Deliver Me from Nowhere

The fascinating story behind the making of Bruce Springsteen’s most surprising album, *Nebraska*, revealing its pivotal role in Springsteen’s career—now with a new afterword. Without *Nebraska*, Bruce Springsteen might not be who he is today. The natural follow-up to Springsteen’s hugely successful album *The River* should have been the hit-packed *Born in the U.S.A.* But instead, in 1982, he came out with an album consisting of a series of dark songs he had recorded by himself, for himself. More than forty years later, *Nebraska* is arguably Springsteen’s most important record—the lasting clue to understanding not just his career as an artist but also the man himself. It expresses turmoil reflective of the country’s mood and symptoms of trouble in Springsteen’s life. Warren Zanes speaks to many people involved with making *Nebraska*, including Springsteen himself, and interviews celebrated artists about their reactions to the album, weaving in cultural influences like Terrence Malick’s *Badlands* and Flannery O’Connor’s stories. The result is a textured and revelatory account of a crucial moment in the career of an icon and a record that predicted a home-recording revolution.