Woody Guthrie L.A.: 1937 to 1941

This book, edited by Holter (history, Univ. of Southern California; Workers and Unions in Wisconsin) and Deverell (history, Univ. of Southern California; Bind Up the Nation's Wounds), extends beyond the scope of its title, including considerable backstory on Woody Guthrie's time before L.A. and how he came to be there. It focuses on his early life in Oklahoma, his first forays into music making, his approach to the industry, and his jobs at radio shows, newspapers, and journals. Conceived through a conference and therefore providing historical facts in chapters written by various authors, the narrative is repetitive. Even so, it is intriguing to see how each contributor finds substance and meaning in the events in Guthrie's career. By reading straight through, one gets a sense of important events in the performer/activist's life (1912–67) by the number of mentions throughout. Copious amounts of full-page color photos and a complete bibliography for further reading add further value.