Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Blue Rider Press (2012), Edition: Limited,Signed, 416 pages
Description
An iconic figure in the history of rock and pop culture (inducted not once but twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), Neil Young has written his eagerly awaited memoir.
Media reviews
If this is starting to sound random and a little irritating, that’s because it is. But as the book rolls on, it gathers heft and builds toward a vivid but disjointed picture of Young’s life.
Not many authors explain their reasons for writing books as bluntly as Neil Young does in “Waging Heavy Peace.” First of all there’s the thing now known as the Keith Richards phenomenon: there turns out to be a large and lucrative market for memoirs from rock stars. In a two-page chapter
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called “Why This Book Exists” Mr. Young explains that his book will be a goose that lays a golden egg. He’s writing it because it will earn him enough money to stay off the stage for a while, which he badly needs to do for mental and physical reasons. “It all started when I broke my toe at the pool,” he explains..... Show Less
His distinctly unplugged prose can plod along in an artless, ruminative sort of way, or it can – very occasionally – take wing. The style turns out to be as unpredictable a combination of awkwardness and grace as his music, lurching from sudden insights – "the muse has no conscience", he
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notes, meditating on his readiness to do the dirty work of firing colleagues who fail to meet his standards – to the occasional aside of such startling banality that the reader pauses, searching in vain for a redeeming irony: "California really is beautiful if you've never been there. It's worth a visit for sure." There are lots of exclamation marks, and even an "OMG", which sounds odd coming from the pen of a 66-year-old man. Show Less
Quill & Quire
That a musical shape-shifter like Neil Young would take an unorthodox approach to his memoirs is to be expected. Indeed, this charming, poignant volume is much like Young’s oeuvre: sustained periods of pure delight punctuated by sudden, unexpected turns. The stream in Young’s
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stream-of-consciousness is more like a river that’s burst its banks.
Seemingly unfettered by editors, and certainly not by chronology, Young tells us what he can remember in the manner and order he remembers it and – as he frequently informs his readers – has a blast doing so. We get a cursory tour of his upbringing in Winnipeg and the Ontario town of Omemee, and his early days in Toronto’s Yorkville music scene. A good portion of the book deals with the 1970s, and Young writes with passionate nostalgia about his work with bands such as Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, and Crazy Horse. Inevitably, the book is in part a paean to the many people Young has lost over the years, including David Briggs, his long-time producer and best friend.
Young is an avid collector of guitars, model railways, and vintage cars (he cannot describe a journey without telling us what he was driving). He also has an entrepreneurial streak, and allots a considerable – some might say inordinate – amount of space to his current pet projects: a hybrid electric car and a master-quality digital music format.
Fans are bound to feel frustrated by the book’s many omissions. For example, we never find out when Young first picked up a guitar. And though he speaks lovingly of both parents, he fails to mention his mother’s death. Young’s sons Ben and Zeke both have cerebral palsy, despite being born to different mothers. Although Young devotes a good number of pages to Ben, more insight into his personality and the challenges of raising him would have helped round out the picture.
