House of Cash: The Legacies of my Father, Johnny Cash [Hardcover]

John Carter Cash (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 16, 2012

House of Cash is an unprecedented look at the life and inspirations of the Man in Black, by none other than his namesake son, John Carter Cash. Gathering together previously unpublished photographs, lyrics, art, notes, and recollections from the Cash family archives, John Carter paints a portrait of his father’s inner life, and the values he imparted to his son and family.

A record of a deep and ongoing conversations between father and son about what matters in life, House of Cash explores Johnny Cash’s quest to live deliberately as he worked to determine his values, share them with those close to him, and reaffirm them on a daily basis. Topics covered include the nature of creativity, the responsibilities that come with fatherhood and friendship, the need for humility and morality, the value of reading, and the obligation we all have to sympathize with the downtrodden. An intimate exploration of the personality and legacy of Johnny Cash, this is a unique portrait of a deeply spiritual, creative, and passionate soul whose music sprang from the way he lived.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Insight Editions (March 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608870286
• ISBN-13: 978-1608870288
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 1 x 12 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( C ) > Cash, Johnny

More About the Author

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Man In Black" - Highly Recommended October 19, 2011

By C. F. Hill HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

"House of Cash" is a celebration of Johnny Cash's life as presented by his son, John Carter Cash. My step-father is a huge Johnny Cash fan and this was the perfect birthday gift for him. The hardback edition is a fairly large book with an appropriately worn looking cover design that looks great on my parent's coffee table.

While I have heard a lot of his music (often while visiting my parents), I knew next to nothing about the man. This book gives a good bit of in-sight into his life, his way of thinking, his music, and his faith. Johnny Cash was a very deep man and I am amazed at the amount of inspirational material he left for his son to use in putting together this tribute. The book contains copies of hand written notes, reproductions of important documents, and many personal photos. Just a note of caution as a lot of the included material are odd sized compared to the standard pages and not all are attached, so so care should taken when going through it (small children might be tempted to remove some of the smaller notes). All of this is great material is tied together by a son's detailed accounts and recollection of his larger than life father.

This is a solid hit for fans and is even interesting reading for those with a casual interest in "The Man In Black".

Highly Recommended!

CFH

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars INTIMATE LOOK AT JOHNNY CASH THROUGH HIS SON JOHN CARTER CASH October 20, 2011

By Stuart Jefferson TOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Large size hardcover-160 pages. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS EDITION IS A CD (about 38 minutes long from Sony Music) containing 12 tracks-8 previously unreleased. There's a number of "documents" from Cash's life (handmade Valentine's Day card, high school diploma letters, a sketchbook, of Cash's artwork, lyric sheet, family recipes, etc.), which add depth and interest. The songs-"Billy Brown" (especially fine), "Ridin' On The Cottonbelt" (a great story about Cash's father), "While I've Got It On My Mind", and others-are well worth hearing (and owning), for they're good examples of Cash's voice and style of music and story telling. On a number of tunes Cash speaks and sets the scene by explaining how the songs came to be. The songs feature just Cash and his guitar, and there's a warmth that comes through, as if he's sitting at home and playing for a friend. This is no thrown together/money making book. The attention to detail is on every page-from the embossed cover graphic, to the photo and graphic reproductions throughout the book, to the writing style-this is a high quality book.

This book, written by Johnny Cash's son, John Carter Cash (J.C.C.), is a personal look at Johnny Cash's life and what inspired him to live the life he chose. Using many unpublished photographs and the above mentioned ephemera, J.C.C. paints a portrait of a man who was both a well known recording artist, and a father/family man. Filled with first person writing, the style brings out a different side of Cash-a man concerned with family, life values, and the creative spirit.

Chapters like "Beginnings and Foundations", "Faith & Philosophy", "Married In A Fever", "From Heart To Pen", and others, construct a good picture of Cash as both a family man and an artist. Throughout the book it's apparent that J.C.C. holds his father in high esteem, and he writes warmly about his father from a unique viewpoint. The book is also a look at how Cash's music sprang from the way he lived, and how he used his life experiences to write and perform his deeply moving songs of faith and turmoil.

This isn't an autobiography of Cash. It's a son writing about his family and his father-who also happens to be a songwriter/singer of some of the best country and gospel music of the Twentieth Century. But it's the many photos, both color and b&w, that really gives insight into Cash and his life. This book is not so much about Cash the artist, but really about Cash the man and father. The photos of Cash with his family, both posed and informal (fishing for example) gives this book an edge over the usual books written about Cash. The perspective that J.C.C. brings to this reflective look at his father is heartwarming, yet both interesting and informative.

If you're a fan of Johnny Cash you'll like this book. Because it's written from a unique perspective, and has many photographs that are in tandem to the writing, this book deserves to sit alongside other good books about Johnny Cash.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book! October 24, 2011

By Thomas D. Gilbert

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have a fairly large library of books, many of them from amazon, and have been a book-lover all my life. Never have I seen a book quite like this one. As the other reviewers stated, it is not only chock full of pictures and stories as I expected, but there were some really neat surprises, like his homemade valentine to June, and his recipe cards. This is really special, you have have to see it to appreciate it. It will no doubt be a big seller this Christmas and what a great present it will be, even to casual fans. My sister ordered it for me, just as a no-occasion surprise gift, and it arrived today. This one is a keeper for sure. One thing I noticed though, one of the other reviewers mentioned a CD that came with the book. I haven't found that in my book, unless it is hidden away somewhere within the pages. I'll keep looking.