Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You: Selected Poems and Writing : 1979-1995 [Paperback]

Dave Alvin (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 161 pages
• Publisher: Incommunicado Pr (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884615090
• ISBN-13: 978-1884615092
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,014,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Poetry, April 7, 2000

By 

An American Music Fan (Deep in the heart of Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You: Selected Poems and Writing : 1979-1995 (Paperback)

Dave Alvin is one of the 'new' 'stars' of the American music movement. Turns out he isn't all that new to that style of music and being a 'star' doesn't even fill a bar on a weekday night (outside of Austin and LA). His genius is in the evocative power of the lyrics that affectionately call to mind a picture of working America that was only hinted at by Bruce Springsteen in the mid-seventies.

His book of poems examines the same bars, bedrooms, and highways painting an America of broken dreams, broken promises and, at the same time, enduring passion and amazing potential. He has a rare eye for word painting the seemingly common and bringing the emotional content to the fore.

Well worth buying and well worth re-reading. Do yourself a favor and also buy the CD King of California as it covers much of the same territory.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A stunning surprise, June 6, 2000

By 

George Schaefer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You: Selected Poems and Writing : 1979-1995 (Paperback)

I had been a moderate fan of X, the Blasters and Dave Alvins solo music before picking up this book. I liked the title and was curious so I took the plunge. I began reading the poems one night and just kept on reading. I have to admit I was surprised by how good these poems are. Mr Alvin is quite adept at putting the word down. These poems are gritty without losing poetic beauty. Alvin is able to convey an extraordinary range of emotions and experiences in these poems. He manages to run the gamut of his life without wallowing in wistful nostalgia. Saccharine does not live here anymore. This is the real thing. I came away from reading these poems feeling as if I knew Alvin. He seems like a guy that you would want to be friends with. This collection is one I refer to again and again for inspiration or just a good read. This is what true poetry is supposed to be.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A songwriter shows that his poetry doesn't require music, April 30, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You: Selected Poems and Writing : 1979-1995 (Paperback)

Slowly but surely, this poetry collection has become my most-read book. Alvin is best known as a guitarist and songwriter (he was a founding member of the Blasters and has worked as a solo artist for the past decade), but he uses poetry to hash out the thoughts that later become songs. Fans will enjoy tracing the paths those thoughts take--this collection's "Fourth of July in the Dark" exposes the origins of the song "Fourth of July"--but even those who have never heard of Alvin will appreciate his bluesy writing style and his harsh, often unflattering unhonesty