Average customer rating:
- Cash, The Autobiography
- Cash does what he does best
- "Why Do I Always Wear Black?"
- He walked the line
- Honest writing.
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Cash: The Autobiography
Johnny Cash
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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At Folsom Prison
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At San Quentin
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The Man Called CASH : The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend
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Walk the Line
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Walk the Line (Widescreen Edition)
ASIN: 0060727535 |
Book Description
He was the "Man in Black," a country music legend, and the quintessential American troubadour. He was an icon of rugged individualism who had been to hell and back, telling the tale as never before. In his unforgettable autobiography, Johnny Cash tells the truth about the highs and lows, the struggles and hard-won triumphs, and the people who shaped him.
In his own words, Cash set the record straight -- and dispelled a few myths -- as he looked unsparingly at his remarkable life: from the joys of his boyhood in Dyess, Arkansas to superstardom in Nashville, Tennessee, the road of Cash's life has been anything but smooth. Cash writes of the thrill of playing with Elvis, the comfort of praying with Billy Graham; of his battles with addiction and of the devotion of his wife, June; of his gratitude for life, and of his thoughts on what the afterlife may bring. Here, too, are the friends of a lifetime, including Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and Kris Kristofferson. As powerful and memorable as one of his classic songs, Cash is filled with the candor, wit, and wisdom of a man who truly "walked the line."
Customer Reviews:
Cash, The Autobiography.......2007-08-24
I really liked the book and I am glad I bought it but it wasn't as in depth as I was hoping it would be. Some of the names he drops would have been easier to follow if he had used last names and the book assumes you have kept up with his history and his career but what it does do is makes me want to purchase "Man in Black" just that much more.
Cash does what he does best.......2007-08-21
In this book Cash does what he does best and that's tell stories. Anybody who's even remotely familiar with his career and music knows he is a master storyteller. Cash the Autobiography is the perfect forum for the man to bear his soul and talk about his life. Never one to hold back he gives us highs lows and everything in between. This legend lived harder and faster than most rock stars could ever dream of. Get this and listen to the man in black tell you his story.
"Why Do I Always Wear Black?".......2007-07-27
This book is something like a guilty pleasure for me. Don't get me wrong-- Johnny Cash is no guilty pleasure, but that's his music. I have no guilt at all about how much I have appreciated his music over the years. One of my biggest musical regrets is that I never had the chance to see either him or June live before the end.
But writing isn't singing. I enjoyed the book, because I'm a real fan. I also enjoys it because Cash clearly likes to write. If you've got any of the Rubin recordings, then you've seen the liner notes. I have to say that I enjoy him a little bit better when not filtered through a ghost writer. But I also have to admit that Mr. Carr probably keeps it as readable and as structured as it ends up being-- I get the impression that neither of those skills were really high on his literary list.
Many readers are turned off by the very Christian nature of this book. It didn't bother me. It is a big part of Cash-- you can't take him without taking his devout Christianity. I never get the sense that he is judgemental or unfair or part of any kind of Christian right. He credits religion, together with June, as being the things that kept him from dying like Faron Young. I tend to think that one needs to give him credit for that-- and also credit for speaking out about his faith.
What I mostly got out of it was little anecdotes that filled in the history that I already knew. It also sent me scrambling for some artists who I knew existed, but didn't know exactly what they sounded like. I've been listening to my Faron Young all morning (shamefully, all I have is the Greatest Hits) and wondering why I don't listen to it more often.
I can't really imagine that this book would appeal to someone who isn't a fan. But if you are, you may well enjoy it. I did. Great vacation reading.
He walked the line.......2007-07-22
Johnny Cash is one of my heroes. I could never aspire to the kind of artistic achievement that he left us with and I don't particularly want to become a musician. But he was a real man of faith and an insightful observer and participant of the human condition. His songs reach deep into my soul and his words in this book inspired me no end. He has so many great stories to tell that it's hard to believe he's just lived one lifetime. There is much to admire in his character and also much to deplore. Which means that he was a genuine human being with faults but also a greatness that transcends generations.
The book's style is breezily conversational, which gives you the sense (as at least one other reviewer has noticed) that you are with him, relaxing over a cup of coffee, sharing in his most intimate experience. To be sure, the pacing and structure are quite uneven. This is not a conventional biography, starting from birth up till the present. The material to some extent is organized around his various domiciles (like Bon Aqua, Cinnamon Hill, his bus which he affectionately calls Unit One) but even so there's no clear structure. He just tells the stories as he remembers them. While affecting, this style occasionally makes for a disjointed reading experience. But the stories he has to tell are well-worth hearing, whether it is of the people he's worked with professionally (a veritable who's who of music legends, such as Carl Perkins, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Pressley, etc.), those dearest to his heart, how he came to write some of his songs or what have you.
Reading this book makes you realize that the movie "Walk the Line", great as it was, exaggerates or distorts certain events in his life. While sometimes this is necessary to fit the format of a movie, there are instances in which events omitted would have had a greater dramatic effect. He recounts the story of his first music teacher, who upon hearing his performance of several songs immediately refused to teach him, so that she wouldn't change the amazing voice that he had.
All in all, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. As a Christian I was inspired by his profound but simple faith which thoroughly infused every aspect of his life. I have no doubt that he was inspired by God to reach the lonely and the downtrodden and to be a witness for Him.
Honest writing........2007-05-26
After seeing the movie, I was compelled to pick this up . I wasn't disappointed . I enjoyed his writing style and his raw honesty about his addictions. If you liked walk the line , or his music, pick this up.
