And A Voice to Sing With: A Memoir Paperback – Illustrated, July 21, 2009

Joan Baez, the quintessential folk singer of the sixties is beyond any caption or genre. Her voice, the one she sings with is an instrument that tugs at your psyche. Her personal story is intelligent, interesting, heartbreaking and funny. Besides the personal courtship of her and Dylan as young innocents -thecourtship of her and The world is the story. Whether you agree with her beliefs you have to admire and value her insistence on not letting up on her core mission. I have never known of a famous person who will not dismiss their cause to keepThe powers that be safe on their side. Joan Baez has no keeper she can’t be quieted or restrained. Her self-effacing humor and remarkable memory dips into saucy gossip at times while her intimate recollections of her wanton ways spices up this memoir but the next moment you will be jolted into a dark hideous cell of innocent prisoners fighting for their lives.Inspiring and hilarious while reminding us of the violence and inequality that brought on the sixties peace movement.It’s a much better book then I can do justice so just read it yourself. You will see.

Tells her great story, And A Voice to Sing With: A Memoir, is a great read and goes into great detail about Joan Baez's early and mid career. The only reason we don't give it five stars is because it's only dated to the mid 1980's, and is greatly in need of updating now in 2013. I have loved Joan Baez's music all my life and loved her book as well, feeling very intimate with her as she tells her story of fame and fortune (given away it turns out). All fans of Miss Baez will enjoy this book and I recommend it highly!

This book was a complete surprise to me. I knew Joan could sing, but I never knew what a full life she lived and what compassion she had in her heart. The book was a trip through the sixties and seventies. Like Forest Gump, Joan was at all the important junctures of those decades, Woodstock, Bob Dillion, Selma with Martin Luther King Jr, Hanoi during the 11-day bombing, in Lech Walesa's home when he was under house arrest and at Live Aid. The great people of that era wanted her around. Why not, she was kind, beautiful and talented. Her compassion was genuine. After coming out of the air raid shelter in Hanoi, after a bombing, she went to an injured child and called for help. She stayed with the child until someone came and took him to a hospital. He survived. She is up front about her neuroses and phobias, her thoughts and her feelings. She made me feel normal and reminded me that you can get through life with your hang-ups. The descriptions of people, places and events are as clear as a photo. She tells great stories, and shares juicy gossip. And when you finish you will find yourself challenged and wondering what can I do with my life to improve the lives of others.

Joan Baez is having quite a life! This book was written in the 80's, so a lot is not included. But a lot IS included. I enjoyed Joan Baez a lot in the 60's but kind of lost track of her in the demands of life until I saw a you tube video of her singing Forever Young on her 80th birthday. She did look forever young. I thought she might have written an autobiography and that it would be fun to read if she did. So this is that book and it was fun to read. As I was reading it, I looked up her sidereal horoscope and it truly is a fantastic horoscope from which you could predict early and solid career success, lots of wealth, and a really blessed life. And she has used it to make the world a better place. She is definitely someone I admire. It was fun to read this and get to know her better. Highly recommend. Also, I am listening to some of her later albums on Spotify and enjoying them.

The book is a little disjointed in its story telling. Perhaps this reflects the author's thoughts? As someone a little over a decade behind the author it was revealing to see someone so awake at such a young age and in that time in the world.This does by the end reveal a lot about the person and personality behind the performer. And so for an autobiography, that means success.I just wish there were an updated edition with an epilogue to cover the 30 years since this was written.

I had no idea how just much history Joan Baez had been part of. I couldn't put this book down. Her writing style is so poetic, even about her everyday experiences. I always thought of her as a folksinger, but now that I've read this book, I see that she is truly a hero in awakening us all to the importance of treating each other and the planet with dignity and respect. Her life lessons have plenty to teach us that is so relevant for the times at hand.

I have always loved Joan Baez' singing, and was fortunate to see her recent 75th birthday concert on PBS, which renewed my interest in her. When I found this book I didn't know what to expect, but I found it a very candid, well written, honest account of her life. It was actually much longer and more detailed than I expected, and I came away with a different impression of Ms. Baez than I had held previously based only on hearing her sing or seeing her in concert. She seems so serious when singing, but then at the end of each song that smile breaks out and opens a window into her more private self, which is very much alive, playful, and passionate. I was also very much impressed with the breadth and depth of her activism and came away with an even more profound respect for her sand what she has done to make our world a better place.

How many songs I sang in Girl Scout camp had been sung by Joan Baez only ten years before. That her son went to the same boarding school that mine did. And that she felt the same awkwardness on Parents weekend. That she risked her life for peace. That she can be a snob like the rest of us. That she can draw.

Filled in a lot of info on her bio.

Interesting

Thanks for bringing my favorite book.

Una testimonianza unica e irripetibile da parte di una donna leggendaria e irraggiungibile, che ha solcato la storia di questo secolo, e di buona parte del secolo scorso, lasciando dietro di sé solo grazia, forza, coraggio, coerenza e l'eco della sua voce.

Loved it!