I WANTED TO BE A BLUESMAN

Blues music, its musicians, and its essence unite Joseph’s 12 introspective stories.

In the opening title story, a teenager who’s grown up in a fishing village teaches himself blues guitar. Maybe someday he’ll gather the courage to play in front of his older brother—especially now that his sibling has plans to leave for California. Subsequent stories also involve the blues, which often represent nostalgia or reflection. The narrator of “When My First Wife Left Me,” for example, loves decades-old Delta blues, like what the late Southern musician Charley Patton would play; however, he’s also a shade conservative, and the opposite of the ambitious man with whom his wife is having an affair. Then there’s “When Bessie Smith Came to Town,” in which a grandmother tells of going to see the eponymous blues singer years ago. Much to her family’s surprise, the outing may have involved lying to her parents and shrugging off a would-be suitor for the man she eventually married. The classic genre of music sparks discussions on a variety of topics, including racism, religion, and domestic abuse. Characters throughout this collection make life-changing decisions—such as leaving their job, jumping into a relationship despite red flags, or finally accepting that they’re just like their parent. Joseph’s prose is concise and accessible, and he continually describes music in relatable ways, while also touching on how essential it is to history and individual lives: “They combined the blues of the South with Chicago blues, but it was all blues all the time at the pool hall.” The stories feel very personal, partially because an unnamed narrator relates each one; it’s not necessarily the same person every time, but the storytellers’ persistent insights highlight the skill of the author.

Down-to-earth, harmonious tales that hit all the right tones.