Scan barcode
zoroco's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
timinbc's review against another edition
4.0
Three stars by any rational measure - but somehow I'm giving it four anyway. It rambles, repeats itself, bogs down in detail or flies over important stuff.
It's easy to say it needs an editor or a ghost writer - but it wouldn't have been the same and might not have been better.
Near the end Young reflects that he might have been a better person. But throughout the book it's clear that for all his clashes and snap decisions, he has also spent time being a good person. We see who he worked with and who influenced him; we get a feel for the things he obsesses about.
We see a lot of evidence that Young has had a lot of money for a long time. If he sees something he likes, he buys it or funds it. Near the end he has eight houses on two properties. But he never once seems like a guy who was ever motivated by money. His laser focus on music is very clear. It's lost him friends, and made him friends, and brought in that money that lets him have hobbies.
And it's fascinating to see that the music focus perhaps spills over to his hobbies, in sort of a go-big-or-go-home way.
And we see a bit about his relationship with his two physically-challenged sons. It's clear that having money helped him deal with the challenges, but nevertheless it's quite remarkable that the boys appear as his friends who happen to need help doing things. A lot goes unsaid, but it's his choice.
And we gradually come to understand, now that he's clean and dry, the amazing extent to which Young spent decades marinading in drugs and alcohol, and managed to steer through when some close friends didn't.
Conclusion from book: he's really one of a kind, and interesting.
It's easy to say it needs an editor or a ghost writer - but it wouldn't have been the same and might not have been better.
Near the end Young reflects that he might have been a better person. But throughout the book it's clear that for all his clashes and snap decisions, he has also spent time being a good person. We see who he worked with and who influenced him; we get a feel for the things he obsesses about.
We see a lot of evidence that Young has had a lot of money for a long time. If he sees something he likes, he buys it or funds it. Near the end he has eight houses on two properties. But he never once seems like a guy who was ever motivated by money. His laser focus on music is very clear. It's lost him friends, and made him friends, and brought in that money that lets him have hobbies.
And it's fascinating to see that the music focus perhaps spills over to his hobbies, in sort of a go-big-or-go-home way.
And we see a bit about his relationship with his two physically-challenged sons. It's clear that having money helped him deal with the challenges, but nevertheless it's quite remarkable that the boys appear as his friends who happen to need help doing things. A lot goes unsaid, but it's his choice.
And we gradually come to understand, now that he's clean and dry, the amazing extent to which Young spent decades marinading in drugs and alcohol, and managed to steer through when some close friends didn't.
Conclusion from book: he's really one of a kind, and interesting.
bartonstanley's review against another edition
5.0
As a long time Neil Young listener I enjoyed this book immensely. Some have noted here that it is not an autobiography and I agree, though I part company with those who see that as a negative. It has made me realize that biographies and autobiographies attempt to fit some expected form and in doing that they paradoxically lose the essence of the subject.
Reading this work (of art) I have a better understanding of Mr. Young as an artist and human being, and precisely because it eschews expected forms. On example is a few paragraphs about a bow and two arrows that he purchased at an antique shop. There is no big reveal at the end of that narrative but it gives the reader a glimpse of something important and meaningful to him, something that would likely not be shared in a more formal autobiography. It is almost like a window into his soul.
Before you read this book, throw out any ideas of a neat, chronological narrative and of getting a clear understanding about the trajectory of his career. Instead, open your mind and heart to letting the author tell you about himself in his own way, for what better way is there to get to know someone that you may never really know?
Reading this work (of art) I have a better understanding of Mr. Young as an artist and human being, and precisely because it eschews expected forms. On example is a few paragraphs about a bow and two arrows that he purchased at an antique shop. There is no big reveal at the end of that narrative but it gives the reader a glimpse of something important and meaningful to him, something that would likely not be shared in a more formal autobiography. It is almost like a window into his soul.
Before you read this book, throw out any ideas of a neat, chronological narrative and of getting a clear understanding about the trajectory of his career. Instead, open your mind and heart to letting the author tell you about himself in his own way, for what better way is there to get to know someone that you may never really know?
duparker's review against another edition
5.0
What a great memoir. For all the reasons that Roger Ebert's Life Itself was so perfect, this book excels. The book is not linear, nor is it thematic. It is a conversation with the author in written form. You get bits and pieces along the way about his life, his loves, and his mind set. I expected more about certain albums, but wasn't disappointed that it wasn't a encyclopedia of albums. Instead it worked really well to read through and learn what Neil felt you should know.
The cars, and dogs and all the side aspects of the book come at the right time. I found it fun to learn about the different cars he's had and why he values them. His various dogs and his relationships with them are fun, as a dog owner. Most interesting are his relationships with friends and family. Sometimes it is easy to forget that celebrities are people too. Reading stories about how Neil and Bruce Springsteen worked through the loss of friends and sidemen. Celebrities need support networks just like the reader does. This love and trueness to the writing was refreshing and alive.
I don't think you need to be a Neil Young fan to enjoy this book. It will help, but isn't required. A word of warning is that there is repetition and redundancy. I didn't find this to be a problem, because it wasn't rambling, or done in an annoying way. It was just part of the conversation. It was the same sort've repetition that old friends have hanging out and telling stories, you get caught up and tell some things over and over, and enjoy them each time.
That made the book feel all that more honest and clearly written by someone who enjoys life and values the successes and failures they have experienced.
Best part: I learned a new mantra "Life is a shit sandwich, eat it or starve."
The cars, and dogs and all the side aspects of the book come at the right time. I found it fun to learn about the different cars he's had and why he values them. His various dogs and his relationships with them are fun, as a dog owner. Most interesting are his relationships with friends and family. Sometimes it is easy to forget that celebrities are people too. Reading stories about how Neil and Bruce Springsteen worked through the loss of friends and sidemen. Celebrities need support networks just like the reader does. This love and trueness to the writing was refreshing and alive.
I don't think you need to be a Neil Young fan to enjoy this book. It will help, but isn't required. A word of warning is that there is repetition and redundancy. I didn't find this to be a problem, because it wasn't rambling, or done in an annoying way. It was just part of the conversation. It was the same sort've repetition that old friends have hanging out and telling stories, you get caught up and tell some things over and over, and enjoy them each time.
That made the book feel all that more honest and clearly written by someone who enjoys life and values the successes and failures they have experienced.
Best part: I learned a new mantra "Life is a shit sandwich, eat it or starve."
ellenczuba's review against another edition
1.0
Even if you're Neil Young's #1 fan, this book is hard to get through. It contains nothing but totally random, incoherent ramblings and he continuously tells some of the same stories over and over. I was hoping to read this - not knowing a ton about Neil Young - and then fall in love with him and his music afterwards; like when I read Scar Tissue without knowing much about the RHCP and fell in love with that band. Not the case. Unfortunately this book is probably most interesting for those who love random musings about stupid cars. I'll revisit Neil's music in more depth once I've forgotten about this book. 2 stars because the story about Charlie Manson was pretty funny.
thelucyfan's review against another edition
2.0
I so wanted to love it but I found myself asking “ who cares?”
emmamgregory's review against another edition
1.0
You would have to be a real fan of Neil Young to like his autobiography, this is one of the only times I've given up on a book, I couldn't get past the first 100 pages. Neil darts from one topic to another never really finishing his thoughts, he throws random names into sentences that would mean nothing to even his die-hard fans. I'll stick to loving his song Harvest Moon and maybe he should have stuck to writing it.