Book Description
Eric Bischoff has been called pro wrestling's most hated man. He's been booed, reviled, and burned in effigy. Fans have hurled everything from beer bottles to fists at him. Industry critics have spewed a tremendous amount of venom about his spectacular rise and stupendous crash at World Championship Wrestling. But even today, Eric Bischoff's revolutionary influence on the pro wrestling industry can be seen on every television show and at every live event.
Bischoff has kept quiet while industry "pundits" and other know-it-alls pontificated about what happened during the infamous Monday Night Wars. Basing their accounts on third- and fourth-hand rumors and innuendo, the so-called experts got many more things wrong than right. Now, in Controversy Creates Cash, Bischoff tells what really happened.
Beginning with his days as a salesman for Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association, Bischoff takes readers behind the scenes of wrestling, writing about the inner workings of the business in a way never before revealed. He demonstrates how controversy helped both WCW and WWE. Eric gives the real numbers behind WCW's red ink -- far lower than reported -- and talks about how Turner Broadcasting's merger with Time Warner, and then Time Warner's merger with AOL, devastated not only WCW but many creative and entrepreneurial businesses within the conglomerate. Bischoff has surprisingly kind words for old rivals like Vince McMahon, but pulls no punches with friends and enemies alike.
Among his revelations: How teaming with Mickey Mouse turned WCW into a national brand. Why Hulk Hogan came to WCW. Why he fired Jesse Ventura for sleeping on the job. Why Steve Austin didn't deserve another contract at WCW, and how Bischoff's canning him was the best thing that ever happened to Austin. How Ted Turner decided WCW should go head-to-head against Raw on Monday nights. How Nitro revolutionized wrestling. Where the New World Order really began. How corporate politics killed WCW. And how he found his inner heel and learned to love being the guy everyone loves to despise.
Bischoff brings a surprisingly personal touch to the story, detailing his rough-and-tumble childhood in Detroit, talking about his family and the things he did to cope with the stress of the high-octane media business. Now a successful entertainment producer as well as a wrestling personality, Bischoff tells how he found contentment after being unceremoniously "sent home" from WCW.
Love him or hate him, readers will never look at a pro wrestling show quite the same way after reading Bischoff's story in Controversy Creates Cash.
Customer Reviews:
Reporting on History (kind of).......2007-10-03
Bischoff loves to talk about himself, and thats proved oh so well in this book. From his childhood (who cares) to AWA and WCW he details how he got into the business, how he helped build it, and how he helped destroy it -- without taking any credit for the latter. Ignoring how ECW helped his business, and how WWE eventually took over...Bischoff lays a lot of blame on everyopne but himself. I thought it was a weak read at best, and anyone who knows what really happened, or has heeard some of the stories will probably be bored.
Very Good Read for the most part!.......2007-09-05
I want to first say that anyone who goes from bankruptcy and repossessions in the early 90's to atop the WCW hierarchy only a few years later deserves plenty of respect.His financial issues in the early 90's were due to staying on a sinking ship in Verne Gagne's Minnesota based AWA. Before he stopped getting paychecks altogether for his final 6 months, he was only making some 30K/ year.It gave Eric valuable experience that he never would've been able to use to his advantage in moving up the WCW foodchain. His passion for being in the wrestling industry at all costs caused him to go into financial turbulence at the end of his AWA tenure. That takes guts for not jumping off a sinking ship and finding better paying employment in a job he didn't have the same passion for like his landscaping and frozen foods gigs from the 70's and 80's. His persistence needs to be applauded.
My one issue with his autobiography was the somewhat coddling of Hogan.Sure, he mentioned at numerous points that Hogan was a difficult egomaniac, however, I don't buy why Hogan didn't want to cleanly lose to Sting at Starcade 1997.Eric claims Hogan felt Sting was out of shape and not worthy of winning the belt cleanly. That's a copout.Hogan had creative control and didn't want to job cleanly at WCW's most publicized and successful PPV ever to ANYONE.
pure genius.......2007-08-23
This book was nothing short of spectacular....and coming from someone who would rather see things on film or TV, I actually read this from cover to cover in about 2 days. Bischoff's story about his career and how he views the business is remarkable.....thank you WWE for this book.
Take some asprin before reading.......2007-06-10
This book is a complete waste of time. I enjoy wrestling books from time to time, but this one wasn't a good read. It gave me a headache. It read more like an encloypedia; He'd talk about one subject and zip into anther, a very fast paced book. I didnt learn anything new by reading this book. I wish I didnt waste my cash on this book. I'd recommend reading Death of WCW instead.
Enlightening.......2007-05-24
Really puts the chaotic downfall of WCW im perspective. He plays the blame game a lot, but everything makes sence the way he tells it. I found a few typos. Doesnt spend nearly as much time talking about the nWo as I woudl have liked.
Book Description
On April 10
th, 2003, the 1
st Battalion, 5
th Marine Regiment, faced with the task of seizing the presidential palace in downtown Baghdad, ran headlong into what Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North called, "the worst day of fighting for U.S. Marines." Hiding in buildings and mosques, wearing civilian clothes, and spread out for over a mile, Saddam Hussein's militants rained down bullets and rocket propelled grenades on the 1
st Battalion. But when the smoke of the eight-hour battle cleared, only one Marine had lost his life. Some said the 1
st Battalion was incredibly lucky. But in the hearts and minds of the Marines who were there, there was no question. God had brought them miraculously through that battle.
As the 1
st Battalion's chaplain, Lieutenant Carey Cash had the unique privilege of seeing firsthand, from the beginning of the war to the end, how God miraculously delivered, and even transformed, the lives of the men of the 1
st Battalion. Their regiment, the most highly decorated regiment in the history of the Marines, was the first ground force to cross the border into Iraq, the first to see one of their own killed in battle, and they were the unit to fight what most believe to have been the decisive battle of the war-April 10
th in downtown Baghdad. Through it all, Carey Cash says, the presence of God was undeniable. Cash even had the privilege of baptizing fifty-seven new Christians-Marines and Sailors-during the war in Iraq.
