The Blues: A Visual History

Thousands of books have been written about the blues. There have been many photographic essays over the years but there hasn't been one as comprehensive and as attractively designed and produced as this one in a very long time. Newcomers to the music will benefit from the eight well-written and informative chapters covering the "Roots of the Blues" up to "The Blues Today." Making this book really special are the layout and the more than 350 photographs (color and black and white), both large and small, that document the societal happenings of each of the periods discussed, the top performers, the album labels, the concert posters, and so on. The book and cover design by Paul Palmer-Edwards, of Grade Design, London, gets high marks indeed. Author Evans (a musician) has been writing about music for over 40 years (Elvis: A Celebration; Woodstock: Three Days That Shook the World) and has done an admirable job of analyzing such a long and varied history in an entertaining yet educational way. Thus, this title is that rare combination, a sumptuous coffee-table book that is worth reading as well.