Society's Child

My Autobiography

By: Janis Ian

Narrated by: Janis Ian

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Narration by the Author or Authors, 2013

Grammy Award Winner, Best Spoken Word Album, 2013

Booklist Top 10 Biography Audiobooks

Janis Ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of 15, when her soul-wrenching song "Society's Child" became a hit. An intimate portrait of an interracial relationship, "Society's Child" climbed the charts despite the fact that many radio stations across the country refused to play it because of its controversial subject matter. But this was only the beginning of a long and illustrious career.

In this fascinating memoir of her more than 40 years in the music business, Ian chronicles how she did drugs with Jimi Hendrix, went shopping for Grammy clothes with Janis Joplin, and sang with Mel Tormé, all the while never ceasing to create unforgettable music.

In 1975, Ian's legendary "At Seventeen" earned two Grammy awards and five nominations. Her next two albums brought her worldwide platinum hits. But after seven albums in as many years, she made a conscious decision to walk away from the often grueling music business. During this period, she struggled through a difficult marriage, which ended with her then husband's attempt to destroy her, and a sudden illness that very nearly cost her her life. The hiatus from music lasted for close to a decade until, in 1993, Ian returned with the release of the Grammy-nominated Breaking Silence. Now, as she moves gracefully into her fifth decade as a recording artist and writer, Ian continues to draw large audiences around the globe.

In Society's Child, Janis Ian provides a relentlessly honest account of the successes and failures - and the hopes and dreams - of an extraordinary life.

©2008 Janis Ian (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Each chapter in this mesmerizing memoir begins with an evocative lyric read and sung by Ian, who transports listeners back in time with both words and music." ( Booklist)

The power of music

Where does Society's Child rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the most engaging nonfiction books I've read. Janis tells the story of her life, her music and the music industry. Nicely written, beautifully read. One aspect that really set this one apart for me was the natural way that Janis sings and plays the guitar at the beginning of every chapter and throughout the book. It has the feel of sitting in your living room and having Janis tell you her life story. Amazing!

I've been a fan of Janis Ian's music since 1967. However, I knew precious little about her personal life. Janis lays out key events in her life, good and bad, without whining about the bad or over indulging in her success. Hers is a life lived out loud without regrets. In the end, it is a story about her music (which clearly is in her DNA) the power of the human spirit and the power of music.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Society's Child?

Book opens with Janis telling the story of performing Society's Child in front of an audience with the small number of racial bigots heckling the 15-year-old star.

Changed my mind about audiobook again

I thought audiobook was mostly about saving time (You do not have to sit and holding a book but you can read when you walk around, etc.) and also making reading some not so interesting books easier. But this book changed my mind: 1) The author narrates herself; 2) The author directly sings her songs when it comes to the part about her song, which is remarkable. Of course the #2 is not always possible, actually probably not possible for most books. Afterall, the Janis tells a great story for her life, both the story itself and her words and voice.

roller coaster ride of emotions

I had been a fan of Janis' music through my mother but I had no idea what suffering was behind it. a true gem of a read.

Glad I didn't pass on this one!

I hesitated a few minutes on this purchase because of the genre I think! I bought it after googling some music. I became enthralled rather quickly and I must say it ended too soon! Highly recommend this book! Ms Ian is a living legend and a treasure!

Inside this book Janice Ian reads, sings, plays and entertains us with a portion of her life story. I can only imagine the emotional ride it must have been for her as she caries us through her journey. It is almost painful at times witnessing her grow up, yet she emerges with such grace that one cannot help but fall in love!

Thank you, Audible and Ms. Ian for making this title available. What a find!

An honest, wonderfully told story!

I generally love autobiographies that are performed by the writer, I feel more connected, and this was no exception. I could feel the honesty in her voice. She was candidly able to share all the heartache and pain and also the reality of being a singer songwriter. I knew little of Janis Ian before listening to this book but at different periods of the listen I would Google her and watch performances on You Tube. one of my favorite songs as a young girl was At Seventeen, I think the words spoke to many of us going through that awkward stage in life. it's a great story and a great listen!!

An amazing story

Any additional comments?

Janis Ian does a beautiful job of narrating her life story - and what a story it is! She has been through numerous ups and downs, but she never indulges in self-pity or bitterness as she recalls her past.

An Interesting Life

Would you listen to Society's Child again? Why?

Yes I would, because there were many moments of her life I would have liked to revisit, only because I was thinking about the timeline and where I was at that time and what I was doing then.

What did you like best about this story?

Learning about Ian's childhood and family life.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were many "favorites", most of them had to do with her explaining her life tie in with her songs.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt so bad for her when her apartment was broken into and her father's guitar was stolen.

loved it!

very enjoyable to listen to, not always a happy story but it's told well with a sprinkling of Janis singing here and there

Listen to this, even if you don't know Janis Ian

This is the most amazing audiobook, mostly because the author put in actual musical samples. She is someone who dedicated her life to music and who is a true artist.

You will also learn about her many struggles. To this, I can only say, "Where ever you go, there you are." We each re-create our own struggles. She was taken advantage of by many (her interpretation), though I suspect the stories were more complex than this. Like many artists, she did not get involved in the business aspects of her business until she lost quite a bit of money.

Forget that, this is the inside story of an artist, and it is inspirational for anyone who wants to do something important in the world.

A Great Listen

This was a free gift from Audible. I’d heard of it, but was a little put off because all I knew about Janis Ian was that she sang At Seventeen, the most depressing song in the world that’s not about death. I decided to give it a shot. It turns out she’s an interesting person who has led an interesting life, overcoming a variety of obstacles along the way. She’s a good writer, both of songs and of the book. She does a wonderful job narrating and bits of her songs are included at the beginning of each chapter (👍👍Audible). Now I’m wanting to hear more - I hope to see her in concert this spring. If you have any interest in sort of folky pop music of the 60s and 70s, give this a listen.