Take Me Home: An Autobiography [Hardcover]

John Denver (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 1994

The internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and environmental activist describes his youth in a conservative military home, striking out on his own, early success, uneasy dealings with fame, and concern for the environment. 75,000 first printing. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Singer-songwriter Denver, now 50, uses this self-indulgent autobiography to review his career and muse about the naivete that has characterized his personal and professional life. Writing with freelancer Tobier, he describes a troubled relationship with conservative, middle-class parents, the failure of his two marriages, deception by a manager and his admiration for people like Werner Erhard of est, Wernher von Braun of the National Space Institute and architect Buckminster Fuller, who he claims have inspired his efforts on behalf of the environment and other causes. In spite of his great success as a performer and his accomplishments as a social activist, Denver, who derives the book's title from his song "Take Me Home, Country Roads," says he is still trying to find himself, and he wallows in a great deal of soul searching and simplistic philosophizing, none of which makes for engrossing reading. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Denver's popularity peaked in the 1970s with such hits as "Rocky Mountain High" and "Annie's Song." He was a far cry from the long-haired rock and disco acts of the time, and his clean-cut activism on behalf of the environment helped make him a popular TV performer. Here, Denver outlines his life, describing his birth into a military family, his conflicts with his stern father, and his burgeoning interest in music as a way to express his otherwise shy self. He goes on to talk about life on the road as a performer; his eventual involvement in self-help groups, such as EST; and his infidelities to his wife, Annie. But, just as Denver's stage persona contrasted with those of John Phillips (Papa John, LJ 6/1/86) and David Crosby (Long Time Gone, LJ 11/15/88), so does his autobiography. Adultery and EST aside, this confessional's weakness lies in a lack of openness. Denver doesn't paint a pretty picture of himself, but behind the story he tells, there is no depth and no details. For celebrity mavens and those who want to know the "why" about a person, this makes for unsatisfying reading. Not recommended unless demand is great.
Rosellen Brewer, MOBAC Lib. System, Montery, Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 262 pages
• Publisher: Crown Archetype; 1st edition (October 11, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517595370
• ISBN-13: 978-0517595374
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just a story about John Denver, a story about America., November 30, 2004

By 

Cody "codyc14" (Alliance, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take Me Home: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

As an avid John Denver fan because of his music and message, I felt obligated to read his autobiography. Although it's a darn shame this book isn't in print anymore, it lives on in libraries and survives via used book sellers here on amazon. It was well worth the wait to find a copy.

John kicks it off telling a little about his parents, how they met, what they did for a living, and where they came from, which explains a lot about the way John looked at life, but I'll let him explain that in the book.

John even tells the reader about the "gamble" he took when he dropped out of college to pursue a folk music lifestyle in California, which he really captures well through his unique writing. He writes about his early and lifelong mentors and about his own personal backlash against the music industry which was caused by a lack of trust in some of those guiding him. He does however, give immense praise to Milt Okun and Hal Thau, which is good to read.

The reader will even learn about the simple approach John almost always took to his songwriting, and how he views some of his songs today. You get a nice view of the social unrest in the country at the time as he makes reference and talks about how the war in Vietnam, EST, and Macrobiotics made their way into his life. Later on, John talks about the Reagan years, changes in the music industry, and changes in his family.

In all honesty, this is one of the most genuine and honest autobiographies I have ever read. He openly admits his flaws revolving around his family life but it's also very cool to see how optimistic he was towards the end of his life. The book itself is very solid, has some rare and touching pictures of John with others, and includes a Discography at the end of the book. I don't just reccomend this to John Denver fans, I recommend this book to anyone, even my age group (I'm in college), who wants to learn about the unique journey of this country through music, pop culture, family, and overall optimism.

Maybe its just coincidence, but the final words of the final chapter in his book say a lot about how prophetic John Denver was in everything he did... he starts off with lyrics to a song he wrote....

"And I lay in my bed and wonder,
After all has been said and is done for,
Why is it thus we are here
And so soon we are gone."

The final words then read,
"I'm not home yet, but I'm getting there."

Well said John, and thanks for your great vision and outlook on life.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Parting Reflections...., August 4, 2000

By 

Bob Lee "South Wind" (Annapolis, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Take Me Home: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

John really opens up here. For an entertainer to be as candid about himself as he is here...and there's a lot to be read between the lines as well...is very unusual. The reader gets a glimpse of the "back stage" John Denver. For all his laid-backness, he was extremely tough on himself, his own worst enemy, forever with a monkey on his back that demanded success and respect despite the lack of support he got from those who were most important to him. Self critical yet so caring, indeed his life was structured around the pursuit of approval. He bares his soul, admits to personal inadequacies, showing the reader that besides being the voice for all of nature, he was just a human being as well...a person who stumbles from time to time while attempting to do what he thought was best.

I listened to the audio book which is read by John while he sat on his deck at his home in Aspen. He prefaced his reading by warning the reader/listener that from time to time there might be the sound of a plane taking off from the nearby airport but that there would also be the sound of a stream and some windchimes hanging nearby. Indeed there are those sounds in the background. Together, with his voice it makes for a very intimate setting... just you and John, sitting on his deck, enjoying his story telling one more time in what probably was one of his favorite spots. A very nice feeling to be with John again.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Denver, the man, January 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Take Me Home: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

This book is a must-read for those who hunger to learn about the human side of a man who, in the 1970s, captured millions of hearts through soaring music that celebrated life, love, and nature. The story shines a revealing light on John Denver. It's most interesting that he's holding the flashlight himself. What he paints is a picture of an honest and earnest, sometimes sad, man who loved music, life, his children, the earth, and his fellow man. He doesn't whitewash problems he experienced, but the reader also learns of the great environmental and humanitarian works that went largely unnoticed during his lifetime. When you close the cover on the last page, you feel as though you know the man. Now, that's what makes a good autobiography!