Young’s relative lack of attention to his personal life feels less like self-editing than simple honesty: he often describes his life as being “dedicated to the muse.” Drugs and alcohol form an integral part of that muse. Young explains that he hasn’t written a single song since going sober in 2011. He may, however, have found a different outlet for his creative side: Young credits sobriety with unleashing his inner author, and we can apparently look forward not only to another instalment in his memoirs, but a book of fiction as well. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member nemoman
This is an engaging, well written autobiography. Despite its size, it is a quick read because it is broken into short chapters. It wanders back and forth through time, and in places is repetitious. If Neil has any scores to settle, he bites his tongue. He has nothing but good things to say, even as
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to persons he reputedly has had a falling out with. He thanks numerous people for both small and large things they have done for him. His love for his son Ben, who is disabled from cerebral palsy is touching. You gain some insight into his music, but not as much as I had hoped. Show Less
LibraryThing member Big_Bang_Gorilla
If you've ever wanted to ride from here to Ann Arbor and listen to the great Neil Young ramble on, this is your book. This is probably the most honest and genuine book I've ever read, in terms of an author (and there's no way this could have been ghostwritten) expressing what's on his mind at one
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stage of his life. This is endearing, particularly since Young is unafraid to get into some pretty un-rock-n-roll territory, such as his fears of developing dementia and how he and his wife's dog handled a roadside emergency. The main downside to all this here-and-now is that his musical reminiscences are relatively few and extremely scattershot; the book is nearly useless as a chronicle of his career, though admittedly the interested reader can find this in the considerable biography "Shakey" by Jimmy McDonough. The reader must also wade through repetitive, uninteresting accounts of various automotive and electronics projects, notably a gadget he's pitching to improve the quality of downloaded music. And his attempts to present himself as a scientist are laughable; every opinion he expresses is easy to disprove. But I wouldn't have missed this book for the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member exfed
Imagine you'e on a cross-country road trip and your only passenger is Neil Young. You've got tons of time to kill. In a kind of a rambling, disjointed way, he tells you what's on his mind as he reminisces about his music career, family, friends, and whatever comes into his mind. That's what Waging
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Heavy Peace is to me. A solid look into the sole and mind of a great musician. Show Less
LibraryThing member knightlight777
This book in a way could be considered an autobiography. However you find that Neil jumps around into different times of his productive career and life so that it becomes more like a wandering reminiscence. He repeatedly returns to his two current causes, Lincvolt his attempt to pioneer a large
As he moves into his senior years he watches as his friends and colleagues for the rock years leave the scene. And we discover his happy family life with his cherished wife and 3 children. He talks about his views on many topics including religion which I was surprised to learn were much like mine.
Few artists have attained the longevity and popularity over the years as Neil Young has and now even he has had to come to terms the his heavy partying past in an attempt to extend those years. The best part is that it comes from Neil himself, and he writes quite well. He says he will write more and that will certainly be welcomed.
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size electric car and Pono his quest to bring back the dynamic sound range that was taken away by the advent of CD, MP3, and other forms of digital music.As he moves into his senior years he watches as his friends and colleagues for the rock years leave the scene. And we discover his happy family life with his cherished wife and 3 children. He talks about his views on many topics including religion which I was surprised to learn were much like mine.
Few artists have attained the longevity and popularity over the years as Neil Young has and now even he has had to come to terms the his heavy partying past in an attempt to extend those years. The best part is that it comes from Neil himself, and he writes quite well. He says he will write more and that will certainly be welcomed.
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LibraryThing member visceral-realist
Neil's book is divided into 68, short chapters, which appear to be just a series of poorly constructed ramblings that jump back and forth in time and subject matter; just about anything that evidently popped into Neil's mind is inclusion worthy. And popping continuously into Neil's head and book is
Plus, I found it tedious to read Neil's numerous "shout-outs of thanks" to a stream of famous and not so famous people with whom he has interacted over the years.
Getting to the quick, this a very poorly written book. In the book Neil threatens to continue writing books. I would advise taking a basic writing course prior.
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"Pono", his "superior to MP3" music delivery development, which by the end of the book begins to come close to peddling.Plus, I found it tedious to read Neil's numerous "shout-outs of thanks" to a stream of famous and not so famous people with whom he has interacted over the years.
Getting to the quick, this a very poorly written book. In the book Neil threatens to continue writing books. I would advise taking a basic writing course prior.
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LibraryThing member realbigcat
This is Neil's book in his own words and any fan would certianly enjoy reading this book. Neil puts his thoughts down a numerous short chapters jumping from one subject to another. it almost has a fell of Neil interviewing himself. SOme of his main thoughts that continue throughout the book are his
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large electric car project and his battle to bring back real music sound that he feels was lost with the advent of CDs, MP3s and other digital music. Neil talks a lot about the people in his life and his career. It almost seems as if he is trying to mend some fences as I can't find a negative comment about anyone. It's nice to see how devoted he is to his wife Pegi and his children. Perhaps he is mellowing out in his senior years but is still passionate and grateful for what he has and achieved. I'm a lifelong fan and I hope he writes some more. Show Less
LibraryThing member UnderMyAppleTree
Neil Young is still going strong. With his entertaining and engaging memoir, he proves he hasn’t burned out or faded away.
