Customer Reviews

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I've always been a great fan of Daniel, and I'm so thankful to finally get a book about him! This book answers many questions. It's great to finally hear the whole story! I wasn't aware of Daniel's visual art, and it was great to see hundreds of reproductions of his drawings and see how they're all tied into his complicated Hobbit-esque subreality of Daniel's own creation. The book gave me a deeper understanding of Daniel's creative process. Inspiring!

Dentist: Hello Daniel Johnston fans. I'm sorry, but I don't really agree that this is definitive account of Daniel's life.

Fan: Of course you don't because you're not mentioned in the book. It's obvious you're bitter because no one asked your opinion. Not a definitive account? 95% of the information in this book comes from Daniel himself, his closest friends, not to mention his parents. What are you thinking?

Dentist: You see, I have been a friend of "Danny's" for most of his life and believe the early portion of Tarssa's account is bogus.

Fan: Bogus? I have spoken to the author and Daniel about this book and the information has come from INTERVIEWS WITH REAL PEOPLE so what you are saying is that everyone is lying?

Dentist: I know I'll get alot of "this review didn't help" but who cares.

Fan: Well, if you're really Daniel's friend wouldn't you want this book to do well? For him? Doesn't this book celebrate the man, the artist, the songwriter? Not to mention clarifying alot of misconceptions that have been floating around for years? Isn't the overall perception of this book positive or am I missing something? I've read it ten times! Try reading it off of Nitris Oxide (sp)

Dentist: I lived it with Danny.

Fan: Then why didn't they interview the siamese twin?

Dentist: I visited him when he was in Weston State Hospital in Weston, West Virginia; I picked him up from his home in New Cumberland, WV and brought him into my home to listen to his troubled times during manic as well as depressive stages, I was there when his medicine wouldn't work, I was there when his parents, Bill and Mabel, needed someone to talk too, I was there when Danny decided to start recording again and dug out my bass to play along, I was there when we practice in Bill and Mabel Johnston's basement preparing for "Artistic Vice".

Fan: All I can say to this is READ THE BOOK! There are many accounts of the friends that have helped him throughout the years. Contact the publisher so you can give an interview for the next edition. Quit bitching.

Dentist: I am still here when Danny calls from Texas at least twice a week.

Fan: You don't have to fib. A little bird told me it MIGHT be once a month. Dentists aren't allowed to use hyperbole.

Dentist: Don't label Bill and Mabel Johnston as religous zealots. They are good and honest,God fearing people and have raised Danny the best they could.

Fan: I know for a fact that Mabel and Bill have both read this book and they don't feel the way you do. I looked for the word zealot and can't find it anywhere.You are so off base with that statement. This book talks endlessly about the support they have given Daniel since his childhood and never ONCE does it say anything bad about them.

Dentist: Yes, Danny had his moments of fuzzy recollection,

Fan: You say you've read this book but that's all you can come up with is "fuzzy recollection" I would say objectively he is quite lucid in many of his recollections.

Dentist: and yes he didn't always get along with his parents, but they do love him and Danny loves them.

Fan: Where does it say anywhere in this book that they don't love each other!

Dentist: I love him too, and am still waiting for a "definitive" auto-biography. This one isn't it.

Fan: It's not an auto-biography! It's a handbook. Do you love him enough to want what's best for his musical career? Thank God you don't have clout.

Was this review helpful to you?

Fan: Yes, in a way. It made me re-read the book to try and find out where the this guy is coming from and after reading the "more about me" section it's obvious he's bitter about not being interviewed for the book. I'm just glad that he didn't facilitate a book about Daniel himself for half of it would have been about Dentistry and how much he loves blood, and we would have to find out why the walking advertisement for Clockwork Orange puts a pacifier in his mouth. The one question I have for the dentist is......

Why didn't you let Kramer play bass?

A Fan from New York

Although much could be made of Daniel Johnston's troubled life and the wild stories it produced the author choose to down play this part of the Daniel saga (not completely ignoring it) choosing instead to decontruct his artistic process with brillant results. The book includes plenty of Daniels art, lyrics, and collorbations. Musicians have done well covering his songs and in an unusual twist, artist Ron English "covers" Daniel's drawings with amazing results. Daniel, in my humble opinion, is a national treasure and it is pleasing to see him written about with such insight and respect. I would love to see author Tarssa Yazdani tackle someone like Johnathan Richmond, Mojo Nixon or maybe even a visual artist.

I loved this book. It's a heartbreaking story of how raw genius for songwriting can almost but not quite be beaten down by mental illness and the music industry. But with a little help from his friends, this guy keeps turning out gems of songs and glorious drawings about survival and triumph. And his life's story is still being lived. This subject deserves a second book, and hopefully, a happy ending. It would also make a great movie. Hey, Mike Meyers, here's your next role.

Daniel Johnston is, in my opinion, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the last 20 years, if not the last 50. This book is indispensible for anybody who's interested in his work and is filled with many great anecdotes that are both hilarious and touching. The dozens of drawings that have been reproduced are worth the price alone but the book has many pleasures beyond that. It is about time such a book came out. Daniel is the greatest!

A BOOK THAT FINALLY TELLS THE INTERESTING STORY OF THE BRILLIANT (AND TROUBLED) TEXAS SINGER/SONGWRITER DANIEL JOHNSTON

This book calls itself "The Definitive Daniel Johnston Handbook" - I have known Dan for over twenty years and I have to disagree. The pictures and the art work in the book are great but the definitive Daniel Johnston book has yet to be written.

Yazdani brilliantly captures the essence of this tortured, yet wonderfully talented genius. She gives us insight into the artist's spirit and soul. I could not put the book down. Not only was the subject matter fascinating, but the author's poetic writing style is captivating.

Yazdani's book is hip, savvy and touching. It finally let's the rest of us know why Daniel Johnston is idolized by the likes of Kurt Cobain and Matt Groening. It's beautiful and poetic and just as honest as Johnston's honest to the core music.

Finally a book that explains the life of one of the most brilliant (and troubled) songwriters of our generation and while he's still alive!