Garcia : An American Life

I don’t know why I did not read this through when it first was published. It is the best book about a member of the American band the Grateful Dead of any published to date. Sure, it gives solid information on the family background and his early life which is usually has an impact on the kind of person we become.. It also gives a glimpse at why Jerry Garcia became such a prolific and talented songwriter and skilled player. Not surprisingly, it was all he really wanted to do. He practiced playing all day every day to hone the kind of skills necessary to play an instrument at that level, We also see the impact of the 1960’s psychedelic drug culture and why it impacted his music both positively and negatively. The positive came from its helping to shape his desire to explore and improvise musically. The darker, or negative side of all this was a not surprising inability to sustain relationships with women. That took form in two ways. First, when your love is music, to the extent Garcia did, everything else comes second which is difficult for a partner to accept long term. The other long term effect caused by the use of drugs (not just psychedelics) that are prevalent with touring musicians had a deleterious impact on his health. We see , how the pressures of being the so-called leader of the band helped lead him down that path. Garcia is hardly the only musician of notoriety to suffer this fate, yet despite it all, he remains one of the most important musicians of his generation. A good read, not just for Deadheads and fans, but for anyone interested in how a person’s life is impacted so much by external events.

I have about 100 pages left in the book, but can enthusiastically say that Garcia is right up there with Long Strange Trip as the best book I've ever read about Jerry and the Dead. It is very well written, eminently readable and full of wonderful insights, analysis and reporting about the man and especially his music. This is one very detailed and fairly definitive bio. I've been a Deadhead for 40 of my 60 years and to my pleasant surprise, this book filled in a number of holes in my knowledge of the band that to be honest, I didn't previously know I had. Amazing! Perhaps my favorite pages are fairly early on when Jackson analyzes the Dead's pioneering role in taking rock music where it had never been taken before, placing their 67-68-69 groundbreaking improvisational output in its proper historical context, something lost on so many younger listeners today. And contrary to the one one-star review of the book (out of 28 reviews no less), Jackson is no slobbering fanboy and isn't afraid to criticize Jerry and the rest of the Dead for their shortcomings (chief among them uninspired playing at times and less-than-stellar vocals). I much prefer Garcia to Dark Star, if, for no other reason, that it contains many more of Jerry's own words in addition to the words of those who knew him. Garcia is one of those rare books I don't want to end. As if you couldn't tell, I love it. Highly recommended.

Blair Jackson is a great chronicler of events. My favorite parts were the personal recollections of the people who were there, especially those who were there from beginning to end. Mr. Jackson's personal recollections were also fun to read about. He has a knack for imagery of lyrics and music. I also enjoyed the detailed stories about certain concerts and production of albums. I was present at many of the concerts mentioned in this book from '69 through the last show at Shoreline, and must have run into Mr. Jackson at one of the Bay Area shows and not known it. My experience was a little different from Blair's in that I did not experience the magic after 1977 or '78. I still went to shows, but it was for the ritual and to see old friends more than it was to hear the music. Stadium shows don't do it for me, and when they went from ensemble music with a grand piano to synths they kind of lost me. I also think Garcia's tone took a hit when he went from Fender strats and Twin Reverbs to Doug Irwin guitars and rack gear/synths, although the Travis Bean tone was absolutely killer. I appreciated the experimentation but the reliance on effects other than reverb, envelope filter, and some overdrive is not my cup of tea. I don't want a guitar to sound like a flute. I enjoyed this book a lot but after I finished it I felt the same way about the other members of the Dead family as I did when Garcia died. It's really tragic that people who were supposed to have loved him could not get through to him, not just about drugs but about smoking, diet, etc. It makes me think that they may not have tried hard enough. They should have stopped touring. Plain and simple. Plus, it amazes me that given his history of diabetes his doctors didn't check his heart, at least there's no indication that they did. That should have been a major concern given his diabetes, especially during withdrawal from drugs. He should have not been admitted to rehab without a complete cardiac workup. It's just tragic. I'd love to read a follow up by Blair Jackson. It's been 17 years and a lot has happened in the Dead/jam band scene.

This is the story of a man who touched the hearts of many a human kind. If you were ever put in a place by fate to meet him and his guitar and his giant caring heart, you have friends across the world. He is and was a shining light in this tumultuous life we live now. This book captures the times from the 60's to the 90's using Jerry's guitar as a solid piece of wood to hold onto with your heart. If you are a friend to Jerry,,,read this book.

This book isn't just about Jerry Garcia, it also gives a nearly complete history of the Grateful Dead. If anyone is an expert in writing about the Dead, Blair Jackson is. This may be the most comprehensive book about both Jerry and the band, if you only ever read one, this should be it.

Great book, very in-depth look at the life and history of Jerry Garcia. This book gives insight to the enormous body of work that Jerry under took in his life with the Grateful Dead and other projects. Great value for money.

I couldn't put this book down from start to finish. It is an extremely readable account of the Grateful Dead's unique story. The author loves Garcia; that is clear throughout the book. Nevertheless, he doesn't shy away from Garcia's flaws, particularly the drug issues, and he tries to give a full and honest picture of the man. I was especially impressed by the manner in which he includes a large number of direct quotations from people close to Garcia, and from Jerry himself, which shed much additional light on the subject. I've read various other works about the Dead, including the books by Dennis McNally and Phil Lesh (both of which are great!), but So Far (sic) this is the book that I would recommend as the definitive history of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.

Great Bio.If you're looking for a well written Bio of Jerry Garcia, or the Grateful Dead then give this book careful consideration, you probably won't regret it.