Neil looks back on his life, the good, the bad, his mistakes and his achievements interspersed with opinions and stories in a stream of conscious manner rather than a
He doesn’t shy away from discussing personal issues like his son’s medical problems and relationships with the women in his life. He talks about giving up all recreational drugs and drinking, fearing a resultant loss of creativity, and worries of one day suffering from dementia like his father.
I am not always a big fan of the rock star memoir genre often finding them too heavy on the sex, drugs and groupie tales, but this was not like that. Sure, there were some tales of wild parties and drug fueled times, but told in context and not glorified.
This was more than just a nostalgic trip back though the 70s and 80s. Not only has Neil Young been an influential musician and a supporter of environmental and philanthropic causes, but he continues to be an influence on the future with his plans to create a better system of audio delivery. He is developing a new method called Pono (originally called Pure Tone) which will deliver studio quality sound. He doesn’t try to hide is distaste for mp3′s low quality, how the shuffle button ruined the album, and how YouTube makes things more difficult for performers. He returns to the topic of music quality a few times throughout the book and if you don’t about Pono by the end, you haven’t been paying attention!
Read by Keith Carradine in a conversational tone that matches the stream of consciousness style of writing, the story moves along at a fast pace, keeping the listener engaged. Told in a single voice, this is an easy audio to follow and was a great choice for me while I multitasked around the house. The one criticism I have with audio versions of memoirs is that I miss seeing the photos that are often included in the print book. Some audio versions are now including a pdf file of the photos but sadly this one did not. I did take a look at the print copy and it does have a photo at the beginning of each chapter, many of them from the 70s and 80s, something avid fans would appreciate having.
Enjoyable and entertaining, music and memoir fans will find this a satisfying read.
Neil looks back on his life, the good, the bad, his mistakes and his achievements interspersed with opinions and stories in a stream of conscious manner rather than a
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chronological life story. He talks about his family, his children, how his father’s influence eventually led him to writing and of course the music. He talks about many influential people within the music industry, most of which I was unfamiliar with, but that more ardent fans will appreciate.He doesn’t shy away from discussing personal issues like his son’s medical problems and relationships with the women in his life. He talks about giving up all recreational drugs and drinking, fearing a resultant loss of creativity, and worries of one day suffering from dementia like his father.
I am not always a big fan of the rock star memoir genre often finding them too heavy on the sex, drugs and groupie tales, but this was not like that. Sure, there were some tales of wild parties and drug fueled times, but told in context and not glorified.
This was more than just a nostalgic trip back though the 70s and 80s. Not only has Neil Young been an influential musician and a supporter of environmental and philanthropic causes, but he continues to be an influence on the future with his plans to create a better system of audio delivery. He is developing a new method called Pono (originally called Pure Tone) which will deliver studio quality sound. He doesn’t try to hide is distaste for mp3′s low quality, how the shuffle button ruined the album, and how YouTube makes things more difficult for performers. He returns to the topic of music quality a few times throughout the book and if you don’t about Pono by the end, you haven’t been paying attention!
Read by Keith Carradine in a conversational tone that matches the stream of consciousness style of writing, the story moves along at a fast pace, keeping the listener engaged. Told in a single voice, this is an easy audio to follow and was a great choice for me while I multitasked around the house. The one criticism I have with audio versions of memoirs is that I miss seeing the photos that are often included in the print book. Some audio versions are now including a pdf file of the photos but sadly this one did not. I did take a look at the print copy and it does have a photo at the beginning of each chapter, many of them from the 70s and 80s, something avid fans would appreciate having.
Enjoyable and entertaining, music and memoir fans will find this a satisfying read.
