Customer Reviews

Woody Guthrie Artworks

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an expensive large book in glorious color, designed very well. As a Woody Guthrie fan for the past 45 years, I was delighted to receive it from a dear friend as a birthday gift. I am no artist, nor am I a folk singer, but over the decades my interest in Woody, warts and all, became quite extensive. So I read the brief text and studied the many, many drawings, and I won't be giving the volume away. However, I don't think for casual Woody fans, who like many of his songs but are not interested in biography, this will be a good investment. Woody's "art" is sometimes fascinating, but more often child-like, or vague, or political (and outdated). Presented more or less chronologically, toward the end of the volume Woody's affliction, Huntington's Chorea, shows up in his drawings and prevents the talent from showing through. Although he was a sign painter and illustrator and cartoonist before he became a "famous" folk singer in 1940 with his "Dust Bowl Ballads" collection on 78 RPM records, it is for songwriting that he will remain in our hearts and minds, not for his brush or pencil work. For Woody completists, this is a treasure. If your interest is less scholarly, pass it by and spend your money on his CD's instead. (Five stars for presentation, the four star rating is for content.)

Woody Guthrie was a great talent and a complicated person. This book lets you get peek into his mind (humorous, dirty, sentimental, hopeful). If you like his music or want an interesting book to flip through, this is a great choice.

This is a book give you a good look into the life of Woody Guthrie through art. I highly suggest this for any fan.