Infinite Tuesday

An Autobiographical Riff

By: Michael Nesmith

Narrated by: Michael Nesmith

Michael Nesmith's eclectic, electric life spans his star-making role on The Monkees, his invention of the music video, and his critical contributions to movies, comedy, and the world of virtual reality. Above all, his is a seeker's story, a pilgrimage in search of a set of principles to live by. That search took Nesmith from a childhood in Dallas, where his single mother, Bette, invented Liquid Paper, to the set of The Monkees in Los Angeles, to the heart of swinging London with John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix, and to an unexpected oasis of brilliance in the Santa Fe desert, where his friendships with Douglas Adams and Los Alamos scientists would point him toward the power of the infinite and the endless possibilities of human connection.

This funny, thoughtful, self-aware book is a window onto an unexpected life, inflected at every turn by the surprising candor and absurdist humor of an American original. Listening to Infinite Tuesday is like stepping into the world of Michael Nesmith, where something curious is always unfolding, and where riffs on everything from bands to dogs to the nature of reality make for an endlessly engaging journey.

©2017 Michael Nesmith (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"This selectively revealing, insightful memoir casts the cerebral Monkee as a spiritual seeker and self-deprecating visionary. Popular culture has barely revealed the tip of the iceberg that is Nesmith.... A book - and a life - unlike any other in rock." ( Kirkus)

"Nesmith may be most remembered for his role as the stoic guitarist in The Monkees, but his brilliant, candid, and humorous new autobiographical musings give readers a much clearer picture of his originality and inventiveness.... Nesmith's entertaining memoir reveals his creative genius, his canny ability never to take himself too seriously, and his restless questions about the value of spirituality." ( Publishers Weekly)

Michael, thank you for sharing :-)

As a youngster back in the 60s I was one who thoroughly was enthralled by The Monkees, each and every one of them. That section of the book was so interesting to walk through. Hearing the back experiences brought back great memories of the time. The rest of the book was also quite interesting and provided an vivid understanding of the perseverance, insight and the synchronicities of Mr Nesmith's life.

I wanted to hear about his life

While I found the story very interesting, it jumped around so much , at times I was very confused..
plus, he talked in a round about way , but it was interesting

Excellent Tuesday---and Beyond

Very thoughtful, humble journey through a life whose timeline coincided with that of my own. The self-narration was integral to the book's content and communication, and it was of high quality.

Unexpected and brutally honest

I was one of those who enjoyed the Monkee’s music back in the 1960s. The group certainly wasn’t up to the standard set by the Beatles, but they put out a lot of good pop music. The Monkees were fully certified artistically by their 1968 movie "Head."

Later, I discovered Michael Nesmith’s music with the First National Band. I became a fan and quickly bought all of those records. Then I discovered what I consider his best album, “From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing,” which contained some of his best music, including "Rio." I saw Nesmith perform live twice—his unique work “The Prison” in a college auditorium and in 1992, at the outdoor Britt Festival in Southern Oregon. In addition, I loved his 1982 movie “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann.”

Okay, now the book. I didn’t know what to expect, but, as it turned out, I was unable to leave it alone until the end. He reads like he sings—he enunciates each word, not even allowing himself any contractions, all of which makes it ideal listening while driving.

But, of course, it’s the content that really stands out, much like his song lyrics. I’ve never encountered such a brutally candid memoir or autobiography, with relentless self-examination at every turn. He talks about the many times he was a jerk and how it affected himself and others around him. He talks about his enduring naïveté in business and in his personal relationships. He acknowledges how fame and celebrity affected his personality—not in a good way. Through it all, he never stopped inquiring inwardly and attempting to right his perceived wrongs.

Indeed, there were times when I thought: Will he ever get it? Well, that comes in interesting ways, especially through his mother and his deep background with and growing understanding of Christian Science and its core principles. Didn’t see that coming.

The book was written around 2016, and Nesmith passed away five years later at the age of 78. I like to think that he found the peace he worked toward for so many years. Personally, I found “Infinite Tuesday” to be therapeutic and life-affirming. And I have an even greater respect and appreciation—not just for his body of work, but more important, for the man himself.

A little too pompous

It seems like this guy has an angel on his shoulder. Everything he touches fails, yet he is blind to it.

What more could a Nes fan need ?

...apart from the wish Nes was still here as opposed to the next road in his cosmic journey. If you're looking for a rigid recounting of his career this book isn't it. This is a kaleidoscopic and very funny scan of Mike Nesmiths life and philosophy narrated by the man himself. A must for any Monkee and Nesmith fan.

Infinite Dialogma Of The Ranch Prison

Living my life as a fan of Mike Nesmith, you have to ultimately find out that he is a walking, talking, singing contradiction...at best. Why would you think this book would be any different? There is a reason that fans of this man's work would want to read his "autobiographical riff," almost none of them are in this book. There's some fantastic stories from his early days of "show biz" (for lack of a better term) and those are true gems. Getting his foundation with the Monkees' experience is told adequately, but he could have gone farther. His solo career, in MUSIC, gets glossed over and pretty much ends at 1971. From then on out, the story ark switches to Nesmith's own theories on varying theology that he's had through life. One thing learned in all this is that he picked and chooses his own spiritual beliefs, along with his romantic relationships, as though his picking shaving cream off a pharmacy shelf. All this meandering "stuff" that no practically no one else besides the man himself cares about...and the thing is, he was really consumed by it...all the while hardly any mention of his children...which I thought was kind of sad. RIP Nez. (by Mark Meli)

A true original

I am a long time Nez fan. He did not disappoint. I really enjoyed his story and his reading v

Entertaining and Eccentric

I must admit to already being partial to Mike Nesmith as I was a rabid lifelong fan of the Monkees. The concept listening to Mike narrate his own book was very appealing. He kind of jumps around on his timeline the first half of the book, and felt this to be a little sloppy. Once Mike gets past his Monkees chapter, there is a new tone, with a much clearer and compelling narrative. He becomes brutally honest regarding his infidelities and divorces, and his anecdotes of his spiritual awakening was very touching and sounded genuine.

Great Story!!!

I loved hearing all the stories around Mike Nesmith's life. This is a fabulous book!