LAUSR

topics from a cultural historian’s perspective are the constant struggle between artistic respectability and authenticity within the genre; the public fascination with the hillbilly, outlaw, and country stereotypes; and the globalization of country music. Despite the numerous strengths The Country Music Reader possesses, there are some shortcomings that potential users should recognize. There is no introduction or conclusion to the work, and only a brief preface provides a modest overview of the book’s objectives. It seems odd to give each document an introduction but not the entire volume, and the work ends in a rather anticlimactic way when the final selection is followed by only an index. The absence of a comprehensive narrative, which an introduction would establish and a conclusion could reflect, makes documents that pertain to the 1990s and beyond rather hard to synthesize. What does the author hope to accomplish by highlighting the rise of country dance clubs and the MuzikMafia, of classic country radio, and of Miranda Lambert? Finally, there is only passing reference to the role that African Americans and feminism have played in countrymusic history. Slim entries on the domestic life of KittyWells, Loretta Lynn’s 1975 song “The Pill,” and Charley Pride pose more questions than they address. Still, these concerns should not deter scholars from giving The Country Music Reader strong consideration for use in a variety of classes pertaining to cultural and, more specifically, music studies. The absence of an overarching narrative, introduction, and conclusion does make the volume more conducive to selective and interdisciplinary uses, which satisfies Stimeling’s hope that scholars use the anthology “in ways that suit their pedagogical styles and the learning goals of their particular courses” (p. ix).