Dark Star [Paperback]

Robert Greenfield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 1997

For more than thirty years, Jerry Garcia was the musical and spiritual center of the Grateful Dead, one of the most popular rock bands of all time.  In Dark Star, the first biography of Garcia published since his death, Garcia is remembered by those who knew him best.  Together, they explore his remarkable life: his childhood in San Francisco, the formation of his musical identity, the Dead's road to rock stardom, and his final, crushing addiction to heroin.  Interviews with Jerry's wives and lovers, family members, close friends, musical partners, and cultural cohorts create a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a rock and roll icon and the price of fame.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Published to coincide with the first anniversary of Jerry Garcia's death, this insightful life of the Grateful Dead guitarist and cultural icon features reminiscences from over 60 people who knew him, from his boyhood in Menlo Park, Calif., to his death. There are family stories from his brother Tiff, Acid Test memories from Ken Kesey, rueful war stories of married life from ex-wife Mountain Girl and harrowing medical reports from his last doctor. As an oral biography, the book necessarily lacks a fixed point of view. Indeed, there are many Jerry Garcias on display here, and they often contradict one another: gifted improvisational performer yet tyrannical perfectionist; loving father yet shameless philanderer; hero to millions yet self-pitying addict. As the years march on, Garcia's early passion for music and youthful joy in performance come through less clearly, overwhelmed by business squabbles and rampant substance abuse. Likely a must-buy for mourning Deadheads, the book should also interest casual fans (if there are any), as well as those curious about the San Francisco 1960s scene or about the punishing coincidence of a brilliant but vulnerable artist and an extraordinary time.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Greenfield nicely complements the traditional journalistic approach of Sandy Troy's Garcia bio, Captain Trips (Thunder's Mountain, 1994), by piecing together recent interviews with nearly 70 Grateful Dead friends and associates to tell a surprisingly cohesive story of the guitarist's life. Save for other Dead members, Greenfield, who co-wrote rock impresario Bill Graham's autobiography, My Life Inside Rock and Out (LJ 9/1/92), gained access to virtually all of the people who knew Garcia intimately. The last half dwells painfully on Garcia's heroin addiction, his 1986 lapse into a diabetic coma, and his fatal 1995 heart attack, but readers will finish with a better understanding of this charismatic musician. Recommended for larger popular music collections.?Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (September 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767900359
• ISBN-13: 978-0767900355
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,132,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book wore me out, September 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dark Star (Paperback)

I was unable to put this painful, marvelous book down until I had finished it. Starry-eyed twirlers should beware their illusions: Jerry Garcia was a powerful, wealthy (in the end), troubled genius who broke a lot of hearts. But his contribution to his friends and the millions who adored his art stands as one of the most enduring of the last half of this century. He once said, "Anybody who thinks I'm God ought to talk to my kids." Truer words were never spoken, and this book illustrates the folly in putting people on pedestals. Garcia is still my favorite artist, bar none, and this book is priceless for it's clear view into his life and work. It also provides a lot of depth and counterpoint to Rock Scully's "Living With the Dead", correcting some of the wilder tales with conflicting eye-witness accounts. The only negative comment is that the interviews are printed verbatim, and the often broken and incorrect English makes the statements unintelligible. I remember reading several of them 4 or 5 times and still being unable to decifer the intent. But they are the minority. Buy it, read it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An appropriate way to do a biography of Garcia, April 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dark Star (Paperback)

This is really a good book, though it left me a little depressed after I finished it. The book begins with a haunting, faded picture of a young Jerry Garcia concentrating intently on his banjo and then proceeds to words by Garcia's brother, Tiff, on how Jerry lost part of one of his fingers and the death of their father. Greenfield lets the people who lived around or with Garcia tell the tale...and what a powerful story it is. The sorry part of it is that it seems like the last 10 years of Garcia's life was like a slow suicide. The center of Garcia's life was music and people who adored him, though it seems he had a great deal of trouble making lasting, emotional bonds to those who loved him. The ones he did make are just sweet. The highlight of the book, for me, is the tale of Garcia's recovery from his mid-80s coma and how instrumental Merl Saunders was in helping Jerry back to life and back to music.

Garcia was a human singularity and this is an interesting portrait of this interesting, adored, and creative person.

Of all the books about Garcia that you want, this is the one you want the most.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible read...., October 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Dark Star (Paperback)

This book is an absolute must read for any Grateful Dead fan. The beauty of the book is that you have accounts and opinions from (what seems to be) everyone in Jerry's inner circle. Not only does the book allow you to take a deep look inside Jerry's life but it allows you to take deep study of the scene and the characters that were an enormous part of his life.

This book was damn near impossible to put down and will certainly be re-read very soon - just to make sure I did not miss anything the first time around.