History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People from Charley Patton to Robert Cray

This marks the second or third time I have read The History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People from Robert Johnson to Robert Cray by Francis Davis, having used it to teach class last year. I am again using the book as a textbook for the Honors Colloquium I am teaching this semester, title Black, White, and Blue: Race Relations in the US through the Blues.

Davis provides a survey of the Blues, starting from the Mississippi Delta and the migration to Chicago and beyond. He places heavy importance on figures such as Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Son House, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf. Davis also does a great job of providing brief descriptions of the social context surrounding the Blues milestones on which he is focusing. Davis also provides insight into his own thoughts and theories surrounding important events. While not intended to focus on race relations, given the history of the Blues one cannot help but think about the topic.

Overall, I enjoy the book. I gain new interests and insights each time I read. This time, I found myself running to my computer and the iTunes store to listen to song he was referencing in the text, especially those that might be useful in illustrating certain points to my students.

The History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People from Charley Patton to Robert Cray

Elwood's BLues: Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars

I received Elwood's Blues: Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars by Dan Aykroyd and Ben Manilla as a gift from a colleague, Michael Blackwell. He found it at a YMCA book sale and thought I might enjoy it due to the class I am teaching about the Blues this semester.

I wasn't sure what the quality of the book was going to be, as its title was derived from a character from the Blues Brothers. However, the book has some really great interviews with some really important figures in the world of the Blues. These include: Luther Allison, Junior Wells, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Little Milton, B. B. King, and more. The book also includes interview with icons from the world of rock who trace their path in music back to the Blues.

The interviews actually come from Elwood's House of Blues Radio Hour, but they highlight Aykroyd's deep understanding of appreciation for the Blues. While I was initially hesitant about this book, it turned out to be a great find.

Elwood's Blues: Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars

Without Fail

Without Fail is the sixth novel in the Jack Reacher series, a collection of books I have been reading lately. This time, Reacher is up against a group of covert assassins bent on killing the Vice President of the United States. He's paired up with an old army buddy, the Secret Service, and his brother's ex-lover. While working to stop the assassins and save the VP, Reacher deals with the ghost of his brother.

This was not my favorite of the Reacher books that I have read so far, but it was still a good story. It hooks you at the beginning and there are some interesting characters on the periphery. It's also interesting to see Reacher, a loner and sometimes-vigilante, work alongside a bureaucratic government agency. For anyone who enjoys this type of books, it's definitely worth a read.

Without Fail