Lloyd Whitesell

It's truly refreshing to read serious, academic criticism of a popular musician. Whitesell never masks his admiration of Joni Mitchell, but neither is he overawed by the artist. The discussion of Joni Mitchell's music and poetry is deeply intelligent and beautifully fluent; Whitesell is a gifted scholarly writer. All academic prose should be this good: this thoughtful, this tight, this delicious. I am so impressed by this book; I recommend it highly.