‘Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born To Run’ Book Arrives

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A new book that offers a behind-the-scenes account of the making of Bruce Springsteen’s ground-breaking release, Born to Run—one of the most iconic records in rock history—arrived on August 5, 2025, timed to the album’s 50th anniversary. Tonight in Jungleland offers unprecedented inside access to Springsteen, his bandmates, and the full story behind every song. The title, from author Peter Ames Carlin, via Doubleday, is available in the U.S. here, in Canada here and in the U.K. here.

From the publisher’s announcement: From the opening piano notes of “Thunder Road,” to the final outro of “Jungleland”—with anthems like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” in between—Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run, established the then-25 year-old as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.

Carlin, whose bestselling biography, 2012’s Bruce, gave him rare access to Springsteen’s inner circle, returns with the full story of the making of this epic album, his third studio effort, released on August 25, 1975. The author reveals a treasure trove of untold stories, detailing the writing and recording of every song, as well as the intense and at times tortuous process that mimicked the fault lines in Springsteen’s psyche and career, even as it revealed the depth of his vision.

Carlin is the author of several other books, including Sonic Boom: The Impossible Rise of Warner Bros. Records, published in 2021. He has also been a freelance journalist and a senior writer at People in New York City.

“Absorbing. . . A fascinating portrait of a talented, ambitious and stubborn young man with strong creative instincts.”—Los Angeles Times

“Carlin revisits those pivotal years [before the release of Born to Run] with a fan’s fervor and a journalist’s attention to detail…. His prose heightens the drama of the album’s construction…. Tonight in Jungleland vividly summons the album’s struggle and its spirit.”—New York Times