Excellent book of interviews. ( )

A look into the minds of some of the most famous songwriters of the last half century, this is perhaps one of the most treasured books in my collection. I've stopped counting the number of times I've renewed it from the MSU library. (Better remember to return it before graduation.) The way each artist approaches song writing varies to an incredible degree. Paul Simon, for example, seems to both admire and despise the ability of contemporary Tom Petty to sit down with a guitar and write a handful of songs, while the former meticulously crafts each song over the course of many months. The book's interview style could be used in a lesson in a journalism classroom.