To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt Summary and Reviews

To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt
by John Kruth

To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt
List Price: $17.50
Our Price: $4.99
You Save: $12.51 (71%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.38 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: John Kruth
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-03-03
ISBN: 0306816040
Number of pages: 360
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Book Reviews of To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt

Book Review: Waitin' 'round To Die
Summary: 4 Stars

Rarely has an artist received so much acclaim and recognition from critics and fellow musicians yet received so little fame and fortune. That is the case of Townes Van Zandt. His relatively short but enthralling life is well recorded by John Kruth in this excellent biography. That Townes Van Zandt was a superb writer of intensely sad and poetic songs is beyond doubt (some argue even greater than Dylan) and many of the reasons for his relative lack of wider popularity are also clear. Townes Van Zandt was self-destructive, literally drinking and drugging himself to death. Moreover, few artists have shown such little interest in their own success and career, merely singing and performing night after night for the simple joy of doing so. Much of Townes Van Zandt's recorded output was unfortunately characterised by suffocating, overblown production when simplicity would have worked so much better. Thankfully, (some of) his live performances (for example, Live at The Old Quarter) show Townes Van Zandt as he should be remembered. Kruth's understanding and discussion of these issues is crucial to the success of his biography. The author must be congratulated for writing such a well researched and informed biography about someone who clearly touched so deeply those fortunate enough to have had contact with him personally or through his music.

Biographies & Memoirs Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Biographies & Memoirs Books
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance ImageDreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
by Barack Obama
Canongate Books; Published: 2007-01; Paperback; Book
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance ImageDreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
by Barack Obama
Crown; Published: 2007-01-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.22
Price in other shops: $25.95
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia ImageEat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Bloomsbury; Published: 2006; Paperback; Book
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia ImageEat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2007-01-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.40
Price in other shops: $15.00
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea ImageAre You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
by Chelsea Handler
Simon Spotlight Entertainment; Published: 2008-04-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.75
Price in other shops: $24.95
sTORI Telling ImagesTORI Telling
by Tori Spelling
Simon Spotlight; Published: 2008-03-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.72
Price in other shops: $24.95
My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey ImageMy Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey
by Jill Bolte Taylor
Viking Adult; Published: 2008-05-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.25
Price in other shops: $24.95
Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons ImageWisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons
by Tim Russert
Random House Trade Paperbacks; Published: 2007-05-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.97
Price in other shops: $13.95
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time ImageThree Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
by Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2007-01-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.04
Price in other shops: $15.00
Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life ImageBig Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life
by Tim Russert
Miramax; Published: 2005-05-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.65
Price in other shops: $13.95
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Our Mother the Mountain ImageTownes Van Zandt - Our Mother the Mountain
Release date: 2007-05-15; Music CD
Best price: $7.78
Price in other shops: $14.98
A Gentle Evening with Townes Van Zandt ImageTownes Van Zandt - A Gentle Evening with Townes Van Zandt
Release date: 2002-04-23; Music CD
Best price: $8.39
Price in other shops: $12.98
Live from Austin, TX ImageLive from Austin, TX
RED DISTRIBUTION; Release date: 2007-04-17; DVD
Best price: $11.15
Price in other shops: $16.98
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon ImageI'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon
by Crystal Zevon
Harper Paperbacks; Published: 2008-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.16
Price in other shops: $15.95
Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music ImageTwenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music
by David Meyer
Villard; Published: 2008-09-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.69
Price in other shops: $18.00
Bonfire of Roadmaps (Brad and Michele Moore Roots Music Series) ImageBonfire of Roadmaps (Brad and Michele Moore Roots Music Series)
by Joe Ely
University of Texas Press; Published: 2007-02-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.44
Price in other shops: $19.95
A Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt (North Texas Lives of Musicians) ImageA Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt (North Texas Lives of Musicians)
by Robert Earl Hardy
University of North Texas Press; Published: 2008-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $16.21
Price in other shops: $24.95
Heartworn Highways ImageHeartworn Highways
Release date: 2005-05-10; DVD
Best price: $9.26
Price in other shops: $14.99
Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas ImageTownes Van Zandt - Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Release date: 2007-02-05; Music CD
Best price: $13.09
Price in other shops: $27.98
Townes Van Zandt - Be Here to Love Me ImageTownes Van Zandt - Be Here to Love Me
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION; Release date: 2006-03-14; DVD
Best price: $15.02
Price in other shops: $24.98