Wasn't That a Time: The Weavers, the Blacklist, and the Battle for the Soul of America

(Hardback)

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Set against the current climate of political unrest gripping the nation and the world, Jesse Jarnow's Wasn't That a Time sheds new light on the contributions of folk group the Weavers to the battle against the blacklist efforts of the '50s and '60s as well as their invaluable additions to popular American music.

Although it most noticeably affected the pop culture icons of Hollywood, the McCarthy era blacklists infiltrated the folk scene, as well, even forcing the Weavers to break up for a time once they could no longer find work. But this ostracizing by the government led to the group galvanizing their efforts and returning with a fury. Now often reduced to the concept of "protest music," the songs that the Weavers championed aimed to be a more systemic critique of culture through parable and community-building, tools more powerful than any finger-pointing lyrics could ever be. A half-century later, the language, policies, and fears of the blacklist era are seeping back into public discourse, making this reexamination of an era of oft-forgotten cultural change even more crucial.

Author Jesse Jarnow uses his skill for weaving together seemingly disparate strands of counterculture history to craft an exciting rethink of the Weavers' role in American popular music and to examine the strong link shared between art and activism. With tightly paced plot lines, crisp historical details, and a fact-rich background, Wasn't That a Time paints the Weavers as the modern American heroes they are, pioneers in the still-raging battles for Civil Rights, class equality, freedom of expression, and the very makings of popular music.

Reviews

Wasn't That a Time reads more like a Dickens novel than the history of a folk group. God, what a wild ride. And I remember it well.--Alan Arkin, Academy Award-winning actor and author of An Improvised Life
Wasn't That A Time does an impressive job of pulling together an array of diverse sources, from secret government files to private journals, painting a rich portrait of the strange days that the Weavers helped define...Every page of Wasn't That A Time is filled with revelations, all told with Jarnow's now-signature freewheeling style. A fantastic read.--Aquarium Drunkard
[A] dramatic, raucous account...Detailed and smartly reported, this work marvelously captures the four voices in a complex era that influenced pop-folk bands that followed.--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A well-researched music biography best read with some traditional American folk songs playing in the background.--Kirkus Reviews
An engaging account of the rise, fall, resurrection and legacy of the Weavers...[Jarnow] captures the distinctive personalities and the intertwining voices.--New York Times Book Review
An inspiring story of performers dedicated to fighting the good fight, whatever the costs.--Record Collector
Chronicles the rise, fall and resurgence of one of the most influential bands in music history.--Music Connection
Explores...the creative, idiosyncratic, difficult personalities who briefly bottled lightning and subsequently transformed American music from Bob Dylan's output to schoolhouse sing-alongs...For fans of the Weavers and those they influenced, as well as lovers of 20th-century American folk music.
--Library Journal
Extensively researched, Jarnow's deep and accomplished portrait of these iconic musicians reverberates with a mastery that will appeal to both fans and everyone interested in the history of music.
--Booklist
How many synonyms for 'essential cultural history' are there In an amnesiac America, nothing's overlooked like our dissident legacies--and nothing's needed more these days. Jarnow's book makes this inoculation into good, gossipy fun, and musically knowledgeable enough that you'll want to reach for the soundtrack and fill in all the blanks.--Jonathan Lethem, author of The Feral Detective and Motherless Brooklyn
In a moment when new forms of protest music are desperately needed, Jesse Jarnow's Wasn't That a Time delivers an incredibly vivid account of the kind of dedication and bravery required to change people's minds and galvanize a community through the power of song.--Ryan Walsh, author of Astral Weeks

Jarnow covers the rise, fall and overall legacy of The Weavers in a comprehensive way that no one has done before in print, making this a must-read for any fan of past and/or present folk music.--The Hype
Jarnow has a gift for remapping historical terrain you thought you knew every feature of already. This time it's the folk movement of the '40s and '50s and the scourge of McCarthyism he brings vividly to life.--CityPages
The Weavers inspired several generations not only to sing but to try to use music to change the world. Jarnow's deep exploration of their journey is a timely reminder of their importance both in their time and ours.--Elijah Wald, author of Dylan Goes Electric! and Escaping the Delta

Author Bio

Jesse Jarnow is the author of Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock and Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America. His writing on music, technology, and culture has appeared in the Times (London), the Village Voice, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Wired.com, Relix (contributing editor), Dupree's Diamond News, and elsewhere. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, and hosts The Frow Show on the independent Jersey City radio station WFMU. He tweets via @bourgwick and @HeadsNews.