Rosanne Cash Bücher

A series of road trips through the American South leads to a personal confrontation with history.

Longlisted for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence, this intimate biography of Janis Joplin portrays her as a groundbreaking musical trailblazer and complex rebel. Joplin's journey began as a white girl who discovered the power of the blues in the hidden corners of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. In her conservative oil town, she stood out as a tomboy with artistic inclinations and a thirst for knowledge. By high school, her progressive views and affinity for the Beats alienated her peers, while her parents, though supportive, were often troubled by her defiance. Joplin has become a legend, known for her passionate voice and tumultuous life. However, this account reveals her as more than a figure of suffering; she was a perfectionist and dedicated musician who honed her talent through hard work. A pioneer of gender and sexual boundaries, she sought love and stability but struggled to find it. Though she longed to escape Texas, she remained tied to her roots even as she became a countercultural icon in San Francisco. With unprecedented access to her family, friends, and archives, this biography offers a nuanced and rewarding portrait of a remarkable artist finally receiving recognition.