Neil and Me [Hardcover]

Scott Young (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1984

Scott Young chronicles his son’s early years in and around Toronto and Winnipeg and his rise from journeyman, musician to superstar in the 1960s and 1970s. The frequent occasions when Scott and Neil’s paths have crossed – from backstage meetings and family get-togethers to a sold-out appearance at Carnegie Hall – give a fascinating portrait of an enigmatic star.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A gem in the library of rock.”
—Edmonton Journal

“[Scott Young] is a wonderfully graceful writer and a skilled reporter…. Neil and Me is a universal book about fathers and sons and the pains and joys they bring to each other.”
—Vancouver Sun --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Scott Young, 1918–2005, had a distinguished career spanning six decades and including more than thirty-five books of fiction and non-fiction. He was one of Canada’s best-known sportswriters. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 259 pages
• Publisher: Mcclelland & Stewart Ltd (October 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0771090846
• ISBN-13: 978-0771090844
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,460,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( Y ) > Young, Neil

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating psychological artifact, August 16, 2004

By 

Robert P. Inverarity (Silicon Valley, California, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Neil and Me - Revised Edition (Paperback)

The first thing you must know about this book: Scott Young adores his son. This adoration pours out in every mention of Neil, whether he's breeding chickens or playing Carnegie Hall. Whether the senior Young was quite so emotional about his other children or not, it's really touching.

The book is utterly unique, as far as I can tell: with the exception of A.A. Milne, fathers just don't seem to write biographies of their children, much less legendary newspapermen of exceedingly legendary rock stars. You do get the Neil Young story in this book, with most of the milestones carefully included, but it's far less interesting than the story of the Young family from its beginnings and its contortions and realignments over the years.

Don't pick this up because you think it will let you understand Neil Young -- even the most milquetoast of men is ultimately unfathomable to others, and NY's inner landscape is craggy and forbidding indeed -- but if you want an account of one family's life, go ahead!

It's appropriate to the man that the two worthwhile biographies (this, by Neil's father, and Shakey, by Jimmy McDonough) of Neil Young have extremely unreliable narrators. This isn't to say that either is intentionally deceptive or misleading, but both have such powerful feelings about Young that their books say more about who they see Neil as (Scott as the caring family man who wants simplicity, JMcD as a chronic deal-breaker and hellraiser) than who he actually is (somewhere in the boundary layer, I'd bet). It's something that Neil himself might well savor.

58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Any true Neil Young fan shouldn't miss this., May 24, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Kingsville, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Neil and Me - Revised Edition (Paperback)

This book depicts Neil's life as seen from the eyes of his father's. Early childhood stories quickly give way to Neil's first meeting with Stephen Stills in New York, the journey to California from Ontario, formation of Buffalo Springfield etc. Chocked full of trivia, who met who and why various bands were formed. CSN&Y years up through the tour with the Shocking Pinks (and Dad)in the early 80's. I couldn't put this book down. Rather than have a fatherly perspective, Scott Young tells this tale as a biography of his best friend. I highly recommend this book if you're into Neil at all, you won't be sorry.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down, December 19, 1999

By 

Andre Gaudet - See all my reviews

This review is from: Neil and Me - Revised Edition (Paperback)

This book is hard to put down. Scott gives a detailed description of his career, his relationship with Neil as a friend and as a son, Neil's rise to Stardom and plenty of interesting stories. It is a must for anyone wanting to explore Neil Young as a musician and as a person.