The men of the 1
st Battalion came to discover what King David had discovered long ago--that God's presence could be richly experienced even in the presence of enemies. Here is the amazing story of their experience.
Customer Reviews:
love the book.......2007-05-16
I am reading the book, A Table in the Presence, and just discovered I knew the author's parents in Northern Virginia 30 years ago. The book is wonderfully written and tells a story that needs to be told of God's presence with the troops in Iraq. We need more TRUE accounts such as this one so the citizens of our country are aware of the peace God gives even in the middle of a war. I knew the author's mother as a wonderful Christian woman.
Elaine in South CArolina
Great book.......2007-05-12
This is one of the best books I have read!
Thank God for men like these!
Brilliant and Moving........2007-04-09
I love this book. If you ever want to know what it is like for the guys who are going through the horrors of war in Iraq and Afghanistan this is definitely a book to read. It reveals the sensitivity of the author to the plight of the Marines under his care, the courage and vulnerability of these same Marines and their unyielding faith in the face of danger and the enemy. Very spiritual and emotional read. I dare you to read this and not feel a peculiar wetness in your eyes and a lump in your throat. This is one of those books that tugs at your heart because of the details of the truth. For both the faithful and those who are still searching for a faith.
Makes you proud.......2007-02-08
This was such a refreshing look at the realities of life in the war zone know as Iraq. This is an unadultary look at the life of a Marine Chaplain and the fine men and women he serves in the hell know as Iraq. It was a great book to read as a pastor and even a better book to give to a young husband and father as he shipped out to serve our country in Iraq. Buy it Read it, before you believe the next story from the news media, about why we need to cut and run
A good book from someone who was there........2007-01-04
This is a medium to smallish sized war memoir written by a Navy Chaplain who was attached to a section of Marines at the beginning of Gulf War 2. It is well written and relatively easy to read. The conclusion may leave you wanting to ask, "What happened next?" Of course, the war is still being waged at this time. I met the author and he is what you would expect of an officer, gentleman, and man of God. I enjoyed it and got another copy for my dad. Enjoy!
Book Description
To millions, Johnny Cash was the rebellious Man in Black, the unabashed patriot, the redeemed Christian--the king of country music. But Johnny Cash was also an uncertain country boy whose dreams were born in the cotton fields of Arkansas and who struggled his entire life with a guilt-ridden childhood, addictions, and self-doubt. A sensitive songwriter with profound powers of musical expression, Cash told America and the world the stories of a nation's heroes and outcasts.
Johnny Cash: The Biography explores in depth many often-overlooked aspects of the legendÂ's life and career. It examines the powerful artistic influence of his older brother, Roy, and chronicles Cash's air force career in the early 1950s, when his songwriting took form...and when he purchased his first guitar. It uncovers the origins of his trademark boom-chicka-boom rhythm and traces his courtship of Bob Dylan in the folk revival era of the 1960s.
Johnny Cash also delves into the details of Cash's personal life, including his drug dependency, which dogged him long after many thought he had beaten it. It unflinchingly recounts his relationships with his first wife, Vivian Liberto, his second wife, June Carter Cash, and his children. And it follows Cash as man and musician from his early years of success through the commercially desolate years of the 1980s to his reemergence under the influence of producer Rick Rubin--and association that revitalized his career yet raised contradictions about Cash's values and craft. Scrupulously researched, passionately told, Johnny Cash: The Biography is the unforgettable portrait of an enduring American icon.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT BOOK MICHAEL.......2007-10-02
Michael is an excellent writer. He leaves no stone unturned. I personally know how much research, time and many many miles went into this book.
I have met with Michael a few times, and am amazed at how much he does know about Dad. He actualy told me about many things I DIDN'T KNOW!!
This book is excellent. Thanks again Michael.
xoxox Kathy
The life and times of a genuine American icon........2007-04-19
While he was never one of my favorite recording artists I simply could not resist the lure of "Johnny Cash: The Biography". Certainly anyone with an interest in the history of American popular music cannot deny that Johnny Cash would have to rank as one of the most fascinating figures of the past fifty years. He was the real deal who sang about life experiences that just about all of us could relate to. Author Michael Streissguth, who had previously penned "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of A Masterpiece" offers up an intimate portrait of this highly enigmatic artist who was beloved by generations of Americans. Americans had come to admire the man who had seemingly seen and done it all!
I enjoyed "Johnny Cash: The Biography" for a couple of reasons. First of all, I had never read about Johnny's childhood nor was I aware of the circumstances that led him to Sam Phillip's Memphis Recording Service back in 1955. As a student of American popular music this book certainly helped to fill some missing pieces of the puzzle for me. Likewise, I appreciated learning more about Johnny Cash's entire recording career including his move to Columbia records in 1958 as well as his somewhat improbable but ultimately successful tenure at Rick Rubin's American Recordings label towards the end of his life. Understanding the kinds of material Johnny Cash was interested in recording helped to give me some real insight into the soul of this legendary performer. But "Johnny Cash: The Biography" covers so much more ground than simply his recording career. Michael Streissguth delves into much of Cash's personal life as well. His was a life of peaks and valleys, success and failure, personal torture and remarkable success. You will learn about his first marriage to Vivian and about his 40 year marriage to legendary country music pioneer June Carter. Pulling no punches, the auther presents heartbreaking accounts of Johnny's lifelong addiction to pills and the ramifications this had for both his family life and for his career as well. On a much more positive note, Streissguth also recalls the deeply religious and tender side of Johnny Cash that most folks rarely saw as presented through the eyes of his children and those who worked alongside him over the years. Indeed, it is hard to deny that Johnny Cash was an extremely complex individual.
