Waging Heavy Peace

By: Neil Young

Narrated by: Keith Carradine

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

The perfect gift for music lovers and Neil Young fans, telling the story behind Neil Young's legendary career and his iconic, beloved songs. “I think I will have to use my time wisely and keep my thoughts straight if I am to succeed and deliver the cargo I so carefully have carried thus far to the outer reaches". (Neil Young, from Waging Heavy Peace)

Legendary singer and songwriter Neil Young’s storied career has spanned over 40 years and yielded some of the modern era’s most enduring music. Now for the first time ever, Young reflects upon his life - from his Canadian childhood, to his part in the '60s rock explosion with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, through his later career with Crazy Horse and numerous private challenges. An instant classic, Waging Heavy Peace is as uncompromising and unforgettable as the man himself.

©2012 Neil Young (P)2012 Penguin Audio

way to go Neil

If you could sum up Waging Heavy Peace in three words, what would they be?

truth, clarity, heavy

What did you like best about this story?

This is a work of art in itself .... Neil wonders if he can write anymore since he has stopped getting high first .... for me his songs have always been about truth and getting to the heart of the matter ... he has done it here

What about Keith Carradine’s performance did you like?

The performance was okay dispite the fact that some Canadian place names were given distinctive new pronunciations.

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

I am a fan of Neil Young's songs for 45 years or so. He knows how to get a reaction from people whether it be the words or the musical notes and this book is no different. This book is for his fans and he has given a context for his lifelong body of work. I have read numerous other autobiographies and this one is like no other. This book is about life, personal demons and passion and not about ego and fame.

Any additional comments?

I pray that it is not his way of saying good bye.

If you're a Neil Young fan, this is excellent

And excellent maybe if you're not. While there's a lot of stuff that is meaningful to the artist/musician alone (his obsession with cars, with creating bringing back better sound in our music devices), there are enough moments of genuine passion, cool rock history, behind-the-scenes stories of his fellow musicians, to make this a book to recommend to anyone who loves audible memoir.

I almost wish I'd bought hard copy because many of the things he writes are better than his songs and I wanted to underline them for further reflection, which I don't normally do. Young is a good prose writer, so good in fact, that I, who have written more than a dozen of my own books, including a memoir, have to work not to imitate his unique cadences. Some of the prose is pedestrian stoner rock icon grooviness. But the guy can really write, and not just songs.

If you want to know what it's like to be in Neil Young's head, this takes you there. It was a real pleasure to be inside the head of such a thoughtful, kind, and grateful man and a true artist. What an inspiration for doing what you care about and f--k it if people like it.

I wish he'd read it, but as he shows, he has better things to do with his time and I'm glad he does. Keith Carradine does an excellent job filling in. Young could have at least recorded the preface, it's one of the main things the guy does, record, after all.

Hey, Neil Young, if you read this, here's a vote that you keep on writing books. Your dad would be proud.

Worst editing ever

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

This book seems to be trying to induce an experience of what it's like to have ADD. I love Neil Young, but this is the worst editing ever, which is to say it was not edited. Bad decision. No quality control. The narrative has no cohesiveness whatsoever. It jumps from sentence to sentence to new topics and 40 year time frames without any rhyme, reason, direction or definition. sadly, I can not recomend this book.

sugar mountain uncoated

What did you love best about Waging Heavy Peace?

Neil Young's point of view of Neil Young

What did you like best about this story?

Understanding Neil better

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Yes ..Could have done with a little more feeling

Scattered

Some of the stories were interesting, but I was struggling with the back and forth timeline of them. I wished he would have wrote it in a chronological way.

Neil Being Neil

What did you love best about Waging Heavy Peace?

I love the fact that it is Neil talking in his own singular voice about his passions. Neil Young has been my favorite rock star for many years because he does things in his own way and his songs speak the truth regardless of what anyone else thinks. He is one of the few of his generation who hasn't sold out his music and is still vital in trying to make the world a better place. The book comes across as Neil talking to you as a friend,;not a dictation of the facts.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Neil' son Ben who's bravery is incredibly inspirational. He has lived a full life in spite of his severe disabilities and has helped a lot of people in similar circumstances.

Have you listened to any of Keith Carradine’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to an audio book read by Mr. Carradine before, but he did justice to the book-great job.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

WE have the power to change things for a better world.

Any additional comments?

Neil thanks many people who have touched his life in this book-thank you Neil, for reminding me to be grateful!

A great time

If you could sum up Waging Heavy Peace in three words, what would they be?

Neil Young's mind

What did you like best about this story?

The free ranging way he tells his tales is in keeping with who Neil Young is. He is an artist with lots of ideas!

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

Keith Carradine was a brilliant choice as narrator, he walked the walk right along with the author

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he speaks about his children, and the way he and his wife have come to understand the needs of their quadriplegic son, he reveals a well of empathy and compassion

Any additional comments?

A worthy visit through the winding mind of a real interesting guy

Great Book!

What made the experience of listening to Waging Heavy Peace the most enjoyable?

A great glimpse at the man and the musician

What was one of the most memorable moments of Waging Heavy Peace?

All the experiences he describes along the way

More varied than most musician’s story

Lots of history and a good view into how Mr. Young has made music but also just a lot of musings about situations he found himself in and how he has approached life.

Really Interesting, But Where's the Beef

Would you consider the audio edition of Waging Heavy Peace to be better than the print version?

No Idea

Would you be willing to try another book from Neil Young? Why or why not?

Yes, this was very interesting.

Have you listened to any of Keith Carradine’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No idea

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

His discussion of drug and alcohol addition, and the ongoing recovery.

Any additional comments?

Listening to the book was like hearing an interesting, rambling conversation with Neal. I enjoyed the stories he told and the history of his life; however, I though the book was going to give details of Pono, Young's new audio format. Instead it discussed how good Pono is but gave no details as to format, equipment needed to play it or any additional data. The same was true about his electric car.

I would recommend the book to any fan of Neil Young for the life story it tells.