Songs of Life: The Meaning of Country MusicPaperback, 30 April 1996

The publishing world has exuberantly hailed the widespread popularity of country music in the last five years with a significant number of books on the subject. Lawler, a literature scholar with a specialty in Old English poetry who also happens to be a country music fan, offers an unusual twist. Her aim is to explore what country music means to its listeners and to show that country music is a distinct literature that merits serious study. A unique feature of Lawler's work is the analysis of famous songs. She points to topics like love, living, women's issues, and political and social issues to prove her thesis that country music indeed reflects the basic joys and struggles of living. In addition, she profiles various country music stars and their different lifestyles to demonstrate their influences on the lasting popularity of country music. In her conclusion, Lawler acknowledges that her book is just a beginning, but she nevertheless offers a succinct look at country music as she discusses its history, marketing, audience, and surrounding influences.