In American Lonesome: The Work of Bruce Springsteen, Gavin Cologne-Brookes proposes that the American philosophical tradition of pragmatism, which assesses the value of ideas and arguments based on their practical applications, provides a lens for understanding the diversity of perspectives and emotions encountered in the songs and performances of the acclaimed singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. Melding scholarly research and criticism with travel writing and memoir, Cologne-Brookes offers a personal, reflective approach to Springsteen as well as a rigorous academic assessment of how his work relates to literary and cultural traditions in the United States and beyond. American Lonesome argues passionately that Springsteen's work reflects a way of escaping from the potential loneliness of modern American life.