Introduction : in the shadow of plenty -- Workingman -- A sense of place -- Chapter and verse -- The good book -- The populist imperative -- Hope and dreams -- Left behind -- An absence of things -- Jersey cowboy -- Tomorrows and yesterdays -- Coda : far beyond today -- Afterword / by Andre Dubus III

"We Take Care of Our Own traces the evolution of Bruce Springsteen's beliefs, beginning with his New Jersey childhood and ending with his most recent works from Springsteen on Broadway to Letter to You. The author follows the singer's life, examining his albums and a variety of influences (both musical and non-musical), especially his Catholic upbringing and his family life, to show how he became an outspoken icon for working-class America -- indeed for working class life throughout the world. In this way, the author emphasizes the universality of Springsteen's canon and depicts how a working-class sensibility can apply to anyone anywhere who believes in fairness and respect. In addition, the author places Springsteen in the historical context not only of literature (especially John Steinbeck) but also in the art world (specifically the work of Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper). Among the themes explored in the book include community, a sense of place, America as the Promised Land, the myth of the West, and, ultimately, mortality"--