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To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 780
EAN: 9780306816048
ISBN: 0306816040
Label: Da Capo Press
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 360
Publication Date: March 03, 2008
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Studio: Da Capo Press
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Editorial Review:
At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as “Pancho & Lefty” and “If I Needed You.” Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse, whatever the cost to himself, friends, and relatives. Based on exclusive interviews with those close to Van Zandt, including his best friend Guy Clark and colleagues like Steve Earle and John Prine, To Live’s to Fly captures all the humor, hijinks, poetry, and heartbreak of this revered, genuinely outlaw country artist.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Worthwhile for Townes Fans
This is a worthwhile read for Townes fans although it won't leave you in the sunshine. The writing is very erratic, almost like each chapter is a magazine article with little connection. Even in chapters the subject changes abruptly with little or no transition.
Rating: - Not the Definitive Van Zandt Bio
Townes Van Zandt is a music legend in Texas and was, without a doubt, one of the most talented songwriters of his generation. In addition, Van Zandt had a memorable singing voice and style that make him instantly recognizable to anyone even casually familiar with his work. Sadly, Van Zandt also was an alcoholic of epic proportions and that contributed to the fact that, though he is legend to many, he is largely unknown to even more. John Kruth's To Live's to Fly, the first official Townes Van ... Read More
Rating:  - To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late Great TVZ
While other reviews have correctly pointed out the editing flaws in John Kruth's, To Live's To Fly, I found the book interesting and it inspired me to revisit many of Townes Van Zandt's recordings. I have read many biographies of musicians that were edited well but were superficial and focused more on tabloid issues. Kruth's has a deep appreciation for TVZ but also wrote about his flaws and well known addictions. Imperfect editing and some minor errors notwithstanding this book succeeds much more ... Read More
Rating:  - Valuable only for the Missing Years 1975-1983 Chapters
Ummm.... I just read this book cover to cover on a plane from Atlanta to San Francisco. I should say, I am a long time Townes fan, I own it all. I had the pleasure of meeting Townes once, a wonderful experience.
I did not get the sense the author was even a fan of Townes music. Also, I don't think he understood the depth and beauty of Townes lyrics. Several major pieces in Townes canon were neglected, such as his masterpiece, the song "High, Low, & In Between", or the latter day ... Read More
Rating: - Decently reported, poorly written: Townes deserves better ...
If author John Kruth had spent as much time actually writing this book as he did researching it, "To Live's To Fly" could have been an excellent story about one of the best folk musicians of his generation. Instead, it comes across as more of a slapdash effort quickly patched together to meet a publisher's deadline or beat a competing biography to press.
Judging by the other reviews here, most people seem to either love this work or hate it, so I know I am probably in the minority opinion ... Read More
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