An abundant supply of 'best-of' lists for songs, albums, and musical acts of various genres exists. However, there is a relative dearth of resources to guide music lovers to books about quality recordings. As part of the Best Books in Music series, scholar and musician Weissman helps to rectify this situation for fans of American folk music. Divided by chapter into such helpful subcategories as 'Biographies and Autobiographies,' 'The Immigrants,' and 'Anglo-American Songs,' the 100 (113, actually) entries include plainly written and richly detailed descriptions and critiques of each book. Weissman’s passion for his subject is clearly evident in this guide, which will be appreciated by folk-music aficionados. This would be a good choice for circulating collections.

Booklist

In 100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own, Dick Weissman provides an expansive collection, in list form, of scholarly books on various folk musics and their subgenres. . . . This book would be helpful for scholars, musicians, and music fans new to the American folk music genre. Especially for those with an interest in the history of American folk music, Weissman’s collection of books here serves as a solid springboard for researchers casting a wide net with the hopes of finding a list of carefully vetted works. This book might also prove useful in undergraduate courses intended to be an introduction to American folk music or American music history.

Journal of Folklore Research