by Lewis Shiner
First published 2009
Robert Johnson sits at a crossroads in 1930s Mississippi, his guitar in hand and a choice before him. The young blues musician faces the legend that will define him: did he really sell his soul to the devil for his extraordinary talent? Lewis Shiner weaves between Johnson's brief, mysterious life and the modern world of a writer researching the bluesman's story. The narrative moves from dusty Delta roads to recording studios, from juke joints to the mythology that grew around Johnson after his death at twenty seven. As the contemporary researcher digs deeper into Johnson's world, he confronts questions about art, authenticity, and the price of genius. The two timelines converge around the music that made Johnson immortal and the secrets that died with him. This is a story about the power of the blues to transcend death and the way legends reshape truth.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: dual-timeline, secrets
Setting: Delta, Mississippi
Period: 1930s
300 pages · Paperback · Ticonderoga Publications