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LibraryThing member dazzyj
This is self indulgent and meandering for much of its length (no surprises there - it's Neil) and worse, it strikes the faintly insincere notes of a man pleading for forgiveness for all his thoughtlessness over the years. But it is redeemed by an introspective and moving close. Stay with it if
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you're a fan - if you're not, then it may not be worth your time. Show Less
LibraryThing member fine-line
This is a beautiful memoir of a passionate artist. It reads like a letter from a good friend. I think that those who are not familiar with Neil Young's work or those who have never read a series of personal letters might find this format frustrating. However, those who have even loosely followed
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Young's life and career would probably find it an accurate and tender reflection of the man in his own words. I found the book of great value and inspiring - much like the music that he has so generously shared with us all. Show Less
LibraryThing member indylrm
I enjoyed reading this, but it's not well written at all. Someone of Young's caliber can do whatever he wants.
LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
‘Waging Heavy Peace’ is Neil Young’s 500 page autobiography. He used no ghostwriter or collaborator; he just sat down and started typing in such an easy, conversational style that the reader can imagine themselves sitting down with him in front of a fire, listening to him talk.
The book
More than once I got lost as to what point in time Young was writing about after a sudden switch, which forced me to go back a couple of pages and see where I’d missed the transition, but it’s small price to pay for this journey through his past. I found the passages about his music the most interesting, how the songs related to things that were going on in his life. He wrote ‘Cinnamon Girl’, ‘Cowgirl in the Sand’, and ‘Down By the River’ in one feverish day while he had a bad case of the flue. Another album was written while he waited for the operation to repair a brain aneurysm. The sheer volume of things Young has accomplished is amazing: all the music, the benefit performances, the Bridge School, Farm Aid, his work on model train advancements, Lincvolt, Pono, creating ways for his quadriplegic son to be included in everything the family does. He is an inspiration. Long may he run.
The book
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covers his life from childhood to present; his music, his friends, his failed relationships, his children, his fellow musicians, his health (lots of problems), his love of toy trains and big old 1950s and ‘60s cars, and his two current projects: Lincvolt, an old Continental turned into an electric car; and Pono (originally PureTone), a super high quality music system that can be streamed. It’s a bit of a ramble; he jumps from the here and now- what is happening with the Lincvolt project, with Pono- to his early days, starting out in music; then to a reverie about The Horse, as he refers to Crazy Horse, his long time band, which he speaks of as an entity that is more than the people who make it up. He mentions more than once that, on his doctor’s advice, he has quit smoking pot and drinking. His father had dementia, and the doctor has seen a shadowy ‘something’ on a brain MRI. He points out that since he quit, he has not written one bit of music, and you can tell there is some fear there that this dry spell might be more than a spell. But he’s still got lots of projects going; even if he was to never write another note of music he’d still be busy for the next 40 years at least. I do hope that does not turn out to be the case, though! More than once I got lost as to what point in time Young was writing about after a sudden switch, which forced me to go back a couple of pages and see where I’d missed the transition, but it’s small price to pay for this journey through his past. I found the passages about his music the most interesting, how the songs related to things that were going on in his life. He wrote ‘Cinnamon Girl’, ‘Cowgirl in the Sand’, and ‘Down By the River’ in one feverish day while he had a bad case of the flue. Another album was written while he waited for the operation to repair a brain aneurysm. The sheer volume of things Young has accomplished is amazing: all the music, the benefit performances, the Bridge School, Farm Aid, his work on model train advancements, Lincvolt, Pono, creating ways for his quadriplegic son to be included in everything the family does. He is an inspiration. Long may he run.
