So Horrible A Place Book

This book is a collection of short stories based on the titles (and, to varying extents, lyrics and storylines) in Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album. It's a very ambitious undertaking, as the album itself is some of the best storytelling from one of the all-time greatest storytellers. At times, the deviations from the songs themselves became a distraction, as some people's actions seem out of character or details can appear incorrect. I guess that's one of the risks with this type of work.

Some stories stood out for me as particularly strong. "Atlantic City" was probably my favorite. It followed the song enough to warrant its inclusion, but it went in a different direction that kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed "Johnny 99" and how it added a backstory to the main character's actions. "Mansion on the Hill" had some strong moments, and it was nice to see someone's interpretation of what secrets the mansion might have held. I found the swearing in "State Trooper" to be distracting (I like to use other methods of characterization, but that's just personal preference), but I was happy to see the storyline continue in "Open All Night"--I appreciate when artists can portray a situation from different perspectives.

I wasn't sure what to hope for when I ordered this, but I'm glad I read it. While it's obviously not canonical with the stories contained on the album, I think Jones did a good job of developing the characters and throwing in some original twists. I'm interested to see how it influences my interpretation the next time I listen to Nebraska. I can't speak to what this collection would be like for someone unfamiliar with Nebraska, but I would think that the stories could stand on their own.