Listen free for 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Born to Run cover art

Born to Run

Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Narrated by: Bruce Springsteen
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $29.13

Buy Now for $29.13

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Winner of the 2018 Audie Award for Autobiography/Memoir

"Writing about yourself is a funny business.... But in a project like this, the writer has made one promise: to show the reader his mind. In these pages, I've tried to do this." (Bruce Springsteen, from the audio of Born to Run)

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl's halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That's how this extraordinary autobiography began.

Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to this audio the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs. He describes growing up Catholic in Freehold, New Jersey, amid the poetry, danger, and darkness that fueled his imagination, leading up to the moment he refers to as "The Big Bang": seeing Elvis Presley's debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. He vividly recounts his relentless drive to become a musician, his early days as a bar-band king in Asbury Park, and the rise of the E Street Band. With disarming candor, he also tells for the first time the story of the personal struggles that inspired his best work and shows us why the song "Born to Run" reveals more than we previously realized.

Born to Run will be revelatory for anyone who has ever enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, but this book is much more than a legendary rock star's memoir. This is a book for workers and dreamers, parents and children, lovers and loners, artists, freaks, or anyone who has ever wanted to be baptized in the holy river of rock and roll. Rarely has a performer told his own story with such force and sweep. Like many of his songs ("Thunder Road", "Badlands", "Darkness on the Edge of Town", "The River", "Born in the U.S.A.", "The Rising", and "The Ghost of Tom Joad", to name just a few), Bruce Springsteen's autobiography is written with the lyricism of a singular songwriter and the wisdom of a man who has thought deeply about his experiences.

Author bio: Bruce Springsteen has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of 20 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He lives in New Jersey with his family.

©2016 Bruce Springsteen (P)2016 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about Born to Run

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    222
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    210
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    184
  • 4 Stars
    32
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • kg
  • 2018-09-19

Bruce actually narrates

What a fabulous #Audible1! Could it be better if you love The Boss as much as I. I also have to say I had several problems with downloads recently and the crew at audible.ca were awesome as well. They helped at every step until my problems were solved. Not too many details but it was from combining .com and.ca. And I am very grateful to all of them who solved the problem.. Thanks so much. Love audible

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

SOUL MAN

Most real & raw man, I will never have the honor to meet & shake hands with.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing


A fantastic biography narrated by the Boss himself. Could not stop listening. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Still the boss

Loved his honesty. Nice to have it read by the artist. Great storyteller, just like his song lyrics

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Baaaaruuuuccee

Enjoyed the book. Bruce is a wonderful narrator and there's nothing like hearing the story direct from the source. It's a hefty listen and probably could have been edited down a bit. But overall we enjoyed and are glad we listened.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • JLW
  • 2018-09-13

Loved hearing the Boss tell his story in his voice

This book is beautifully written and beautifully told by the Boss himself. I loved hearing his voice and amazing poetic prose tell the story of hard work and perseverance, mistakes and accomplishments in great detail. It was a long listen but I enjoyed every minute. #Audible1

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Of course he’s a great storyteller

I’m not sure why I was so surprised by just how well he is able to tell a tale. I’ve been a fan for decades and he has always been one of the best musical artists who like to spin various narratives through their songs. Well Bruce is able to do this in his autobiography just as well. He handles the narration flawlessly. I certainly recommend this for any Springsteen fan, rock music aficionados or someone interested in learning about the unique life of one of rock musics all time legends.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome!

awesome insight into the life and work of my musical hero. Bruce's distinctive voice narrates his story with heart and soul in same way his songs move so many. Thank you Bruce!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I'm an even bigger fan than before.

Hearing Bruce tell this story in his own words is the only way to experience this book. He can come across a bit pretentious, with his constant use of imagery and run-on descriptions and I feel like he had to look up some of the vocabulary just to sound more eloquent than was necessary, but I love this book, nonetheless. I was a dedicated fan before hearing this book, but even more so, now. He admits his shortcomings and does his best not to offend any of the people who helped make him one of the most successful rock icons in history. We get insights into his entire life, self-destructive and self-loathing challenges and even his ongoing battle with depression. At the end of the book, I had more appreciation for every song and album he wrote and the creative process he utilized, as well as the various directions he took. This is a fascinating story and probably one of the best books I've experienced in a very, very long time. I immediately bought a hardcover copy, after completing the audio book. This is a definite jewel in my collection.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I have heard humanity and his name is Bruce

A perfect tapestry to complete his contribution to the world. While not a superfan I do possess many of Springsteen's records and like many fans have woven a great many of his verses into my life. His contributions over the years has led to love, anger, fear, tears and the entire spectrum of human emotion. I have only attended one live concert and spent many hours looking for seats at other performances where I didn't require binoculars. Indeed I have been envious of those who have been privileged to see him on Broadway. This initiative to undertake a review of his life in such a self-deprecating manner fills my need in this regard in a way I never thought possible. His application of writing, arranging, narrating and passion has allowed a fan to listen for hours uninterrupted to the story behind the man and his music. It has permitted me to relive the 50 years since I first connected with his verse and with many of the same emotions he felt in his journey. I have only gratitude and respect for his passion and dedication to make the world a better place for all. A simple thanks seems inadequate but necessary.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!