He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond (Hardcover)

by David Wild (Author)
Key Phrases: beautiful noise, home before dark, next studio album, Neil Diamond, Solitary Man, Jonathan Livingston Seagull (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Wild, who's written companion books to the sitcoms Friends and Seinfeld, doesn't pretend to any objectivity on the subject of Neil Diamond—over the years, he's interviewed the singer-songwriter for Rolling Stone, written liner notes for a retrospective box set, even produced an episode of Behind the Music. So this isn't so much a biography as a book-length case of pure, unapologetic fandom that traces every step of Diamond's life, from his childhood in Brooklyn and his rise to fame in the 1960s and '70s to his most recent comeback albums. (Wild is not, however, critically blind; an attempt to watch the film of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, for which Diamond wrote the soundtrack, ends in frustration.) The cutesy references to song titles can get annoying—Wild runs the phrase I'm a Believer as a self-description into the ground—but perceptive insights into the biographical circumstances of Diamond's artistry abound. If you are not a Neil Diamond fan already, this book is not likely to change your mind, but Wild knows he's preaching to the converted: If you hate Neil Diamond, he jokes, then you may actually hate yourself. (Nov.)
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From Booklist
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don’t. Wild is clearly a fan. Big in Jersey, Wild insists, “well before Bruce Springsteen,” Diamond has been a fixture in the Wild household, providing the soundtrack to the family’s lives. “Diamond’s passionate and poppy music spoke to us—and to me in particular.” Diamond is the Jewish Elvis, “the Hebrew hunk” who, despite countless pop classics (“Cherry, Cherry,” “I’m a Believer,” “Solitary Man,” “Shilo,” “Sweet Caroline,” etc.), has never received the respect he deserves. This affectionate and touching book—part musical biography, part autobiography—is Wild’s heartfelt attempt to give Diamond his due. As a fellow Jew from the East Coast, Wild identifies with Diamond, music and man, and he juxtaposes his story and Diamond’s career, his many triumphs but also his failures. It makes an unusual marriage of genres, but it works. Diamond fans will love it, but so should other, more casual pop-music fans and students of Jewish popular culture. --June Sawyers

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1st Da Capo Press Ed edition (October 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306817845
• ISBN-13: 978-0306817847
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #254,359 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a gem!, October 25, 2008

By	AMersel (Tustin, CA) - See all my reviews

After reading David Wild's new book, I felt instantly compelled to write a rave-review. Mr. Wild's book is both insightful, thoughtful, and hilarious! After being a Neil fan for most of my life, this book was able to teach me "inside" information about the man himself, and the story of his incredible success. David Wild is able to interspurse anecdotes about his own life, and Neil's life, which adds heart and soul to this incredible piece. A must buy!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give in to the feel of Neil..., November 3, 2008

By	David H. Gorman (Venice, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book hits a truly sweet spot where the biography of Neil Diamond, the autobiography of David Wild and a critical appreciation of pop music's most enduring singer/songwriter overlap. The author is the rarest of beasts - a fully-anointed Rolling Stone-certified rock critic who isn't too much a rock-snob to appreciate the full scope of Neil Diamond's unique talent and legacy. And I'm not just talking about the early recordings that even the most staunch rock snobs seem to have finally embraced, but every stage of Diamond's career--Wild does casual fans the service of picking the great songs out of Neil's overlooked albums.

More importantly, though, Wild defends the career of the man himself in a measured but passionate book that incorporates his own feelings about Neil's music with his many encounters with the man himself. He doesn't dig for dirt in Diamond's personal biographical details, nor does he go for cheap shots at some of the man's admittedly less-than-stellar work. Instead he makes the case for a truly unique artist who, into his late 60s, is coming full-circle to his beginnings as a songwriter and, yes, even critical success.

If you're a true (sparkly) blue Diamond-head, you might not find the deeply detailed biography you've been waiting for, but you'll certainly find a loving appreciation for an artist who seldom gets his due. It's a book that could only have been written by someone with Wild's background, access and credibility.

It's time to let your Neil flag fly and admit that there's nothing wrong with shedding a tear to "September Morn" or "Love On The Rocks."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read! Couldn't put it down!, October 24, 2008

By	peakview02 (Colorado) - See all my reviews

I'm a devoted Neil Diamond fan (for over 45 years!) and have read all the other books. David Wild's book was a great read because he, too, is a Neil fan. I really enjoyed his personal stories from his view to the inside info of some of Neil's projects. Excellent gift for any Neil fan. Plus if you've ever wondered what Neil is really like, this is the book to read.