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LibraryThing member waitingtoderail
James Joyce he ain't, but despite the conversational style and endless repetitions about his current obsessions, I couldn't help but enjoy the book. He's clearly insufferable in person, but so enthusiastic about music, life and its possibilities, and so head-over-heels in love with his kids that it
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overrode all other reservations about the book. Should've been about a hundred pages shorter, and he should write a whole book about his relationship with his kids, that's where he shines best here. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who isn't already a very big fan, the McDonough biography should serve better for more casual Young enthusiasts. Show Less
LibraryThing member MSarki
It was good to spend some time with the real Neil. Sober now for seven months at the time of his last page it was obvious he was trying on voices and ideas about who he was and might be. Though goofy and rather emotionally stunted in parts, I found the book an honest attempt to get clean and come
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clean with his past and where he goes from here. Not the writer he thinks he is, there is a promise at the back of more books to come which I think might not be such a good idea. Neil Young needs a filter and is not the type of personality to either recognize or accept the outside help in editing or the extremely necessary revising of his words. In most cases this book was a "love it or leave it" enterprise. I know some readers who left, but I wasn't one of them. I stayed for the duration no matter how goofy and sentimental the old boy was creaming on me. His spiritual ramblings were just that and difficult to be taken seriously. His lyrics were never his strong suit and the inclusion of some of them for our edification was pathetic at best. But Neil, long may you run pal. Long may you run. Show Less
LibraryThing member JoeCottonwood
Neil and I are neighbors, sort of. For 30-odd years. That is, we live on the same mountain and I pass by his gate all the time when I'm on the way to some job or other (I'm in construction). We've been in the same places, sometimes, but we've never talked. I'm fine with that, and I'm sure he is,
This book is all the conversations we never had. A lifetime of rambling chitchat, some of it silly, some of it boring, most of it straight from the heart. Neil is an amazing, funny, honest man. I already knew it from his music and his interviews, but this book fills in the blanks: his old cars, his Lionel trains, his family, his wonderful children. (His son Ben sells eggs, and I've bought them - it's all part of the neighborhood.)
It's a mess of a book, and I love it. Don't go methodically from page one to the end. You'll go nuts. I read it pretty much the way I read an encyclopedia: here and there, skipping around, following what interests me at that particular time. Like conversing (well, listening) with an old friend. Which Neil and I are. Only he doesn't know it.
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too. He's a public person but a private soul. People should be left alone when they want to be left alone. This book is all the conversations we never had. A lifetime of rambling chitchat, some of it silly, some of it boring, most of it straight from the heart. Neil is an amazing, funny, honest man. I already knew it from his music and his interviews, but this book fills in the blanks: his old cars, his Lionel trains, his family, his wonderful children. (His son Ben sells eggs, and I've bought them - it's all part of the neighborhood.)
It's a mess of a book, and I love it. Don't go methodically from page one to the end. You'll go nuts. I read it pretty much the way I read an encyclopedia: here and there, skipping around, following what interests me at that particular time. Like conversing (well, listening) with an old friend. Which Neil and I are. Only he doesn't know it.
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LibraryThing member JeremyCB31
As a huge fanboy of Neil Young, I was looking forward to this book much in the same way I look forward to a new Neil Young release. And like most Neil Young releases of late, I was disappointed.
Waging Heavy Peace is long-winded, disconnected, and more than anything reads like an advertisement for
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whatever crazy scheme Uncle Neil has coming down the pipeline, whether it be PureTone or the electric car. There is little emphasis on the man's actual music hisotry, and important events like Danny Whitten's death, or Neil's battle with Geffen are given so little ink you wonder whether they really had the impact on him that he has stated in other interviews.In the end, Waging Heavy Peace was a quick but tedious read for someone for whom Neil's music means so much.
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LibraryThing member rainidontmind
I really wanted to give this book 5 stars. I give it 4.5. I didn't give it 5 because, like some of his music, this book takes time to absorb. I read parts of it twice, and every time, I enjoyed it more and got more out of it the second time. I hope to read all of it again one day. It meanders; it
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is certainly not a traditional chronological autobiography, but I didn't mind that. There is a lot of hard-won beauty and wisdom in these pages, and humor as well. Young's personality and individuality comes through vibrantly, and that makes it a wonderful autobiography to me. Show Less
LibraryThing member jphamilton
I was very anxious for this book to come out, and the publisher helped out by releasing it a week early. I was able to enjoy it sooner and most completely. In the book, Young shares his advice for other aging rock stars, "Write about your life", but I've not read any other rock and roll biographies
The style is almost conversational with its short sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. Several times he speaks directly to the reader to say that if you aren't liking my style, simply pass the book on to someone else who might get into it. But I found his style to be so completely "Neil-like" that it worked perfectly. I have been a fan for decades and have read a great deal about him, but this book was like a whole new world. Supposition and guesses about what was going on at a particular time, with a particular project, or a particular person, is many times, quickly explained directly from the horses mouth.
