In this extraordinary literary debut third-generation homesteader Judy Blunt describes her hardscrabble life on the prairies of eastern Montana in prose as big and bold as the landscape.On a ranch miles from nowhere; Judy Blunt grew up with cattle and snakes; outhouse and isolation; epic blizzards and devastating prairie fires. She also grew up with a set of rules and roles prescribed to her sex long before she was born; a chafing set of strictures she eventually had no choice but to flee; taking along three children and leaving behind a confused husband and the only life she’d ever known. Gritty; lyrical; unsentimental and wise; Breaking Clean is at once informed by the myths of the West and powerful enough to break them down.
#163413 in Books Will Hermes 2012-09-04 2012-09-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .33 x 1.01 x 5.44l; .77 #File Name: 0374533547384 pagesLove Goes to Buildings on Fire Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Great anecdotes; frustrating lack of structureBy Lisa BordersI bought this book as research for a novel I'm writing. I loved the concept of focusing on this pivotal period in music in New York. And while there are some great nuggets buried in these pages; the fragmented narrative made for an unsatisfying read at times. I longed for an overarching narrative; something to tie this collection of anecdotes together. There really are some lovely gems in here; and I appreciated the exhaustive attempt to document this period in music history. But as another reviewer said; the book lacked both structure and depth.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Moves QuicklyBy BPM NYAs some other reviewers have noted; the book jumps around quite a bit. Initially; I found it really frustrating how quickly the author would jump from subject to subject; as I frequently wanted more depth than was provided. However; as the book developed; I found that the pacing of the book really helped reinforce the author's viewpoint of what these times were like; and all of the interesting acts competing for a young man's attention. And; as the book unfolded; there was a lot of depth provided on many different artists/subjects. I also liked that it was not just about the punk movement; but encompassed a wide range of other musics. All in all; a really great read; and very informative. It's really a shame that the Kindle edition was not full to all sorts of links to the different subjects; but there is a handy list at the end of suggested sources to get deeper into some of the subjects.6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Tying the KnotsBy SoulboogiealexI’ve often felt that in the mainstream rock press mainly ignored the advent of Hip Hop and Disco and overstated the importance of Punk Rock. The cultural significance of Hip Hop and Disco often found little appreciation with writers on popular culture. Only in recent years has Rolling Stone magazine begun to take Hip Hop serious for example; a mere 40 years after its conception.Will Hermes book does a lot to place Hip Hop and Disco in the proper context. Not only does he seem to have a fond appreciation of the genres; he places them against a political and social economical backdrop that does a lot in explaining why the genres would grow as big as they did. Such insights were long overdue in writings about popular culture.But the book even goes further than that. Will Hermes restores Bruce Springsteen’s place in the early seventies Rock and Punk scene. Because Springsteen became an act of mega proportions it is easy to forget how close he was to acts like the Tuff Darts; the Dictators and the Heartbreakers early in his career when he played the same joints as the Ramones and Patti Smith.Hermes also analyses parallel developments in classical music; Jazz and Latin-American music. Minimalism seems to have been a common trend across the board as a response to the dire economical times.Will Hermes often writes form the perspective as a fan; tells about his own experiences seeing some of the now legendary acts when they were just coming up; thus adding a contagious flavour to the book. But he also seems to have gone to great lengths to familiarize himself with the genres that did not necessarily play an important part in the soundtrack of his youth.The book portraits a full picture of an era without coming of too academic. Though the book comes off as a bit fragmentary at times I applaud the author in how he avoids creating connections where there are none; but leaves the reader to discover the common thread. Will Hermes has managed an enthusiastic but to the point style; which left me curious for music I would not have considered listening to before reading this book. I highly recommend reading Love Goes to Buildings on Fire with a little help from Spotify; mister Hermes and the music will take you on a trip through the Big Apple that by now has (sadly) disappeared.
