Jeffrey B. Symynkywicz

This was a good book, though the need to turn all things pop culture into spiritual journeys grows a tad old (The Gospel According to the Sopranos and 'The Zen of...' just about anything come to mind).

I sought this book out because I am an ardent fan of Springsteen, and have always been intrigued by his use of religious imagery, especially from a professed lapsed Catholic.

The book works when it embraces the great lyrics from songs like "The Rising", "The Devil's Arcade", "Spare Parts", "Reason to Believe", "Darkness on the Edge of Town", and other stories that capture man's struggle with faith, with one another, and with our need for hope and our quest for redemption.

It's stretched a tad thin when the author has to comment on Springsteen songs that fall outside this realm - the celebratory garage rock tunes that are nothing more than waxing nostalgic about cars, girls, and good times. "Sherry Darling", "Darlington County", and "Cadillac Ranch" aren't songs rife with searching for something bigger than the perfect car or the perfect kiss. Both of which are holy in their own right, one might argue.

The best portion, perhaps, is the final chapter, which boasts Bruce's Ten Commandments...er, Suggestions, for Spiritual Living. The author gives follow up explanations and examples for each of these, and it captures the essence of what draws so many people to Springsteen's music, and perhaps, what makes others flinch at it. It's not his voice, it's his all too real message. Some folks simply want their music to be entertainment. Springsteen works from the notion that he is creating spiritual literature on the level of Flannery O'Connor, John Steinbeck, or Walker Percy.

So, here is the short-hand version of ten themes that run through Bruce's music...and ten reasons I can't stop listening to his songs:

1. The world has gone awry.

2. There is a power within the souls of men and women to transcend the world and to achieve real victories in spite of the world.

3. The world is as it is.

4. Life without connections is empty and dangerous.

5. Our stories symbolize something deeper.

6. Life is embodied.

7. It's all about change.

8. There is no guarantee of success.

9. Hope is resilient.

10. There is always something more.… (meer)