Hear My Sad Story

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley.

I found the concept for this book to be really interesting, it takes classic folk songs and details the true stories behind them. While many of them seem far too convoluted and over-the-top to be true, after reading this book I was reminded that truth is usually stranger than fiction.

As a whole, I was entertained and I learned quite a bit. I think some of the songs could have been cut out, some just aren't that interesting, or feel too similar to others in the book. A lot of the criticism laid out in this review mirrors what I felt reading this, some of these songs don't have backstories that are all that interesting to read about.

If you're interested in the stories behind American folk songs, or just think the concept is interesting, you won't be disappointed.