Sounds very interesting!

Biography of a Phantom

When you die at 27, leave behind what? 29 songs? and it's not easy to find people who knew you, there's not a lot to say. There's big patches of unknown. Yes, the book would have to be more about the mentally ill author, because there just isn't that much known about the subject.

Robert Johnson is no longer a phantom. "Up Jumped the Devil" (2019) by Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow is the result of over 50 years of research and includes incredibly detailed information about his family, the places where Johnson lived and traveled, about his wife and girlfriends, his death and his burial (he was buried twice, actually). In addition "Brother Robert" (2020) by Johnson's stepsister Annye Anderson, who grew up around Johnson includes a lot of information about Johnson's private life, his family, his character and his interests. Annye Anderson was present when the famous photo booth portrait of Johnson was made and her book includes a previously unknown variation of the famous shot. These two books are the best biographical books about Johnson. Elijah Wald's "Escaping The Delta" (2001) is the best book about Johnson's music.
"Biography Of A Phantom" was published in 2023, but it was written in the early 1970s and is now outdated. Nevertheless it provides fascinating insight into McCormick's field trips and early research.

Brother Robert was pretty good, about half was historical detail about the man, the rest was how all these other guys putting out his music ripped the family off.

Just finished "Biography of a Phantom".

Quite well written, really gives you a great view of what the south was like 50 years ago more than anything else.