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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems 2013

by John Shaw

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From the publisher

A narrative history of the writing of "This Land Is Your Land" and "God Bless America" that uncovers the conflicts and common ground between two classic patriotic songs

February, 1940. After a decade of worldwide depression, World War II had begun in Europe and Asia. With Germany on the march and Japan at war with China, the global crisis was in a crescendo. America's top songwriter, Irving Berlin, had captured the nation's mood a little more than a year before with his patriotic hymn "God Bless America."

Woody Guthrie was having none of it. Near-starving and penniless, he was traveling from Texas to New York to make a new start. As he eked his way across the country by bus and by thumb, he couldn't avoid Berlin's song. Some people say that it was when he was freezing by the side of the road in a Pennsylvania snowstorm that he conceived of a rebuttal. It would encompass the dark realities of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, and it would begin with the lines "This land is your land, this land is my land."

In This Land That I Love, John Shaw writes the dual biography of these beloved American songs. Examining the lives of their authors, he finds that Guthrie and Berlin had more in common than either could have guessed. Though Guthrie's image was defined by train-hopping, Irving Berlin had also risen from homelessness, having worked his way up from the streets of New York.

At the same time, This Land That I Love sheds new light on our patriotic musical heritage, from "Yankee Doodle" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" to Martin Luther King's recitation from "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963. Delving into the deeper history of war songs, minstrelsy, ragtime, country music, folk music, and African American spirituals, Shaw unearths a rich vein of half-forgotten musical traditions. With the aid of archival research, he uncovers new details about the songs, including a never-before-printed verse for "This Land Is Your Land." The result is a fascinating narrative that refracts and reenvisions America's tumultuous history through the prism of two unforgettable anthems.

Details

  • Title This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems
  • Author John Shaw
  • Binding unknown
  • Edition Unabridged
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher AudioGO
  • Publication date 2013
  • Features Unabridged
  • ISBN 9781482931877
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 20th Century

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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems
Stock photo: cover may vary

This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems

by John Shaw

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9781482931877 / 1482931877
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AudioGO, 2013. Audio Book. Good. AUDIO CD. 5 AUDIO CDs withdrawn from the library collection. Some library marking. We will polish the AUDIO CDs for your satisfaction. You will receive a reliable set. We are here for you. Enjoy this AUDIO CD performance..
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems

by John Shaw

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AudioGO, 2013. Audio Book. Very Good. AudioCD. 6 BRAND NEW AUDIO CDs. NEW CDs sealed in the shrink wrap. Includes one PDF disc.Slight publisher remainder mark. Enjoy this NEW Audio CD performance, GIFT QUALITY for your home and library..
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems

by Shaw, John

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9781482931877 / 1482931877
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Blackstone Audiobooks, 2013-11-05. Unabridged. audioCD. Used: Good. 5.00x0.50x5.50. Buy with confidence. Excellent Customer Service & Return policy.
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems
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This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems

by Shaw, John

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  • Good
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Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9781482931877 / 1482931877
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audioCD. Good. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book.
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