Word Crazy Author:Thomas S. Hischak Offering critical interpretations of the lives and works of more than 18 important lyricists, Word Crazy delivers the full story behind the most popular Broadway tunes. It examines more than 90 years of American musical theater, the broad trends and the telling details: how unpretentious, chatty lyrics succeeded in capturing American audiences s... more »ated with European romanticism; how lyrics came to include character and plot development; the emergence of the "book" musical, the musical play, and the conceptual musicals of recent years. It details the dreams, disappointments and achievements of America's favorite songwriters and lyricists--George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Alan Jay Lerner, Stephen Sondheim, and more.« less