A series of new, original, and provocative essays on the music, myth, and meaning of The Boss

Bruce Springsteen is an institution unto himself. Over the course of a career now in its fourth decade, he has earned one of the largest, intense followings in all rock 'n' roll. He's selling more records and concert tickets in his fifties than he did in his twenties. Yet even after millions of record sales and thousands of concerts, there are still essential questions about his music that fans continue to ponder. How did he become the only first-rank rock 'n' roller not to fall apart? How has he maintained his integrity and his audience over all these years? What makes him different, unique?

Guterman, an accessible and entertaining music writer, has been writing about Springsteen since the late '70s. In this book, he delves into dramatic moments from every phase of Springsteen's career, looking deep into the music, the man, and culture at large to deliver a nuanced portrait of The Boss, which both new fans and longtime followers will find compelling. You don't have to be a Springsteen fan to enjoy this book, but you might be when you're finished. Runaway American Dream is a series of pointed, provocative, and surprising essays about Springsteen and his music that focus on the work and the times that created them.