"Johnny Cash: The Biography" is an entertaining and well-written book that most readers will certainly enjoy. Those who are interested in the history of country music in particular or in the history of American popular music in general are sure to garner lots of new information from this one. This is a book that managed to hold my interest from cover to cover. Highly recommended!
GREAT BIOGRAPHY OF THE MAN IN BLACK!.......2007-03-11
This book is outstanding and a great addition to my
JR Cash collection.
Thank you!
The interviews make this book.......2006-10-03
Streissguth's journalistic approach is a refreshing contrast to the psychological blather of many biographical writers. There is a healthy balance of respect for Johnny Cash and a straightforward look at his extramarital relationships, substance abuse, and devotion to Christianity. Both the complex and simple sides of Cash are revealed through detail-rich interviews with those who knew him well. Indeed, the extensive interviews with band members, friends and family are what make this book so compelling and fresh. For instance, the interview with Rosanne Cash, his eldest daughter, helps us understand Cash's drug addition, his role as a father and the insecurities he experienced as a performer. The Man in Black has never been revealed in such color and light.
While Streissguth doesn't attempt to retell every story or dispel every fable about Cash, the book is well researched and rich with detail, including investigations that delve into the roots of well-known myths. Even life-long fans of Johnny Cash will come away with a new understanding of what pushed, pulled and propelled the singer through his life and career. If there was room on a bookshelf for only one book on Johnny Cash, this would be my pick.
Review from friend and minister, Rev. Jack Shaw.......2006-09-29
JOHNNY CASH The Biography... is so much more than just another `Johnny Cash' book. As I began reading it, I quickly found myself wishing that this remarkable resource had been available before I met John. I believe that it would have better equipped me to... `Understand'.
The writing is a segmented marvel of arduous research and analysis that somewhat removes the `shroud' from a life so unusual... and filled with mystery, that it has typically defied nearly all previous attempts to account. Streissguth masterfully depicts a detailed life journey of a man who, I'm convinced, was called and anointed of God to fill a deep divine purpose (of which we may never fully understand)... and unrelentingly dogged by Hell's hounds for eternal damnation. Thank God... in the end, He and John won!
Friend and Minister, Rev. Jack Shaw
Average customer rating:
- Good for the beginner, not the advanced fan
- The Man Comes Around.....
- 2nd best Cash bio I know
- Check it out of your local library instead.
- The Man Comes Around...
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The Man Comes Around: The Spiritual Journey of Johnny Cash
Dave Urbanski
Manufacturer: Relevant Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Cash: The Autobiography
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Man in White
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Cash
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I Was There When It Happened: My Life with Johnny Cash
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Biography - Johnny Cash (A&E DVD Archives)
ASIN: 0972927670 |
Book Description
Who Was Johnny Cash? Rock star? Country boy? Folk hero? Preacher? Poet? Drug addict? Rebel? Sinner? Saint? In truth, the Man in Black lived long enough and hard enough to embody all of the above-and much, much more. He was a musical legend, a one-of-a-kind communicator, an American icon-but you could never pigeonhole him or pin him down. You never completely knew him...or what he was going to do next.
Cash's faith in God was no different: "I'm still a Christian, as I have been all my life," he once said. "Beyond that I get complicated." Cash's faith wasn't smooth, slick, or sweet-it was grizzled, challenged, broken, and messy. Worlds away from perfect. But it was transparent ... and real. Always real. The Man Comes Around: The Spiritual Journey of Johnny Cash explores with vivid, narrative detail the wild ups and downs, the highs and lows, the ebbs and flows, that took place within this man's soul-from beginning to end. It's his spiritual chronicle. His sacred story-yet one that no doubt describes, in one way or another, where we've all been...and perhaps where we're all going.
Foreword by Dan Haseltine, Lead Singer for Jars of Clay
Customer Reviews:
Good for the beginner, not the advanced fan.......2007-05-29
While well constructed, this book is largely constructed from previous interviews and press articles. If you've read a lot or seen a lot about Johnny Cash, there won't be a lot that's new to you here.
That being said, this is a good introduction to the spiritual and philosophical side of Johnny Cash. Cash: The Autobiography is also a great starting point.
The Man Comes Around............2006-10-29
I can only sum up my personal experience in reading this book..EXCELLENT! A must read. From the 1st day I received it, I was unable to put it down. I wish I knew then what I know now about his love for the Creator of the universe and his deep love to be loved.
2nd best Cash bio I know.......2004-11-21
The complexities of Cash's personality will keep biographers busy for years. Johnny Cash was a man of baffling contradictions. Steve Turner, in his superior bio., The Man Called Cash (2004) relays an event that is illustrative: Cash goes shooting and wounds a crow. He is so moved with compassion for the bird that he goes to great lengths to nurse it back to health. Turner writes, "...it encapsulated Cash's contradictions. Here was a man, though capable of destruction, who became overwhlemed with the desire to repair what he had destroyed; a nonviolent man who had a love affair with guns; an artist who could cause suffering and then turn that suffering into art..."
Cash's Christian faith was deep and abiding and passionate, but complex. Urbanski makes a good effort at portraying this, and generally succeeds. It is lovingly written and organized (if somewhatly shallow at times). Don't look for much critical engagemnet -- this is pure hagiography. I really should subtract one star for publishing this with "Relevent Books." What a STUPID name! Proof positive they are irrelevent.
