Willie Nelson: An Epic Life
Little, Brown and Company - Little, Brown and Company
Release date: 2008-04-05
Hardcover
Author: Joe Nick Patoski
Biography: film, television & music, Biography: general, Country & western, Country And Western Music, Popular Music, Biography & Autobiography, Biography / Autobiography, Biography/Autobiography, Biography & Autobiography / Composers & Musicians, Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts, Biography & Autobiography / General, Composers & Musicians - Country & Folk, Entertainment & Performing Arts - General, Composers & Musicians - General, 1933-, Biography, Country musicians, Nelson, Willie,, United States, Biography: The Arts
average reviews
0 vote
0 vote
React and review
Willie Nelson: An Epic Life
Date undefinedOverwritten by at least a third. No gig, no woman, no bar, no tall tale goes untold in this music bio. I found myself skimming many pages because the detail is so extraneous. You'll get the outline of Willie's life here, and the book is good on the lesser-known early years before "Stardust" made Willie big business. But it's just more than you'll want to know unless you are an absolute fanatic. The author did a much better, far more concise job on the Stevie Ray Vaughan story. Read this if you want to know about Willie's years as a drifter, dj, song plugger and big time booze, pill and women hound. Or you could just stare at Willie's weathered face because the same stories are all written right there.
Willie Nelson: An Epic Life
Date undefinedI can understand that the reason for this book's existence may coincide with the fact that Willie Nelson recently turned 75. Unfortunately, with the glut of other Willie books currently on the market, the best part of this one is the picture on the cover. The cast of characters are all familiar to the hard-core fan by now, and the story has been told in half a dozen other books before - including Willie's own autobiography and Graeme Thomson's "Willie Nelson: The Outlaw" that only just came out in 2006. Even the picture section is pretty thin, with many already-familiar images, none of them in color. For someone who does not currently own a book on Mr. Nelson it would definitely be a good buy, as it certainly is comprehensive and a good effort; I personally checked this out of the public library to preview it before making the decision whether or not to part with $30.00, but I have to say that with five other Willie Nelson books already in my collection, I will skip this one.
Willie Nelson: An Epic Life
Date undefinedI had the good fortune to not only live in Austin during the 70's "Willie" years but to have also been to his 3 day 1976 Gonzales picnic and to his 1980's picnic at his Pedernales place. I've also seen him play golf which is a site to behold. I'd always heard about his womanizing, drug use, and epic struggle to be a star but didn't know if all of it or even part of it, was true. This book puts all of those myths and rumors to rest. Yes indeed his first wife did beat him with a broom stick while he was passed out drunk! This book shows all of Shotgun Willie sitting around in his underwear. He's a mean drunk and a loyal friend. He's a drug abuser and a philanthropist. He's a "not there" father but a raiser of funds for churches, farmers, and friends with unpaid tax bills.
At times this book can be tedious with detail particularly about Willie's early music life. And, as another reader said,overloaded with compound sentences. But strap yourself in, get your beverage of choice, and enjoy reading about this true Red Headed Stranger.
