I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon
by Crystal Zevon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Crystal ZevonEdition: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2007-05
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Ecco
Book Reviews of I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon
Book Review: Yes, enjoy every sandwhich ... A true tortured genius who found some peace
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this book to be deeply moving, affecting and touching. It allowed me to travel with Warren through his life, thanks to interviews with friends and family, and - from what I gather - a compulsion to write in a diary every day. We see him struggle with a weird childhood, pre-stardom, a lust for stardom, serious drink problems, stardom, serious drink problems, sobriety, post-stardom ... and a struggle to make a living from his art as his star dipped. He was on a seemingly constant search for a label, to record, then tour - all the while struggling (and succeeding) to stay true to sobriety. His last release gave him the gift of closure and even peace with those around him.
I ran through quite a gamut of emotions while reading "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead". Among them: Shocked, repelled, amazed, in awe (of the creative spark), laugh-out-loud at his way of looking at life, charmed, angered at the abusive behaviour, shocked (again), repelled (again) charmed (again) and amazed (again). I even felt hungover myself sometimes just reading the sheer quantity of booze he drank at the height of his madness, black outs and rages.
I am struck at how very lucky Warren was to have a core group of individuals, such as Jackson Browne, who stuck with him through some really truly horrible Warren-created awful times and behaviour towards his friends and family. In an era before interventions and stays at Rehab were common place, people just seemed to 'deal' with Warren - the horrible part - along with the loving, creative genius.
In the really early days, terminal hipster Kim Fowley counseled him to get a persona, such as being a prick, but a 'literary prick'... and Warren certainly was for many years. If you looked past the actual shocking things he did, you could see a self-destructive nature. He seemed afraid of success and happiness.
And that gun thing. Yikes. He could so easily have gone the Spector route. Maybe something deep down inside of him never went that psycho. But there were still harrowing moments, such as very real physical abuse of women - and men. Horrible really. If I had been Crystal when he hit her very hard in her face (during a black out) - I would have run and never, ever returned.
A core part of this book for me were the background stories, anecdotes from his friends and family (lots of unvarnished, often bittersweet of hilarious memories), beginnings of lyrics, and nuggets of behind-the-songs ...
This book compelled me to buy many of Warren's albums - to listen to the lyrics afresh, savouring the stories behind them and having a better understanding of his talent and genius. I highly recommend Stand in the Fire - which is a live performance right after he became sober. He sounds exhuberant, grateful to be alive and humble at getting and staying sober.
Meet the real Warren Zevon: he of the brainy wicked humor, whip smart retorts, classically trained musicianship, writer of smart, droll, morbid, romantic lyrics, a man tinged with a whiff of tragedy, a vein of cravenness, a deep cruel streak, a dose of self-pity, fun and games, and a joy of life awkwardly balanced between genius and deep utter despair.
Just as his family, many friends and his fans did, accept Embrace Warren Zevon warts and all.
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