Publisher aside, this book is a must have for diehard Cash fans. But if you are only going to get one bio., definitely make it the Turner one.
Check it out of your local library instead........2004-09-12
As a long-time Johnny Cash fan, I really wanted to like this book since I thought a spiritual biography was such an interesting concept but the book ended up feeling, as someone already mentioned, like a high school term paper.
The author constantly made use of other previously published books and articles about Mr. Cash so nothing truly new was covered. Instead of actually writing anything fresh, the author pieced together a collage of quotations from Rolling Stone and Cash's autobiographies. And I felt the author's tendency to name-drop was embarrassing and insulting to Mr. Cash. A country legend doesn't need the approval of musicians with 15-minute careers. It felt like a blatant attempt to prove how relevant Johnny Cash is to current music (which is totally unnecessary- Johnny Cash is in a class by himself).
This book came out right after Mr. Cash's death so I can only speculate that it must have been rushed out to capitalize on public interest. Maybe if given more time, more resources, and a more polished author, the product could have been worth more than 2 stars.
I do hope another author tackles this subject material soon though since an in-depth spiritual biography would be fascinating to read.
The Man Comes Around..........2004-03-07
I'm not sure why everything written about Johnny Cash is so entertaining. This book is no exception. It is a quick runthrough of his career and the spiritual journey underlining it all. It is very informative and very inspiring! The book is for any fan of Johnny Cash's. You don't have to be a religious person to get a lot out of this book.
Book Description
While many have heard the music of Johnny Cash, few know the whole story behind his extraordinary career and the stories of those who helped him attain his success. Marshall Grant, Cash's long-time bassist and one of the founding members of Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, chronicles their rise to fame from humble beginnings to world renown.
The genesis for I Was There When It Happened was a rousing speech by Grant during the nationally televised memorial service for Johnny Cash. After receiving multiple standing ovations, Grant was approached by several people, including former Vice President Albert Gore Jr., to consider writing a book. The result is a touching, revealing, and inspiring memoir about the Man in Black.
Beginning with Grant and guitarist Luther Perkins's initial introductions to Johnny Cash and the jam sessions that followed, readers will marvel at how their musical inabilities drove these three men to musical greatness. From Grant's humorous story of placing adhesive tape on his upright bass to learn the notes prior to landing their Sun Records recording contract and witnessing Johnny write "I Walk the Line," to his experience of playing with Cash at Folsom Prison, readers are taken backstage into Cash's inner circle.
"Johnny Cash was the greatest human being to ever walk the face of the earth," states Marshall Grant. While Grant and Cash experienced remarkable success in their careers, the most profound success was their enduring friendship until Cash's dying day. Through the good and the bad—and there was plenty of both—Marshall Grant shares how John and he "walked the line" for each other and those around them. I Was There When It Happened is a testimony to friendship and to the unique qualities behind one of the most respected and beloved entertainers of all time.
Customer Reviews:
Fun read.......2007-10-02
Not great literature, and definitely the author writes probably a bit too much about himself, especially his contributions to making J. Cash the success he was, but a fun read. A lot of inside kind of info. Johnny Cash fans will really enjoy the book. Marshall Grant will be at the Johnny Cash Flower Picking Festival in Starkville, Mississippi on November 3 to discuss his book.
HUH?.......2007-10-02
I've known Marshall all my life.
I love him and Etta very much.
I enjoyed part of the book. I do think he should have stuck with what he KNEW though.
After he "left" Dad's organization, the story should have picked up after he and Dad started speaking again.
The second hand information from "other employees and people close to Dad" was not fact. It was gossip, and I was very surprised at the "information" he was fed from people that were working for Dad at the time!
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you...
I was not only working for Dad at the time, but around him all the time. I found myself shocked at some of the
things Marshall was told. I'm sad that people Dad trusted in his office, home and on the road were so back stabbing.
I always knew it, but this book made me cry at the traitors he paid very well.
Love to Marshall and Etta though...Kathy
He WAS there when it happened!.......2007-09-28
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The account of the Sun Records era and the origin of the Johnny Cash sound was well written and, despite what other reviewers have stated, consistent with other written accounts.
Johnny Cash's drug use during the 1960s was well documented. There is no question in my mind that Marshall Grant, June Carter, and Vivian Cash all loved Cash and wanted to free him from the drug demons that threatened to destroy him.
For most of the 1960s, the drug use transcended Cash's recording and performing career. Cash cleaned up his life (with, apparently, a few relapses), and his career underwent a resurgence. Sadly, in the early 1980's the drugs seemed to re-emerge as an issue and strain a lot of key relationships in his life. Marshall Grant was one of the casualties of that era.
To his credit, Grant chose not to write a tell-all book as retribution while Cash was alive. It was also good to hear that Cash and Grant were able to reconcile and resume their friendship in the end.
I did not consider the book self-serving, as other reviewers have stated. It seemed to me to be a series of anecdotes from a friend. It was an easy read and I would recommend it highly as a biography of Cash.
From the inside.......2007-08-17
For all Cash fans. We forget that we all have human faults when someone dies. Grant has exposed Johnny's demons that exist in all of us. This, in no way, makes Cash less a great human being but shows the world and Johnny's fans that he had many of the same weaknesses we all do. You will not regreat reading. I attended a show in 1964 when Cash did not appear and Tex Ritter played for over an hour vs. his 20 minute set and then announced that Cash was "ill" and would not be appearing. Johnny came back a month later and our original tickets were honored for a second show that was terrific!
