Show Tunes: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway's Major Composers
"Three valuable appendixes list the shows chronologically, give data on all collaborators, and offer a bibliography with advice on how to locate the music....the author's comments...provide an excellent narrative about the selected composers....A popular addition for all large collections serving upper-division undergraduates through faculty, professionals, and general readers."--Choice"All the classics are present in Steven Suskin's dazzingly thorough catalogue raisonné, Show Tunes, along with other musicals that have taken the stage since 1904, from 'Fascinating Flora' (1907) and 'Fluffy Ruffles' (1908) to 'Bar Mitzvah Boy' (1978)." --The New Yorker"Suskin's commentary for the majority of cited shows is chattily informative, conjoining anecdotes with facts about why a musical did or didn't succeed.  He has clearly studied and loves the genre....The first edition of Suskin's work became an indispensable resource; expanded, updated volumes make Show Tunes all the more valuable."--Show Music"Virtually a musical theatre encyclopedia, chock full of details and rich analyses of the theatre's most celebrated (and less celebrated) lyricists and composers and their shows and songs."--Encore"Convenient, and easy to lay your hands on...never dry or dull." --Talkinbroadway.com"Estimable and essential...Invaluable for reliable fact and for the chasing of references." --Times Literary Supplement"Suskin does his job well, with balanced essays." --Choice"An infectious love of musical theatre infuses every passage...meticulously researched exploration." --Second Pages/Planman