Tonight in Jungleland Hardcover by Peter Ames Carlin

Product Details

• Publisher: Doubleday (2025-08-05)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 256 pages
• ISBN-13: 9780385551533
• Item Weight: 476.28 grams
• Dimensions: 9.55 x 6.32 x 1.03 cm

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the making of Bruce Springsteen’s ground-breaking album, Born to Run—one of the most iconic records in rock history—Tonight in Jungleland combines lush music writing with unprecedented inside access to Springsteen, his bandmates, and the full story behind every song… and coincides with the album’s 50th anniversary in August 2025.

“A lovely book about the making of Born to Run. It goes into great detail and great depth about what the record is, what it means, what it meant to us… The book means a lot to me.”—Bruce Springsteen

“Absorbing. . . A fascinating portrait of a talented, ambitious and stubborn young man with strong creative instincts.”—Los Angeles Times

From the opening piano notes of “Thunder Road,” to the final outro of “Jungleland”—with American anthems like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” in between—Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.

Peter Ames Carlin, whose bestselling biography, Bruce, gave him rare access to Springsteen’s inner circle, now returns with the full story of the making of this epic album. Released in August, 1975, Born to Run now celebrates its 50th anniversary. Carlin reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen’s psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision. A must-read for any music fan, Tonight in Jungleland takes us inside a hallowed creative process and lets us experience history.

About the Author

PETER AMES CARLIN is the author of several books, including Sonic Boom: The Impossible Rise of Warner Bros. Records, published in 2021, and Bruce, the  biography of Bruce Springsteen published in 2012. Carlin has also been a freelance journalist, a senior writer at People in New York City, and a television columnist and feature writer at The Oregonian in Portland. A regular speaker on music, writing, and popular culture, Carlin lives in Seattle.