With the release of the blockbuster movie Sinners, Beyond the Crossroads is a must read for anyone who wants to know the story beyond the story. Gussow thoroughly dissects the use of the term Devil in blues music from the earliest days before Robert Johnson, through Johnson's career, through the movie Crossroads, and into the 2000-era explosion of blues tourism in Clarksdale, MS. The book is split into several essays exploring the aspects of the devil and his association in the blues. Even though I thought I knew a lot about the subject, I learned a lot. Gussow is very, very thorough.
That said, Gussow writes like an academic. It almost too thorough. Beyond the Crossroads is not a quick read. The comparative theories and analysis create drag in the narrative. This is a book for the hardcore fans and academics, not for the casual blues fans. Even though the casual blues fans are the ones who probably need to read it.
