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Elliott Smith (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Beck Hansen (Foreword), Chris Walla (Foreword)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

List Price: $29.95
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Elliott Smith + Elliott Smith's XO (33 1/3 series) + Elliott Smith Songbook
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  • This item: Elliott Smith by Autumn de Wilde

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Significant Seven, December 2007: Laden with all kinds of PostSecret-era ephemera, as well as pages and pages of outtakes from DeWilde's photo shoots with Smith and fascinating discussions between the author and Smith's contemporaries, Elliott Smith is a stunning example of how a tribute book should be made. DeWilde's photography is stark and intimate but never probing, and what comes across is as real a portrait of Elliott Smith as any fan may ever see. Thumbing through the book I was often reminded of a reluctant child, standing quietly yet somehow furiously, waiting for the scrutiny he's suffering to end--it's the same kind of sweet, sublimated emotion that makes his songs (for me, anyway) so powerfully good. That's the beauty of this book: it shows you the artist that you want to see, yet protects Smith from the kind of rueful sentiment one might expect to be lurking here. (P.S. The bonus CD featuring Smith's cover of "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down" is worth the price of admission alone.) --Anne Bartholomew



Product Description

Elliott Smith's intensely intimate music and open-hearted, Beatlesque pop songs have left a deep mark on a generation of fans and musicians in the wake of his tragic death in 2003. In Autumn de Wilde's remarkable photographs and conversations with close friends, family, and musicians he inspired, this is the first and only portrait of the beloved and troubled singer/songwriter by those who knew him well. Complementing de Wilde's riveting, personal images are ephemera, handwritten lyrics, and revealing talks with Smith's inner circle, many speaking here for the first time. Also included are a foreword by Beck Hansen and Chris Walla, and a live CD of unreleased solo acoustic performances.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Chronicle Books (November 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0811857999
  • ISBN-13: 978-0811857994
  • Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #60,969 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #84 in  Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Rock

More About the Author

Autumn de Wilde
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Elliott Smith
67% buy the item featured on this page:
Elliott Smith 4.6 out of 5 stars (21)
$19.77
Elliott Smith's XO (33 1/3 series)
11% buy
Elliott Smith's XO (33 1/3 series) 5.0 out of 5 stars (4)
$8.76
Elliott Smith Songbook
10% buy
Elliott Smith Songbook 3.8 out of 5 stars (4)
$12.23
Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing
7% buy
Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing 3.1 out of 5 stars (37)
$11.96

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Customer Reviews

21 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (21 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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53 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 stars, November 30, 2007
By Beth (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
Don't get me wrong, the pictures are great in this book. It's some of the interviews that are somewhat frustrating to me. The intro is basically a conversation Beck and Chris have glorifying Autumn. I know this is a book with her photographs, but it made the book seem very tacky from the start.

I don't like that de Wilde chose to interview some people who didn't even know Elliott. I also felt that she related everything back to herself much too often. Several of her comments feel awkward and inappropriate, and I feel that they should have been edited out. For instance, there is one point in the book where she brings up another book she's working on in an interview (with Chris Walla I believe it was?). She says something about how it is her best work. Whether or not this is an attempt at humor, it is clumsy and trivial. Consequently, these conversational excursions prove incoherent and messy, subtracting from the overall focus of the book.

Another example of de Wilde focusing attention on herself is when she talks about how she could've had a romantic relationship with Elliott the first day she met him. Instead, she says she used sheer willpower and resisted the temptation. It seems like she doesn't think he could've refused her. The way she states her ideas sometimes suggests that she thinks very highly of herself.

Other than these points that I found irritating, the other interviews provided some good insights. I wish she had interviewed other people though (I would've preferred an interview with Elliott's parents or his brother). The book overlooks some major topics; only one sentence is dedicated to his stint in rehab while his self injury and previous flirtation with suicide are completely overlooked. I understand the fact that this book primarily interviews his friends, but I would've liked to see his family and early childhood mentioned more: what about the rocky relationship with his stepfather and his alleged childhood abuse? These are very important things, and I believe it is an error that they go unmentioned. Though these are painful topics they are also crucial.

I like the fact that this book humanizes Elliott. One of my favorite parts (other than the pictures) is the collection of quirky music that he liked. This book is really written for big fans, so if you aren't deeply interested in Elliott, borrow it from someone or browse through it at the bookstore instead.

EDIT: This is more of what I sought from the book but didn't find - http://www.lummoxpress.com/journal/j002/smith.php
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Any Elliott Smith fans., November 26, 2007
This book is a beauty to look at and a marvel to read. The photos speak for themselves, and if you're an Elliott Smith fan, you've seen much of Autumn de Wilde's work over the years already, even if you don't know it.

But what is most understated in this being a "photo book" is that it contains some of the most phenomenal interviews ever conducted in regard to Elliott. The tone of the interviews provides stark contrast between the depth and severity of Elliott's depression, and the less-covered joy and happiness that Elliott so often shared with and brought to his friends. The Jon Brion interview invoked a stream of emotion from me as he talked about Elliott as both a musician and a friend.