An insiders look at the touring Johnny Cash.......2007-07-30
While many reviewers note that Marshall Grant's writing may not be as scintillating as they had hoped, it is important the reader take this book for what it is - an insider's look at touring with Johnny Cash written by the bass player in the Tennessee Two. I found this book very insightful and easy to digest. If you are not a big Cash fan, you may not be able to get through some of the writers' stylistic nuances. However, if you are a true Cash fan, buy this book. It will be well worth your dollars and time. Thanks to Marshall for providing this for us.
Book Description
June Carter was born in the rugged mountains of Maces Springs, Virginia, to Ezra and Maybelle Carter, pioneers of country music. On stage from a very young age, June found her niche in the spotlight with her vivacious personality and down-home sense of humor. Her confidence and spirit were what attracted Johnny Cash to her in the late 1950s. On the road together, they quickly bonded. June was his helpmate and closest companion. They were married for forty years, through addiction and success, tragedy and triumph.
Anchored in Love is an inside look into the life of June Carter Cash, through the eyes of her only child with Johnny Cash-John Carter Cash. With skillful prose, he reveals new information about the legendary woman through his tender memories and heartwarming stories.
Customer Reviews:
A Loving Son Remembers.......2007-09-27
John Carter Cash has written a loving memory of his mother, June Carter Cash. He tells how his mother, in particular, dealt the good times and the bad times shared by his parents. I enjoyed it, the book was hard to put down.
Book Review.......2007-09-18
This is a good book giving one an insight into a person who uses her faith to triumph over personal pain. However I believe June Carter Cash's addictions should have remained a private matter. Dealing with an addictive personality in one's life can sometimes lead a person to resort to addictive medicines to cope. June Carter Cash is an inspirational person in the way she had the faith and strength to keep going in the face of much adversity.
Who could not love June Carter? .......2007-09-09
I have read just about every book i can get my hands on about John and June Carter - What fascinates me about them the most is how such a destructive man became such a wonderful Christian , became clean and overcame such addiction and alcohol problems! Not only did God intervene but this woman June Carter whom he loved forever was the saint sent to him from God and so was the Carter family ! - I truly believe this - Their son has written a beautiful book about his mother and even told some things about her which i did not know but they do not change my opinion of her in the least - I just wish i had seen one of their shows in my life time - I watch Walk the Line which i own every chance i get - Thank goodness the son made this movie happen! It is beautiful both the bad parts and good and the music is terrific. June and John were lucky to have chosen such great actors to play their roles in such an honest manner - They should be very proud. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in this amazing family!
Truth,Tears and Laughter .......2007-09-05
This book was one of the history of The famous Carter Family singers,and one of tears and laughter.John Carter Cash's book about his mother is one of the most honest stories I have read about this family,ever.The human side that John reveals,in his mother's,father's,and his own life,is sometimes shocking and overwhelming at times,but,neccessary,to tell the complete story of his heritage and legacy.You will admire the family,even more than you do now,because John,with his heart-touching words,exposes them with love and compassion,for all the world to see.The story of both his parents' deaths are particularly poignanat,because they were our "family" too.
An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash.......2007-09-03
My husband and I both enjoyed the book greatly. I would certainly recommend it as a good read. Very touching and informative also.
Book Description
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
–Psalm 23:5
There are some places where you just don’t expect to find God. For the men of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, downtown Baghdad was one of those places. Moving into the heart of Iraq and ever deeper into enemy territory, they found themselves face-to-face with the ruthless Iraqi Republican Guard and Fedayeen militia. But when the smoke cleared, God’s touch was clearly visible.
Serving as a chaplain to the U.S. Marines, Lieutenant Carey Cash had witnessed the miracles that began in the desert of northern Kuwait, and found their culmination in one of the fiercest battles of Operation Iraqi Freedom. With vivid detail and gripping emotion, Lt. Cash gives a firsthand account of this amazing story–how the men of an entire battalion found God in the presence of their enemies.
Customer Reviews:
Truth Revealed.......2007-07-08
Thanks to Lt. Cash for his service and his real life account of God's presence in the midst of war. It's encouraging to read and to know that God truly provides in the midst of our enemies. His story sheds light and truth on the real everyday trials of the war; on the frontline as well as the behind the scenes of the war. This book is refreshing to read, in that it is truth being lived out and responsibly reported. If you want truth, hope, and encouragement I highly recommend this book.
Great Book.......2007-05-16
This book is a pretty good book. This book is about a chaplain's experience with a Marine Bn during the initial invasion of Iraq. The book flows really easily from page to page. A person will get lost in the tales. It is told in such a way the reader will almost feel the fear, heat, and the excitement of victory.
The book is a good picture of the war from the Battalion level. Most books are from the soldier level. While that is important this book adds something to that picture. It tells a little of the complexity of moving 800 people down the road to fight the enemy. The author was a chaplain. At that level he would have had a great deal of freedom to move around to see events. Few staff officers would have his unique perspective of seeing so many soldiers in the heat of battle.
The author does offer a religious perspective from the ground level. This is something the book offers that most books don't. A reader can see how violence and death can focus a person's perspective on things eternal. The book shows that a person's thought on things eternal is never as clear as it is in battle. The Christian will really love his stories of faith in individual Marine's life. Those stories really clearly paint the picture of how the hand of God helped those Marines and can help each of us. The author also does properly accent his points with the right scriptures from the bible.
I think most readers will enjoy this story no matter what their religious perspective. It has something for everyone.
Should be Required Reading for schools/colleges and Congress.......2007-05-03
This has got to be the best book I have read. I have read a lot. This book captured my attention and only sleep made me put it down. The reality of war is shared first hand along with the Presence of God amidst the war. It is not blood guts and gore, but true reality told in a spiritual Christian way. Since the start of the war on terrorism in 2003 we have seen and heard many negative stories, it is finally heart soothing to read something positive and quite inspiring for those who have lost or doubt their faith in this war.
