Customer Reviews
A Serious Work Which Challenges the Stereotypes - By: G. P. Akerman, 29 Dec 2006 
The American reviews inside the cover make it clear that this caused quite a stirin the States. This is a terrific book - & one which, for once, challenges the blues fan a little, rather than providing familiar stereotypes of lonesome Delta bluesmen developing their geniusin rural isolation. For anyone who loves Robert Johnson, Son House, Skip James et al, this will be a treat - but a treat which will possibly change the way you regard their music. (It even comes with a CD!)
an alternative but laborious take on the blues - By: bigflat, 07 Mar 2006 
A great concept for a book - take a subject which we all take for granted & turn it on its head then support it by a myriad soundbites & anecdotes.
I had high expectations for this book after reading the other reviewers' comments. However, the author's main thrust is that we have misinterpreted the place of the bluesin American history & essentially over-romanticized what was popular music at the time.
Unfortunately he makes this point over & over & over again & its gets extremely tedious believe me.
Its not much of a Johnson biograhy eitherin terms of substantive facts. The book takes an 'evidence based approach' & where there isn't much evidence it prefers not to pass judgment. A sound principle perhaps but ultimatley a flawed concept for a book that needs some fleshy facts to it.
Overall too much dour, waffly, pontification not enough insightful facts.
Fascinatingly different take on the story of the blues - By: NickG, 24 Jan 2005 Chuck away your romantic notions (if you had any). The blues wasn't the heart-aching voice of the opressed, but the down-home pop music of its time. The 'names' were professionally slick, & lived a good(-ish) life.
One could probably quibble with some of the interpretations of the music's history, but this is fascinating & valuable re-consideration of the story of the blues as we thought we knew it.
It's a shamein a way, because I always rather liked the more traditional take, but it's probably about time I grew up anyway.
Superb - nothing but the blues - By: Timothy De Ferrars, 19 May 2004 This book looked interesting to me. It turned out to be compelling.
Like many others, I have always thought of the blues as a traditional, black musical style rootedin rural poverty, slavery, violence & dark bargains with the devil.
Escaping the Delta gently debunks these myths, & replaces them with an explanation that is both more interesting & more convincing. The book is intelligently structured, with an introductory section, a song-by-song treatment of Johnson's recordings (listen as you read!) & a rather understated wrap-up.
This is not a biography, & it leaves much of Johnson's life, relationships & death untouched. But Wald's point is that Johnson has been hijacked & turned into a modern phenomenon that would be unrecognizable to him & his peers, so he rightly focuses on the legend rather than the life.
If you are new to the blues, buy a copy of Escaping the Delta & a CD of the complete recordings of Robert Johnson, settle down with your favourite beverage & enjoy this book. If you are already into the blues, do all of the above, dig deeper into your record collection....and be ready for some surprises.
I have nothing but praise for this book, which is immaculately researched, freshin its thinking, & always entertaining. I recommend it unreservedly.
