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Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith . Not all biographies were created equal: Some are tedious and uninspiring. Few are capable of accomplishing the unique feat of igniting our imaginations by capturing the essence of their subjects: John Szwed’s latest work succeeds in doing just that. By inviting us into the eccentric and captivating world of “filmmaker, folklorist, mystic” and anthropologist Harry Everett Smith, we are transported to the esoteric realm of a creative mastermind who is credited with leaving an indelible mark on the American art scene. The bearded polymath’s contributions, including the “Anthology of American Folk Music,” is said to have inspired countless artists, including Bob Dylan. But beyond his immense knowledge, impossibly enormous book and music collection, Harry Smith was a perpetual misfit, an “insufferable and destructive eccentric.” Through his singular skills as a biographer and music scholar, John Szwed gives a beautiful, nuanced homage to an American icon.

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