It's a Long Story: My Life

I wasn’t a Willie Nelson fan when I bought the book, but I really admire him and his talent. The book covers his life from birth until he’s about 80, and his struggle to make it on the music business on his terms. You read about the real Willie, and he is truely real. Talented, funny, honest, and unpretentious. A very enjoyable and interesting read.

I have always loved music but not necessarily country. That all changed when I went to a Brooks & Dunn concert for the first time. I also love reading autobiographies. Willie's book is a great read. It made me laugh, cry, and think a lot of my family now passed on. What a great storyteller. Every chapter seemed to give you something to think about in your own life within the songs he wrote. Keep your music coming, Willie.

'Night Life, 'Crazy' and 'Hello Walls, three of Willie Nelson's most wonderful and long lasting songs were almost sold for five dollars a piece. Willie was down on his luck, looking for work, and needed money. Thankfully, the man he wanted to sell them to, would not buy them,but offered him an opportunity to move on. This is but one little bit of info we learn about this wonderful, musical man.From a young age Willie had the music in him. Brought up by his grandparents in the little Texas town they lived in, he and his sister had a wonderful childhood. Not much money but love, hard work, and perseverance. Willie was always active, an athlete, loved the music he learned from Church, but when he was offered money to play honky tonk in a bar, he took it. Eight dollars a night, more than he made in a week picking cotton. He moved around a lot, every small and large town in Texas, Oregon, California, and then he traveled to Nashville where his life turned around.Willie makes it clear that family and friends come first. However, Willie was a ladie's man, and was out every evening playing his music. With three marriages behind him and several children, Willie admits he cheated, many times. He liked to drink, smoke pot, and play his music, but he loves his family, dearly. We hear all the stories, the people he met who helped him on his way from birth to this present day. He is now 82, still going strong, loves his ranch in Abbott, Texas, and that is where his journey begins and ends.He talks about his problems with the IRS and the multi millions he ended up owing. He glosses over his financial manager who he said extended the IRS claims. Willie refused to declare bankruptcy, and worked for years to pay off his debt. Willie is good to everyone, and it seems whatever came in went to those he knew. Lessons learned, however, and his money is now looked after very carefully.Willie gives his love of pot several chapters. He no longer smokes it, but he does inhale it. We hear of the times he has been picked up in his traveling bus. One thing Willie was adamant about, no hard drugs in his brand, none. He had a friend who liked cocaine, but that was his business. We hear about and meet all the musicians he played with, famous and not so. He has known them all, played with most of them, gone to the White House several times, and met the famous and infamous.One interesting point is that Willie does not remember several stories in the book. David Ritz, his co writer may have put the book together after hearing Willie talk about his life, and Willie may not have read the book of his life. No matter this is a rollicking, good read by a musician and song writer extraordinaire. To hear his music is to love him.Recommended. 05-05-15

Great stories from Willies travels, and life…

This book had almost no surprises. Having grown up with the music of Willie Nelson, my impressions of him, about his life, his lifestyle, and his music were formed by what I heard and saw. He confirmed all my beliefs and impressions of him in this book. No surprises.He champions marijuana. No surprises. He has had tumultuous personal relationships and marriages. No surprises. It is evident through his music that there is an overall sense of sadness and depression in his life. It might seem strange to note his claims that he is overall optimistic, but that also makes sense. His early career was marked by refusals of producers to support his musical style and choices. To meet these refusals with continued efforts to find musical outlets while at the same time supporting himself by working at distinctly non-musical jobs, such as a door-to-door salesman for various products indicates optimism and self-confidence.His musical style, the storytelling style, is the story. As he details country music legends who influenced him, the reader can see that Nelson is a great synthesizer, combining all the styles he loves and adding his personal twist. That is one part of the story. Then there is the financial part with his battle at the IRS. A third story is his role as a songwriter for so many others, a role that led to many friendships such as when he wrote “Crazy” for Patsy Cline. Finally there is the story of a man with a strong sense of faith, a fair and honest man who never the less leads an exuberant bad boy lifestyle.There are no spoilers, no surprises, this is just a pleasant read that affirms what many knew about this great singer and songwriter.

Wonderfully written and I just love Willie's story....only 100 more pages to go! GREAT book.

Sorry Willie I hear you are a very nice person but your book was a bit on the boring side. I found it to be more about poems than your actual life. Maybe like a lot of people I was looking for more about you than just the songs you wrote or sang. At 82 years old there has to be much more that you could have put in the book. Maybe I was looking for something a little more juicy which unfortunately always makes for a little better reading. I do love the fact that you enjoy marijuana just wish I could get it anytime as I sure could use it for medical reasons. What is unfortunate is that it is legal in the state I live in and has been for years but the powers to be can't get their crap together so the public can buy it and probably never will! Getting back to the subject of the your book even at 3 stars I did like it okay...just thought it could have been better.

Finally, reading this book 9 years after it was published was a hoot, especially after watching his 90th birthday party last year. I have only seen Willie in concert once in the 80s, and I am the furthest from a country music fan. But Willie is a special breed of "country" singer. He makes you want to love that genre. Every chapter brought out his true character and didn't leave you disappointed. It's one of the best memoirs out there!

excellent

Amo Willie Nelson. Gostaria que o livro fosse traduzido em português, aos trancos e barrancos eu vou lendo. Mesmo assim, gostei muito da compra porque me estimulou a aprender inglês

Liked the honesty and stories that were going on in the country scene.A bargain price at the moment for a good 8 hours of entertainment.

When I started to read Willie Nelson's autobiography I did not know a lot about the man and the musician apart from a few songs I had heard over the years but I felt at once intrigued by his sheer humanity, his spirit and sense of humour. Now I Almosen see him as a brother and soulmate despite the large distance in age, geography and lifestyle. He is not only a great musician and songwriter but first and foremost a decent, compassionate human being. I just wish there were more of his kind in this chaotic and violent world. The book is a great read and touches the heart !

Good read