Tonight in Jungleland - by Peter Ames Carlin (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From the opening piano notes of 'Thunder Road, ' to the final outro of 'Jungleland'--with American anthems like 'Born to Run' and 'Tenth Avenue Freeze Out' in between--Bruce Springsteen's seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career. Peter Ames Carlin, whose bestselling biography Bruce gave him rare access to Springsteen's inner circle, now returns with the full story of the making of this epic album. Released in August, 1975, Born to Run now celebrates its 50th anniversary. Carlin reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen's psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision"--

Book Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the making of Bruce Springsteen's ground-breaking album, Born to Run, one of the most iconic records in rock history - "A lovely book about the making of Born to Run. It goes into great detail and great depth about what the record is, what it means, what it meant to us... The book means a lot to me."--Bruce Springsteen

"Absorbing. . . A fascinating portrait of a talented, ambitious and stubborn young man with strong creative instincts."--Los Angeles Times

From the opening piano notes of "Thunder Road," to the final outro of "Jungleland"--with American anthems like "Born to Run" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" in between--Bruce Springsteen's seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.

Peter Ames Carlin, author of the bestselling biography, Bruce, now returns with the full story of the making of this epic album, combining lush music writing with unprecedented inside access to Springsteen and his inner circle. Carlin reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen's psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision. A must-read for any music fan, Tonight in Jungleland takes us inside a hallowed creative process and lets us experience history.

Review Quotes

A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice - New York Times and Boston Globe Best Book of the Summer

"A lovely book about the making of Born to Run. It goes into great detail and great depth about what the record is, what it means, what it meant to us... The book means a lot to me."
--Bruce Springsteen

"Absorbing. . . [Tonight in Jungleland is] a fascinating portrait of a talented, ambitious and stubborn young man with strong creative instincts - but who needed to get out of his own way to let the genius shine."
--Los Angeles Times

"Carlin revisits those pivotal years [before the release of Born to Run] with a fan's fervor and a journalist's attention to detail.... Carlin's prose heightens the drama of the album's construction.... Tonight in Jungleland vividly summons the album's struggle and its spirit."
--New York Times

"Few writers make the recording and writing process feel as alive as Carlin does, recounting the story behind Born to Run with a deep appreciation for Springsteen's craft and artistry; it's music writing and biography at its finest."
--Seattle Times

"A must-read accompaniment to the biography of a man that many of us have only known to exist in the stratosphere of musical artists. But what makes this book remarkable is what almost wasn't - his most perfect album."
--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"What Carlin does here is more than just music journalism. He creates a story, a mood, and triumphs and challenges for its main and supporting characters, almost novelistic in its approach and analysis. So even if you've already spent hundreds of hours with Wendy, Mary, the Magic Rat, Barefoot Girl, Scooter and the Big Man, Terry, and the Duke Street Kings, Tonight in Jungleland is worth another ride out on Highway 9."
--Houston Press

"After two strong but imperfect albums, how did Springsteen's sound grow so quickly? . . . By the end of Tonight In Jungleland, Carlin just might have figured it out."
--AV Club

"A thrilling page-turner, Carlin's book, which includes new interviews with Springsteen, recounts the minute-by-minute details leading up to and immediately following the album's release, lingering on the intimate happenings at the recording sessions, Springsteen's perfectionist struggles, and the grind to craft and record each note and word."
--Smithsonian Magazine

"Carlin made the most of his remarkable access to Springsteen's bandmates, producer, agent - and The Boss himself. . . You don't have to be a Springsteen fan or even a rock music fan to appreciate this book. It reads like a novel, shining a light on the power of authenticity."
--Christian Science Monitor

"Meticulously researched and masterfully composed, Tonight in Jungleland belongs in the top rank of rock history books and deserves to be in every home where Springsteen's classic sound still drives the playlist."
--BookPage (starred)

"Bolstered by interviews with Springsteen himself... this book thrives in exploring the hard work that preceded it. An admirably comprehensive study of a masterpiece and its creation."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"Captivating. . . Carlin takes a fascinating look at the challenges of making an album whose success now seems inevitable, exploring what drives artists to create as well as how their relationship with their work can shift as it becomes part of popular culture. Springsteen fans should snap this up."
--Publishers Weekly (starred)

"Endlessly entertaining.... A must for Springsteen fans and admirers of the album."
--Booklist (starred)

About the Author

PETER AMES CARLIN is the author of several books, including Sonic Boom: The Impossible Rise of Warner Bros. Records, published in 2021, and Bruce, the biography of Bruce Springsteen published in 2012. Carlin has also been a freelance journalist, a senior writer at People in New York City, and a television columnist and feature writer at The Oregonian in Portland. A regular speaker on music, writing, and popular culture, Carlin lives in Seattle.