues (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.94 — 17 ratings — published
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Joyce Carol Oates
“This doctor says there are miracle drugs now
to control the "blues." I said, oh if the
blues go, what about blues music? He asked
is the music worth the agony & I said that
depends on the music & he said life is more
precious to retain than music, if a person is
depressed her life is endangered & I said
there must be a middle way & I would find that
way.”
Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde

David Mutti Clark
“The music echoes in the emptiness. It reminds us where we came from and where we’re bound.”
David Mutti Clark, Professor Brown Shoes Teaches the Blues

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