Blues Books

Showing 1-50 of 1,155
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 31 times as blues)
avg rating 4.22 — 2,032 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 — 1,497 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 18 times as blues)
avg rating 4.28 — 1,739 ratings — published 1998
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Blues People: Negro Music in White America Blues People: Negro Music in White America (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as blues)
avg rating 4.16 — 2,423 ratings — published 1963
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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 3.96 — 284 ratings — published 1995
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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 13 times as blues)
avg rating 4.10 — 1,126 ratings — published 2002
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The Land Where the Blues Began The Land Where the Blues Began (Paperback)
by (shelved 12 times as blues)
avg rating 4.32 — 859 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 12 times as blues)
avg rating 4.30 — 785 ratings — published 2008
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Searching for Robert Johnson Searching for Robert Johnson (Paperback)
by (shelved 11 times as blues)
avg rating 3.87 — 755 ratings — published 1989
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Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson (Hardcover)
by (shelved 10 times as blues)
avg rating 4.14 — 375 ratings — published 2020
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When I Left Home: My Story When I Left Home: My Story (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as blues)
avg rating 4.32 — 1,316 ratings — published 2012
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The Blues: A Very Short Introduction The Blues: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 9 times as blues)
avg rating 3.85 — 269 ratings — published 2010
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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 4.22 — 580 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 3.92 — 117 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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The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 8 times as blues)
avg rating 3.92 — 221 ratings — published 1976
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The Country Blues The Country Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 8 times as blues)
avg rating 4.07 — 115 ratings — published 1959
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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 — 756 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 — 1,346 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 4.00 — 89 ratings — published 1969
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Urban Blues Urban Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as blues)
avg rating 3.74 — 47 ratings — published 1966
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Stomping The Blues Stomping The Blues (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 4.06 — 216 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 4.14 — 116 ratings — published 2009
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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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Feel Like Going Home Feel Like Going Home (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 4.19 — 504 ratings — published 1971
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Blues From The Delta Blues From The Delta (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as blues)
avg rating 3.93 — 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 — 31 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 — 29 ratings — published 1972
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The World Don't Owe Me Nothing: The Life and Times of Delta Bluesman Honeyboy Edwards The World Don't Owe Me Nothing: The Life and Times of Delta Bluesman Honeyboy Edwards (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as blues)
avg rating 4.19 — 124 ratings — published 1997
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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 — 82 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 4.14 — 710 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 — 866 ratings — published 2006
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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 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.97 — 502 ratings — published 2011
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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 4.06 — 200 ratings — published 1972
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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 5 times as blues)
avg rating 3.83 — 48 ratings — published 1960
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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 4.16 — 107 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 3.96 — 245 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 3.75 — 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 3.82 — 11 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 4.29 — 35 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 — 26 ratings — published 2017
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White Tears White Tears (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.67 — 10,432 ratings — published 2017
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Recording the Blues Recording the Blues (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 3.94 — 16 ratings — published
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Memphis Rent Party: The Blues, Rock & Soul in Music's Hometown Memphis Rent Party: The Blues, Rock & Soul in Music's Hometown (Hardcover)
by (shelved 4 times as blues)
avg rating 4.11 — 157 ratings — published 2018
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Sonny's Blues by James BaldwinEven Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom RobbinsReservation Blues by Sherman AlexieHow Do You Lose Those Ninth Grade Blues? by Barthe DeClementsLady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday
The Blues
510 books — 36 voters
Frankie Manning by Frankie ManningJust Before Jazz by Thomas L. RiisBallroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake by Julie MalnigBrotherhood in Rhythm by Constance Valis HillKrazy Kat In Song And Dance (Slipcased Edition Including Dvd) by George Herriman
Blues & Jazz Dance Education
116 books — 4 voters

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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 plays . . . and your sense of reality is heightened to a dream.”
David Mutti Clark, Professor Brown Shoes Teaches the Blues

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