It doesn't provide a breadth of new information, but the first-hand accounts from those who knew Elliott best are extraordinarily powerful. Autumn and all of her subjects recognized Elliott's artistic and personal beauty. The book shows how one man's genius touched so many people, directly, in different ways, and that to me is staggeringly inspiring.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Elliott Smith that we will never know...., April 20, 2008
Elliott Smith was perhaps the greatest Indie singer/songwriter of his generation. His unresolved murder/suicide at the age of 34 in 2003 catapulted him into iconic status. It abruptly ended a career that had begun to take off. Autumn DeWilde shared a personal friendship as well as a professional working relationship with Smith, released Elliott Smith, which is basically a series of intimate and touching conversations between Elliott's close friends and family that we have the privilege to listen(read) in on. Many speaking for the first time since his death. Because DeWilde was a personal friend of Elliott's, I think that we have to respect the fact that this is her book, not ours. It is going to read more like she is relating to Elliott because she knew him, and not just an informal biography about Elliott. After understanding that it is easier to appreciate and understand the book's perspective. Complementing the text are glossy black and white and color photographs that DeWilde shot of Smith throughout his career. Extremely fascinating and revealing, this book provides a unique perspective into the man whose music many have come to appreciate and love. DeWilde directed Smith's Son of Sam music video, and shot the cover art for his fifth album Figure 8. For a man many know only too well through his music, this book brings a fascinating "behind the scenes" perspective to his life. Besides his music, this is perhaps as close to the man that we will come to know. Reading about his friends and family talk about Smith, you begin to feel like you knew him as well, that you're sharing stories with old friends reminiscing about the night before he appeared on national television for the Oscars, the stories behind the music, or specific conversations that you had. Like his music, this book is a collection of memories, priceless memories. For those unfamiliar with his work, this book will not be as powerful or interesting as it will be for fans. Smith was a complex artist and human being, his personal life and music were not separate, they were one. This is not a biography on Smith, it is a series of conversations and interviews between Smith's closest friends and family. For fans familiar with his music, this book is a must have. I walked away after reading this book with a ton of information that I didn't know before. Considering that I never knew him personally, I even felt like I understood him a (little) better. The beautiful photographs alone are worth the price of the book, containing never before seen images of Smith. Haunting portraits that capture the man in all his glory; the photo shoot from the Figure 8 cover shooting; even handwritten lyrics on the backs of receipts. Yet we also get a series of revealing interviews and conversations that begin to flesh out the man and gives deeper insight into the life of this deeply troubled and gifted artist. The book is a celebration of their friendship and perhaps brings some closure to their relationship as well. I respect that, and I think we are fortunate DeWilde chose to share these at all. Thanks. DeWilde lets us in on this event. Looking at the haunting and beautiful images of Smith, there are many images that come to mind. Silently looking at Smith, you can hear his music playing in the background. This book because it leaves you with a tasted wanting more. Among those interviewed are: Beck Hanson, Ben Gibbard, Chris Walla, Autumn De Wilde, Joanna Bolme, Sam Coomes, Neil Gust, Ashley Welch, Margaret Middleman, Larry Crane. It is no secret that Elliott Smith lived a troubled life. I feel that this book gives you just enough without getting overly personal with respect to Elliott Smith and his family and the problems that he had in regards to drug abuse/depression. I think that this book could have gone a certain way in violating his privacy and instead it shows a tremendous amount of respect. I know that it is the gritty details that are the most fascinating, but I think that there is a fine line to respecting what someone else would like and what people are comfortable talking about. This book balances that perfectly. Contained within the book is a previously unreleased compact disc recording of Elliott Smith "Live at Largo" in Los Angeles. Contains four tracks: Angeles, Between The Bars, Clementine, Clouds(Quasi cover), All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down(Hank Williams Jr. cover). Intimate, touching, fascinating, and perhaps like his music- timeless. Recommended.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Adeline
The interviewing aspect and Autumn's pictures are what make this book so very intimate to me. One could almost feel the excitement, and at times, deepend sadness while studying... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Joseph C. Derrick

4.0 out of 5 stars An Intimate Portrait of the Artist
I thought this was a great tribute book to Elliott Smith. I liked the laid back vibe of the interviews, just a bunch of people getting together to celebrate the good times they... Read more
Published 9 months ago by J. Plummer

5.0 out of 5 stars Wilde about Elliott
At first I was hesitant to purchase this book because I thought it consisted of nothing but photographs. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Jen Selinsky

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this!
The pictures in the book are so incredible and definitely bring you back to XO times. It took me awhile to finally buy it, but I would not hesitate. This is a great purchase!
Published 20 months ago by S. Lehrman

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read - great pictures
Coming from Autumn De Wilde, This book gets as close as it gets to Elliott Smith's photographical side. There are a lot of formal dedications including a foreword by Beck. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Alexander Vlachos

4.0 out of 5 stars Elliot Smith
This Elliot Smith book is really cool. It has tons and tons of pictures, but not a whole lot of text. It also comes with a awesome live cd with around five songs.
Published 21 months ago by DIGlassworks

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing book
It breaks my heart to see the less-than-stellar reviews...this book is beautiful, amazing, and breathtaking. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ashley Shinn

4.0 out of 5 stars Love the personal stories and photography
Its a montage of stories from personal friends that knew or lived with Elliot Smith.
Published 22 months ago by G. Davis

5.0 out of 5 stars love this book
Great layout with many high quality photos. The extra unreleased tracks are a great bonus.
Published 22 months ago by C. Johnson

5.0 out of 5 stars Fans of Elliott-buy
I bought this for my boyfriend for christmas and, being a die-hard elliott fan, he loved it.
This is a great book for those who don't necessarily like to read, but enjoy... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Ashley E., Stevens

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