The Autobiography of Donovan: The Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan Leitch Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Autobiography of Donovan: The Hurdy Gurdy Man
Book Review: Once upon a time, January 26, 2006
Summary: 4 Stars
Reviewer: Jan S?ttrup from Denmark While volumes have been published on other pop-icons of the so-called swinging sixties, an interview with Donovan has been almost impossible to come by. A void now filled by the minstrel himself in a recount of infancy in Glasgow, boyhood north of London, teens on the beaches of Cornwall, guitar in St. Albans - from there catapulted into the dark space of international stardom. Still touring and recording he paints a portrait of himself then as a will-you-won't-you character. Who wants love and dismisses her. Who transforms his music into folk-rock and beyond with strings, reeds and brass, Latin rhythms and eastern instruments, anticipating contemporary pioneers Beatles, Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan. And who gives it all up. For love. The reminiscences covers the first two scores of the protagonists life as seen from the perspective of an older self, presently sixty years of age. Told fragmentary and meditative, mostly humble, occasionally cocksure, seldom pompous. Outside the scope of the book Mr. Donovan Leitch concluded his stay at a major record company with a haunting opus called A Well Known Has-Been. That same painful honesty runs through the pages of the autobiography chasing the reader towards unfairly forgotten landmark songs.