Book excerpt: 'Wonderful...Carlin's book never shies from the details of this most enduring of American heroes. The divorces, cruelties, years in therapy and his antidepressant fuelled comeback of 2003 are all here' Sunday Times This sweeping biography of one of America's greatest musicians is the first in twenty-five years to be written with the cooperation of Springsteen himself. With unfettered access to the artist, his family and band members, acclaimed music writer Peter Ames Carlin presents an intimate and vivid portrait. 'A readable, expansive portrait of the New Jersey rocker that delves into his family background and personal life more than previous biographies' Sunday Telegraph 'The first serious Bruce Springsteen biography for 25 years. Carlin was granted unprecedented access to family, friends, management, even the Boss himself, enabling him to paint a vivid picture of the man, warts and all' Sunday Express 'A revealing portrait of a rock colossus… Peter Ames Carlin's new book is the first in 25 years to have been written with the co-operation of Springsteen. Previous biographies have tended towards closely argued adulation but Carlin has not been blinded by his access to Springsteen' Daily Telegraph 'One for the regular fan on the street...well written and jaw-dropping in its research...Weighty, fact focused, readable' Metro 'Painstakingly researched and based on - for the first time - interviews with Springsteen's family and friends as well as the Boss himself. To that extent it is the first authorised account for a decade...This is a warts-and-all account that includes Springsteen's flashes of temper when things didn't go his way…' Sunday Times