Must Read for Parents and Spouses.......2007-01-12
This book was given to my brother, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, as a Christmas gift. He could not read it because the memories were still too fresh and too disturbing. So he let me have first crack at it. I have since bought numerous copies and given them away to Marines, their wives, their parents and military supporters in the civilian community. At least one of those has gone on the buy multiple copies to share also.
This book is so powerful because it shares the amazing presence of God witnessed by American warriors in Iraq. I particularly like how the book is structured so that the author, a navy chaplain shares a Bible story with the reader and then parallels it with a similar first hand experience his Marine had in Iraq. If you wonder if prayer matters, this book will forever convince you that prayer makes a difference. Buy the book. Read it. And share it with others.
A Table in the Presence.......2007-01-10
One of the top 5 books I have EVER read. First hand experience of the Honor, Courage, and Commitment of our Marines and Sailors. Lt. Carey Cash is a Godly man who truley "Walks the Walk". I Highly recommend this book, especially to my brothers and sisters in Christ and my brothers and sisters of the Navy/Marine Corps Team.
Book Description
Johnny Cash is one of the most influential figures in music and American popular culture today. While he was an icon to people of all ages during his life, Cash's legacy continues after his death. His remarkable story is captured in this exclusive authorized biography, addressing the whole life of Johnny Cash-not just his unforgettable music but also his relationship with June Carter Cash and his faith in Christ. His authenticity, love for God and family, and unassuming persona are what Steve Turner captures with passion and focus in this inspiring book.
Different from other books written about him,
The Man Called CASH brings Cash's faith and love for God into the foreground and tells the story of a man redeemed, without watering-down or sugar-coating. Unquestionably one of the biggest book releases of 2004,
The Man Called CASH will be a huge success with his millions of fans and will draw in many new fans with this inspiring story of faith and redemption.
The audio book, ISBN 084996377X, is narrated by Cash's close friend and musical partner, Kris Kristofferson.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-02-09
The Man Called Cash is a very good book. very informative.I think a child 11-12 years old could read it and beable to understand what they are reading.I think it gose behond some of the other books I have read on Johhny Cash.I would recomend it to any one who is interested in seeing where Johnny Cash were he came from and the legacey he left.
Fantastic biography of a true ledgend.......2007-01-11
I am a legally blind man and and I usually get my books to listen to through the library, but after I saw the movie walk the line I felt I had to know more about the ledgend of Cash through an audiobook if I could find one. I was lucky to find this one. I love the way Kris Kristofferson reads the book. Since he was a friend of cash's, he put feeling into the reading like no other person can. Through the author's extensive research on Cash, I found out things I never knew about him. The Movie is good, but if you really want to know who Cash is, just by this and Listen to Kristofferson tell you about his friend. The man in black.
piety and weakness.......2006-08-25
I learned a lot about Johnny Cash, as well as people like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and many others who were the ones that generated so much buzz about music in the 1950's. Toward the end of the book, I was sad because I knew that it would speak of his death. I found myself not wanting to hear about it, because I had loved learning about his life so much.
My favorite story in the whole book was about a prayer he prayed at dinner. His dinner guest recalled the story:
Cash prayed and said, "... and we thank you Lord for this food, and we ask that you would bless it to our body. We pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen. When he finished praying he winked at me and said, "I still miss the drugs though."
It is precisely that juxtaposition of piety and weakness that I think I love about him. It reminds me of another man who is known well for his writing when he said:
I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do ... What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
In case you didn't catch that, the other man to whom I referred is the Apostle Paul. He happened to be one of Cash's favorite people for obvious reasons. I have wondered why I am so enamored by people like Johnny Cash and Paul; these men of such conviction, but at the same time so open about their transgressions. I think it is because they knew themselves well, and they never allowed the good in them to elevate them to a place where they could look down at others. They knew the darkness, and that it was always waiting if they would just relent and turn to it.
Cash turned to it a lot. However, like Paul, he also said:
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
At the end of his life, after June Carter died he hung around for a few months more. He could barely walk, was in massive pain, and was eighty percent blind. In this state, however, he still had the Bible enlarged big enough so he could read it. Others spoke about his love of Jesus, his kindness, his generosity, and his faithfulness to June.
So many want to be cynical about people who struggle, fall, get up, and fall again. They like to point and yell to expose someone else's flaws. I am more convinced that the ones who yell the loudest are the ones who are the most scared of having their flaws exposed.
One of my favorite lines in music comes from a song sung by Cash. It was written by Bono and performed with U2 (yeah, I know big surprise). The line goes:
I went out there,
In search of experience,
To taste and to touch,
And to feel as much,
As a man can,
Before he repents.
Isn't that all of our stories? I know it's mine. I also know that it is mine everyday. I walk around, and like a little kid test the boundaries of God's love. Some days, I may not go far, other days I may feel restless and I just want to run. Yet each time I return home to talk with God I find myself speaking the words of Paul:
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Hello, I'm A Johnny Cash Book!.......2006-06-10
I usually don't read many biographies, but I received this one for Christmas one year since I am a huge Johnny Cash fan. I was glad to see that this book was very well written and also a very easy read. I knew it was going to be good when the first chapter was pretty emotional, as it starts off with June Carter Cash dying. The book also focuses well on some key moments in Johnny Cash's life that made the most significant difference - the first being the death of his brother, Jack, and the others that revolved around June. Like other reviewers have stated, Walk The Line used a lot of moments from the book and I would recommend reading the book as well as watching the movie. I think what was great about Johnny Cash, and what we can all relate too, is how open he was with how he was a sinner and how he had made a lot of mistakes (ie. drugs, affairs, etc.), but he changed his ways when he fully committed himself to Jesus and his faith. I think this book can be a great tool to those who have struggled and have difficult pasts because Cash showed that it doesn't matter what you have done, that you have forgiveness and that you can always start over. Great message and this book has a lot of interesting and funny stories that will want to make you laugh, smile, shake your head, or make you feel sad. Steve Turner has done a great job and had made me rethink biographies. If you're a Johnny Cash fan, this a must-have!