The title, Waging Heavy Peace is a reference concerning his advanced sound process (that returns the 95% of the sound that MP3 files strip away from the original recording) and whether he see himself going to war with Apple and iTunes, no, Mr. Young will wage heavy peace.
Casual is the word this man's world. And full. Here's a man who's dad called Windy, because he was full of so many different ideas. You get to read about: his fascination with Lionel trains (so much so that he is a partial owner of the company, and has designed a control system, as well as a whistle and sound system) — his experiences creating movies and being central to films made about him and his music — his joy at the new experience of writing this book — the before-mentioned, high-quality music playback process — cars, cars, cars (transportation of most any kind cars, boats, trains, planes, etc.) — building homes, garages, and other structures — many other interests, beyond the music that is at his core.
He also voices a powerful worry, that giving up alcohol and weed has some how changed his music writing abilities. He continues to state how long it's been since he's written a new song. Since I saw him in concert with Crazy Horse not that long ago at Lake Tahoe, his music-writing abilities seem to have returned to him. He seems to hold very little back in the book (mostly when it's about other people) and is seeming to try and make amends for how difficult he is to work with, or for. He readably admits that he becomes totally obsessed with projects and wants them to be as good as possible — many times forgetting about any one else's feelings.
There are a lot of looks back (what else do you expect from a memoir) that involve friends, relatives, fellow musicians and music business folk, that have died along the way — these are people he loved, people that meant the world to him at one time or more. His emotions seem very honest, especially for someone that has been often time described as a uncaring jerk.
After finishing this book, I feel like I have spent some time listening to a friend describe much about his life and the things that are important to him. Neil has written something that meant a lot to this big fan of his. I really didn't think he had it in him — impressive.
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that I've enjoyed half, no, make that a quarter as much. The style is almost conversational with its short sentences, paragraphs, and chapters. Several times he speaks directly to the reader to say that if you aren't liking my style, simply pass the book on to someone else who might get into it. But I found his style to be so completely "Neil-like" that it worked perfectly. I have been a fan for decades and have read a great deal about him, but this book was like a whole new world. Supposition and guesses about what was going on at a particular time, with a particular project, or a particular person, is many times, quickly explained directly from the horses mouth.
The title, Waging Heavy Peace is a reference concerning his advanced sound process (that returns the 95% of the sound that MP3 files strip away from the original recording) and whether he see himself going to war with Apple and iTunes, no, Mr. Young will wage heavy peace.
Casual is the word this man's world. And full. Here's a man who's dad called Windy, because he was full of so many different ideas. You get to read about: his fascination with Lionel trains (so much so that he is a partial owner of the company, and has designed a control system, as well as a whistle and sound system) — his experiences creating movies and being central to films made about him and his music — his joy at the new experience of writing this book — the before-mentioned, high-quality music playback process — cars, cars, cars (transportation of most any kind cars, boats, trains, planes, etc.) — building homes, garages, and other structures — many other interests, beyond the music that is at his core.
He also voices a powerful worry, that giving up alcohol and weed has some how changed his music writing abilities. He continues to state how long it's been since he's written a new song. Since I saw him in concert with Crazy Horse not that long ago at Lake Tahoe, his music-writing abilities seem to have returned to him. He seems to hold very little back in the book (mostly when it's about other people) and is seeming to try and make amends for how difficult he is to work with, or for. He readably admits that he becomes totally obsessed with projects and wants them to be as good as possible — many times forgetting about any one else's feelings.
There are a lot of looks back (what else do you expect from a memoir) that involve friends, relatives, fellow musicians and music business folk, that have died along the way — these are people he loved, people that meant the world to him at one time or more. His emotions seem very honest, especially for someone that has been often time described as a uncaring jerk.
After finishing this book, I feel like I have spent some time listening to a friend describe much about his life and the things that are important to him. Neil has written something that meant a lot to this big fan of his. I really didn't think he had it in him — impressive.
