A review by emilyinherhead
A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons by Ben Folds

adventurous funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.0

I’ve been a fan of Ben Folds’ music for over twenty years at this point, and I currently live in his hometown and am from the city where Ben Folds Five formed, so I feel like I’m the target audience for his memoir. It was interesting to read about how he got his start, what kind of person he was growing up (kind of an asshole, but well-intentioned), and the things he has learned as he has gotten older. I had fun remembering where I was and what I was doing when each of the albums he mentions were released, learning about the origin and meaning of some of my favorite songs, and finding out what was happening in his life at different points when I saw him on tour and assumed he had it all together (he did not). I don’t know if this book would hold much interest for folks who aren’t already familiar with Folds, but I enjoyed it.