Informative and In-Depth! A Good Biography to Start Learning About the Life of Johnny Cash........2006-05-10
Before I read this book, THE MAN CALLED CASH, by Steve Turner, from 2004, I had also read the 1997 book called CASH: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY (with Patrick Carr). They both cover similar ground. The 1997 book seems more homey, like Johnny Cash is talking to you, but this book, by Steve Turner, seems more accurate.
Having know Johnny and his family for over a decade, author Steve Turner was actually hired to help write another autobiography, but June and Johnny died unexpectedly, and the book turned into an in-depth research research project, instead of just helping Johnny write with decent grammar, or whatever it takes two authors to do with an AUTObiography.
Both books seem to be equally long in content, though the page counts and page sizes differ between the hardcover of this book and the small paperback of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY book that I read.
Though both books cover a lot of the same incidents from Johnny's life, this book, THE MAN CALLED CASH, features some highly interesting coverage of the last living days of June and Johnny, before they both passed on in 2003. There is also plenty of more in-depth coverage of events told in THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, and there are also plenty of events from Johnny's life that are not mentioned in the 1997 autobiography. I recommend that you read both books, actually.
The author also points out that since he had to do research, instead of just typing out whatever Johnny told him, he has discovered that Johnny Cash never had trouble telling a good story, or making a good story even better! For example, Johnny Cash has written and talked about how rowdy he was in the Air Force, fighting with the military police, etc., but Steve Turner points out that the people who were in the Air Force with him don't remember any of that kind of rowdiness from Johnny, who never got into much trouble, and would have been widely known on the air base if he HAD fought with the guards, etc. This book also tells about how Johnny would play music with other airmen in his dorm, and Johnny was the worst of the bunch, learning a lot from the others!
There are many interesting b/w photos, although mostly small, but in high quantity! There is a photo of his brother Jack, whose childhood death affected Johnny for the rest of his life.
This book also has a chronology of major events in Johnny's life, and a discography of his primary releases, which is good to use as a shopping list, for me.
This book does have some distracting typos that I hope get fixed in future printings. On one page the same sentence appears twice in a row. In the Chronology, the death of his father, Ray Cash, appears twice on the list, in 1985 (correct), and then again in 1993 (incorrect). This is unfortunate, but these two are the worst distractions that I found without even trying.
It is also interesting to see how the movie WALK THE LINE compares to what is contained in both of these books! For instance, both books say that June Carter never really met or toured with Johnny until he was a big, established star, years into his music career, while the movie gives me the impression that they met on Johnny's first fledgling tour.
THE MAN CALLED CASH gives information about the the saw accident and his brother Jack. This book says that actually there was another 12 year old boy there, who witnessed the event, and Johnny suspected him of being involved in a bad way, though none of the adults thought so at the time, or ever! Both books mention how Johnny would see Jack appear in his dreams for the rest of his life, always a few years older than Johnny at whatever the age Johnny dreamed the appearance.
This book talks about Johnny's friendship with the evangelist, Billy Graham. I personally enjoy Johnny's Gospel albums and projects, but I am a little bit disappointed over the wasted years of drug abuse and family neglect from Johnny, who thought of himself often as a lost Christian, but a Christian none the less. What do you think about that?
The Bible says, "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." -- Philippians 1:18. Using this Bible verse as a model, it tells me that Johnny Cash's Gospel works, as good as they are, are also totally legitimate as long as they correctly preach the Word of God--regardless of the depths of sin and abuse that Johnny heaped upon himself and his loved ones.
As long as Jesus Christ is being preached correctly, the sins of the messenger do not negate the message itself (and we are all sinners, just not as extreme as Johnny was, I suspect)! I do not and cannot condone his sinful abuses, (though I have done most of them myself, before I got Saved 8 years ago), but I will let God judge his own servant, and I will continue to enjoy the many beautiful Gospel projects which Johnny Cash was always eager and happy to work on!
GOSPEL GLORY is my favorite Johnny Cash Gospel CD, so far. His movie, THE GOSPEL ROAD, is on DVD and is also really cool! My favorite Gospel project from Johnny Cash is his spoken word reading of the entire NEW TESTAMENT on 16 CDs, very affordably priced from amazon.com, and all three of these items come highly recommended by me!
I can recommend both of these books for anybody who enjoyed the WALK THE LINE film.
Bottom line: read CASH: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY for a fun time spent with Johnny Cash in his own words, then read this book, THE MAN CALLED CASH, for the REAL story on how many of those stories actually went down!
Book Description
Johnny Cash was so much more than a country-music star. The only musician ever to be inducted into three halls of fame (Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Songwriters), his music and his legacy have influenced performers ranging from Bob Dylan to U2 to Nine Inch Nails.
Customer Reviews:
I love it!!!.......2007-05-17
I really have enjoyed this book. I have read lots of Johny Cash books, and this one covers most all of the important events in John's life. I am very glad I bought this book.
If you love Cash...... Buy it.......2007-05-13
If you are a Cash fan buy this book your won't regret it. Excellent reading
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