Reviews & Media

Reviews/Praise

‘What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome’

Published: January 13, 2026

“A biographical gut punch. In telling the story of Justin Townes Earle, Bernstein manages to explore grand sweeping themes—the nature of creativity, the complexities of family, fame and addiction—while tracing the small, human details of one man’s journey. A beautiful portrait and a profound investigation, harrowing and heartfelt all at once, it’s a work that will stay with you for a long time.”
– Bob Mehr, New York Times bestselling author of Trouble Boys

“Jonathan Bernstein approaches this story with the heart of a true fan, the diligence of a veteran journalist, and the empathy of a person wanting to deeply understand the man beyond the music and the mythology. A beautifully written book about a beloved and misunderstood artist: about the love that binds us together, the flaws that tear us apart, and the songs that keep us going when everything else fails. Impeccably contextualized in the ever-changing world of Nashville and roots music, it sticks with you long after the last page is through—just like Justin’s songs.”
– Marissa R. Moss, author of Her Country

“There’s no book on American music like What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome. In this brilliant book, Jonathan Bernstein tells the raw and unflinching story of an artist born at the crossroads of so many American myths. But Bernstein turns it into a heartbreaking epic portrait of this country—and the songs that keep haunting our darkest national dreams.”
– Rob Sheffield, New York Times bestselling author of Heartbreak is the National Anthem, Dreaming the Beatles, and Love is a Mix Tape

“Paint[s] an intimate picture of not only Earle…but also the talent-rich Nashville scene that brought him to life.”
– Emma Alpern, NY Mag

“The best music books are the ones written by people for whom getting it right is their primary driver…That’s what Bernstein’s done here.”
– Caryn Rose, Salon

“Isn’t that, after all, the project of biography after death: to bring to light someone who isn’ here anymore, and show us a new way to see them?”
– Annie Parnell, Nashville Scene

“Reads less like a case to be made than a life listened to carefully. Bernstein does not pretend distance, and does not lean on sentiment. He offers steadiness—an account of an artist who kept showing up, often aware of how provisional that showing up was, and who left behind songs that continue to move.”
– Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

“Bernstein brings readers into Justin Townes Earle’s world, and they feel as if they are reading about a friend they know and care about intimately.”
–Henry Carrigan, No Depression

“Resists both mythmaking and moral verdicts, allowing contradictions to stand rather than forcing them into narrative resolution. The result is a book that feels guided by empathy but anchored in rigor.”
– Mark Pelavin, Americana Highways

“A must for any Justin Townes Earle followers…offers tremendous insight into his life, relationships, and music.”
– Andy Short, Americana U.K.

“Excellent. . . . a raw and honest portrait of the talented and tormented troubadour. . . . Bernstein provides a meticulous, unflinching illumination of the tortured life and lasting legacy of a remarkable singer-songwriter, gone far too early.”
– Library Journal