Unprepared To Die: America's Greatest Murder Ballads & The True Crime Stories That Inspired Them (PlanetSlade)

Very pleased with this book. I had seen it before I ordered it as it contains information on one of my long ago family members. Hope to read the rest of the book soon. Very, very pleased with purchase.

This book has so much wonderful knowledge. As a musicology grad student I am using this book as a primary source for a research paper on murder ballads and it is a wealth of wonderful writing. Beyond all of that it is just a darn good read that I keep going back to.

Paul Slade's book is both meticulously researched and highly entertaining. The origins and stories behind eight popular folk-muder ballads are examined in loving detail. Each song is assigned it's own chapter and each chapter is a gem of musical, geographical and historical research. I especially loved the way the author compared the evolution of the lyrics of each particular ballad over time. Each crime is brought to life again and again by a new generation of singers and players. The arc behind each story is incredible.If you are a musician interested in playing any of these songs, then you simply cannot afford to do without this book. For those of you who may not be musically inclined, but still enjoy a good crime story, then I highly recommend this book. Great research and photos are included, as well as a comprehensive list of artists covering each song.

An incredibly impressive investigation into the grim murders that lie behind some of the most famous songs in the popular music tradition, and a fascinating look at what happened when the stories of those crimes passed from country to country, from old world to new, from musician to musician. I can't think of another book that blends true crime, musical history and storytelling as well as this.

An excellent book which gives lots of information about eight of the most famous American murder ballads and their roots.

Great book. So much social history as well as the "back stories". Recommend to all.