Preston Lauterbach has long since made a place for himself as the most valuable chronicler of African-American music as a fulcrum and a center of American culture. But here, with astonishingly detailed and serpentine storytelling, with no road of intellectual inquiry ever closed, he has outdone himself. And with humor, the cool eye of a hanging judge, and the flair of a dancer, he has lifted his ongoing argument to the realm of Mark Twain, Damon Runyon, Chester Himes, and Percival Everett.
―Greil Marcus, author of "Mystery Train," "Lipstick Traces," and "Folk Music"
“Lauterbach’s tribute . . . is welcome and overdue.”
Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post
Wall Street Journal Best Nonfiction Book of 2011
The Boston Globe Book of the Year (2011)
NPR Best Book of the Year (2011)
Booklist Editor’s Choice
The vivid history of Beale Street―a lost world of swaggering musicians, glamorous madams, and ruthless politicians―and the battle for the soul of Memphis.
““Beale Street Dynasty” adds a fascinating chapter to civil rights history…this gracefully written book never loses sight of the fun…”
James Gavin, The New York Times
Ray & Pat Browne Award for Best Single Work from the Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association
The little-known story of an iconic photographer, whose work captured―and influenced―a critical moment in American history.
[A] vibrant study of Withers… [and] a love letter to Withers’s hometown.
New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice
“The book is written the way Grimes talks, rhythmically, like the true storyteller he is, in the vernacular of Memphis itself. At times, it’s gruff, and at times smooth, but there is no missing the point….Howard Grimes and Preston Lauterbach penned a book that will resonate with historians, musicologists, and soul lovers of all types. Timekeeper: My Life in Rhythm deserves a spot in your collection.
J. D. Nash, American Blues Scene
An intimate memoir by blues legend Robert Johnson's stepsister, including new details about his family, music, influences, tragic death, and musical afterlife
“[Brother Robert} book does much to pull the blues master out of the fog of myth.”—Rolling Stone
A Rolling Stone-Kirkus Best Music Book of 2020
“This is a story you WANT to know. If you know anything about The Blind Boys of Alabama—spirit, heart, and determination go into this fabulous blend of voices and music. And you will understand the struggle, not just theirs but all of ours.”
Whoopi Goldberg
Finalist for the Association of Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) Awards for Excellence, Best History