Who I Am

By: Pete Townshend

Narrated by: Pete Townshend

Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

From the voice of a generation: the most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story of a man who...

• ...wanted The Who to be called The Hair.
• ...wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer, and a graphic designer.
• ...became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor.
• ...smashed his first guitar onstage, in 1964, by accident.
• ...invented the Marshall stack, feedback, and the concept album.
• ...inspired Jimi Hendrix's pyrotechnical stagecraft.
• ...is partially deaf in his left ear.
• ...stole his windmill guitar playing from Keith Richards.
• ...followed Keith Moon off a hotel balcony into a pool and nearly died.
• ...did too much cocaine and nearly died.
• ...drank too much and nearly died.
• ...detached from his body in an airplane, on LSD, and nearly died.
• ...was embroiled in a tabloid scandal that has dogged him ever since.
• ...planned to write his memoir when he was 21.
• ...published this book at 67.

©2012 Pete Townshend (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

There are parts of life that we remember and parts of life that are alive today as they ever were.

First, the voice. Thank you, Pete Townshend, for so generously recording your story in your own voice. This is an 18-hour delight. I felt like I was a youngster again, being read a wonderful story by a dear friend.
Because I had followed The Who from early days, most of the events in the book were familiar, but hearing the “inside stories” directly from the author made the entire experience of listening to the book an enrichment of my own past.
I did some crazy things emboldened by the music of The Who - especially Quadrophenia...and have had many poignant moments watching the solo performances over the years.
But listening to this book brought a more clear understanding of the rigors of an artistic, musical composition/performance/production life.
The book helped me sense the demands of such a life and have a different kind of appreciation for the music that was created as a result.

Townsend is very interesting.

I thought I knew most of the stories about and around The Who, I was wrong. Pete goes into some great depth about his struggles and interactions with his own personal struggles and the struggles with the band. He didn't seem to hold back, appears to be very honest. He wrote about things in depth that would have been easily trivialized. I appreciate his honesty and candid accounts of his life from his point of view. No sugar coating. I very much enjoyed this book. I would put this on par with Steve Jobs book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies. I am very glad he narrated the book. Wish more autobiography authors would do that. He seem to add some fake laughter at time that didn't really work for me but that is really nit picking.

Pete, Thank you .

For sharing your thoughts. I very much enjoyed what you had to say, it's no wonder your songs resonate way up there with the greatest of all time. Remember, "When you shoot for the moon and miss, you are still among the stars". GOOD JOB. .

Love Pete but this book...not so much

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Coming from a Who freak (28 albums) and huge PT admirer this book is not an easy listen. I'm going to critique the delivery and not the content. Pete's delivery is monotone and less than engaging - and he has this annoying habit of emitting this fake laugh as if it's a cue that he said something funny. He almost sounds like he's bored. I'm about 1/2 way through and thought about returning this book but couldn't bring myself to do it.
Long live rock!

ok so he's an interesting pompus windbag

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I have always been a huge fan of the Who and Pete Townshend, so I was really looking forward to his book. I have to say for the most part it was a great listen. Pete Townshend has always come across like a bit of a prat and this book doesn't do anything to change my opinion. He is still one of the most brilliant musicians of our time and prat or not he has still had a very interesting life.

What else would you have wanted to know about Pete Townshend’s life?

What more is there to know. One thing you can say about this book is it's detailed. Pete covers his whole life in great detail and it's almost all very interesting

Good job- read by the author

It makes such a difference when an author reads his own autobiography. PT does a great job. He always comes across as super-earnest; here he rounds it out with some context so he doesn't always seem to be bubbling over with raw emotion. He gives a good account of what it felt like to move through the world as the guitarist for the Who in the 60's.

Interesting, but long

What made the experience of listening to Who I Am the most enjoyable?

Listening to Pete read it. He has a pleasant voice and lightens it up by chuckling every now and then.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Abridge it.

What about Pete Townshend’s performance did you like?

His voice. I couldn't help but hearing Pete Townsend solo album songs in my head after hearing his voice for 18 hours. Makes me want to download all of his solo albums.

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

No.

Any additional comments?

In hindsight, I would have listened to the abridged version as it was just a bit long (18-19 hours), but the time did go by quickly.

True look at a Legendary Band and the Composer!

Would you listen to Who I Am again? Why?

Yes. It is loaded with bits and pieces of the story of an era and the evolving tide. Many of the daily things that plague us all are found in this true down to earth life.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Who I Am?

The passing of John Entwhistle. Pete's description of his feelings for a true friend were natural and riveting. In his voice you could here the love he had for this man. Any of us who have had this kind of loss will understand it.

What does Pete Townshend bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He narrates it magnificently. I felt as though he was sitting in the room with me telling me stories of his life. Very natural and light delivery of his thoughts and feelings through time.

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

No. But it made me think of components of my own life, relatively speaking that is.

Any additional comments?

A must read for anyone who lived through the 60's 70's and 80's.

This is a must read for anyone! Great book. Well read. I loved it.

I’m the end, it was very enjoyable and revealing

I did not initially enjoy this one, but part way in as Pete began describing his creative projects it became very enjoyable.

Pete is a friend to me now..wonderful

his candor and ability to craft the stories within the story was very refreshing....cheers