Ed Simon’s Book Notes music playlist for his book American Elegy

In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book. Previous contributors include Jesmyn Ward, Lauren Groff, Bret Easton Ellis, Celeste Ng, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Roxane Gay, and many others. The 50 short critical essays in Ed Simon’s book American Elegy each offer a glimpse at United States history through cultural icons, history, and more. These pieces coalesce to offer an unadulterated history of the country and a road map to righting its wrongs. Publishers Weekly wrote of the book: “Editor and public humanities lecturer Ed Simon takes a critic’s approach in American Elegy…In 50 short essays, he weaves history, pop culture, literature, music, science, and more, interrogating what he calls the dis-United States. Simon’s cultural studies background leads him to draw from unorthodox sources, emphasizing thought and content over hierarchy of form.” In his own words, here is Ed…