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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
A definite read for Neil Young fans. Rambling and jumping time periods, it is valuable for the recollections of the past and where he is at the present.
Really fascinating, even if it is a bit disjointed and rambling in places. It is Neil's voice, Neil's words.
I didn’t know too much about Neil before starting this book, only that I liked his music. I think the book is well-written for a die hard fan but I just didn’t like the way he came across as a person, nor did I really care to read about all of the old cars and his obsession with PureTone/Pono.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
challenging
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Neil Young is one of my favorite artists, and it's equal parts fantastic and infuriating that this memoir is literally 512 pages of Neil's unfiltered & unedited conversations with the reader. One chapter could be a heartwarming tale of connection with his son or a tale of the road; and then it's bookended by ceaseless ramblings about Pono, his idea for a lossless iPod, or LincVolt, an electric car he's been prototyping. I know as much about Lionel Trains' inner workings now as I do Neil's songwriting process, and I'm not sure which peers more into his head.
In short; this is Neil as a person's autobiography. Not Neil the musician -- it just feels like Neil is your grandpa sending you text messages about whatever is on his mind at any given time. In some ways it's sweet; but in other ways you'll probably learn more about him from his Wikipedia article.
In short; this is Neil as a person's autobiography. Not Neil the musician -- it just feels like Neil is your grandpa sending you text messages about whatever is on his mind at any given time. In some ways it's sweet; but in other ways you'll probably learn more about him from his Wikipedia article.
The book reads like a very personal blog which has been curated into something larger without the benefit of a professional editor. That gives it a very raw feel which is probably what Neil was going for. It took me a bit of effort to get through, I believe as a result of the editing. For example, individuals important to Young are reintroduced as if you've never seen them before, sometimes in adjoining chapters. Some of the story gets repetitive, but with novel nuggets strewn in.
All in all its a very personal and approachable piece that makes me feel like I know who Neil Young is much more so than I did before.
All in all its a very personal and approachable piece that makes me feel like I know who Neil Young is much more so than I did before.
FIRST LINE REVIEW: "When I was young, I never dreamed of this." Neil Young...love him or hate him. Well, maybe not hate. But I know plenty of people who just don't get him. Me, I've loved his music and voice since discovering his "Decades" LP at summer camp back in the late 70s. And now I've had him talking in my ear for the past four days while I listened to him ramble about whatever popped into his head at that moment. That's this book! Not a tidy, chronological autobiography, but rather...a bit, sprawling mess, full of fun stories, occasional rants, lots of repetition, but a lot of fun and heart, too! He's written as if he's just sharing without any filter (or editor) in the room and I came to appreciate that. Not a great book, but a very fun one. Side note: on the day I finished it, I visited the site of the Woodstock Festival. Perfect ending!
This is a fun book. Not especially well written, nor really a memoir or bio, it resembles nothing so much as sitting and listening to your favorite, but goofiest, uncle ramble after Thanksgiving dinner. Engrossing stories about Buffalo Springfield and CSNY are interspersed with tirades about the intolerable sound quality of the MP3 format and what repair work he's done on any number of classic cars that you've never heard of. Profound insight and quotes are juxtaposed with the corniest, endlessly groan-worthy quips "is that a song title or what?" Oh, Uncle Neil ... Overall, however, I must admit I really enjoyed the conversational tone and there's enough meat in here to make it really worthwhile -- also, for what it's worth, Neil's outlook on life is positive and valuable, so instead of being simply informative, this book made me feel good.
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Absolutely love Neil Young, and have seen him love several time. Because of that, my review may be biased, but loved the stories from his career
funny
informative
reflective