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LibraryThing member nog
Pure Neil. I have never heard him give a straight answer to an interview question, and this book isn't much better. This rambling, disorganized book is for the mega-fan, preferably one without expectations. I guess there are a few interesting anecdotes, but much of it is about his pet projects,
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which disappear from the book only to to pop up again without warning or much elucidation. I like his music a whole lot better. A lot. Show Less
LibraryThing member dom61uk
Unlike any other autobiography I've ever read. You could probably loathe Neil Young's music, and still enjoy the extraordinary humanity this. Its great strength is perhaps its almost total lack of structure, as it flits forwards/backwards in time and from one subject to another (nature, cars,
The sort of book you'd prefer to own (rather than just read), in order to be able to dip into it whenever you feel in need of the "feelgood factor" that pervades Young's wonderful writing.
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recording technology, drugs, family affairs...) in the most spontaneous way imaginable.The sort of book you'd prefer to own (rather than just read), in order to be able to dip into it whenever you feel in need of the "feelgood factor" that pervades Young's wonderful writing.
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LibraryThing member dom61uk
Unlike any other autobiography I've ever read. You could probably loathe Neil Young's music, and still enjoy the extraordinary humanity this. Its great strength is perhaps its almost total lack of structure, as it flits forwards/backwards in time and from one subject to another (nature, cars,
The sort of book you'd prefer to own (rather than just read), in order to be able to dip into it whenever you feel in need of the "feelgood factor" that pervades Young's wonderful writing.
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recording technology, drugs, family affairs...) in the most spontaneous way imaginable.The sort of book you'd prefer to own (rather than just read), in order to be able to dip into it whenever you feel in need of the "feelgood factor" that pervades Young's wonderful writing.
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LibraryThing member pennsylady
1 audio discs
3.5 ★
This was not the most engaging autobi I've read but it was simple and down to earth.
I only knew Young from CSNY....I needed to take an opportunity to meet the man
3.5 ★
This was not the most engaging autobi I've read but it was simple and down to earth.
I only knew Young from CSNY....I needed to take an opportunity to meet the man
LibraryThing member orkydd
Neil Young gave up smoking, drinking and drugs after a health scare. But would this change in lifestyle cause the loss of his muse. In clunky prose, Young provides vignettes of his life as a rock and roll star, always doing things his way, despite the disappointment of others. He always follows the
It's a leisurely 650 page meander through the musings of a music great.
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music where it leads. As he does with his many projects - whether it is restoring old classic American cars, promoting a new music player (Pono), making model railways or developing an electric Yank Tank!It's a leisurely 650 page meander through the musings of a music great.
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LibraryThing member the.ken.petersen
This is a stream of consciousness autobiography: it does not start from our eponymous hero's birth until the present date, rather,it is an insight into his thinking.
Don't read this book hoping to get any understanding of Young's work or, in truth, his life. It is an entertaining read and leaves
Don't read this book hoping to get any understanding of Young's work or, in truth, his life. It is an entertaining read and leaves
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one quite endeared to the old rogue, but little wiser as to what makes him tick. We learn more about PureTone, his revolutionary new recording system and his love of old automobiles and model railroads - very rock and roll. Show Less
LibraryThing member Eye_Gee
Loved it. Reading it made me feel like I was hanging out with Neil for a few days. His writing style is simple but he reveals a complex character. He seems quite honest in his reflections, with a clear sense of his strengths and weaknesses and how he has impacted people over the years. Much time is
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devoted to describing the people he's worked closely with over the years, and his appreciation of them. More interesting in some ways was learning about the projects he's working on and the things he's collected over the years. To find out more you'll have to read it yourself :-) Show Less
LibraryThing member PrairieProgressive
As an artist, Young has never hesitated to explore musical styles, sometimes seemingly jumping quickly from one idiom to another. His memoir might jump around as much, if not more. Although providing some insight into his life, music and family, his book tends toward a stream of consciousness. That
(Originally posted at A Progressive on the Prairie.)
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alone isn't bad and Young's prose is highly readable. Yet what seems to interrupt the stream is occasional promotion of Pono, his high-resolution digital-to-analog conversion technology intended to present music as it sounds during studio recording sessions. (Originally posted at A Progressive on the Prairie.)
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Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
416 p.; 9.75 inches
ISBN
0399162844 / 9780399162848