Wouldn't It Be Nice [Paperback]

Brian Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 19, 1996

Brian Wilson was the creative genius behind The Beach Boys. He turned a suburban California garage into a group that took the world by storm, with the sound of his songs, the sound capturing the laid-back, sunny Southern California lifestyle. But the cheerful image belied what was really going on. This autobiography describes Wilson's 20-year nightmare of drug addiction, alcoholism, obesity and mental illness. He spent three years alone in his room. He lost his family, and he nearly lost his life. It is a frank discussion of what destroyed his life and of the controversial forces which helped to save it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury (December 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747531455
• ISBN-13: 978-0747531456
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #215,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A rarity--an interesting book on a rock star, September 22, 2002

By 

David Bennett (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story (Hardcover)

I assumed this book would be as uninteresting as the other rock star biographies and autobiographies that I've read; nothing could be further from the truth. While most musicians are working their careers, falling in and out of love, and meeting famous people, which might be interesting to live but not to read about, Brian Wilson was going mad as a hatter and then coming back--the man has things to write about. The book seems to be written very honestly, and it has the ring of truth throughout. As for the material on Eugene Landy, Brian Wilson still says positive things about him, and apparently still holds the view of Landy presented here. The book provides basically zero insight into Brian Wilson's ways of working--it's a book about his life, not his music. You get a detailed picture of what his decline was all about, very clear characterizations of Murry Wilson and the Beach Boys, and what seems to be an extremely honest self-portrait of Brian Wilson, hardly a weakness left unexposed. I'm not THAT huge a fan, actually, but I've always been curious about Brian Wilson's much-ballyhooed problems--I found the book fascinating, and I'd recommend the book even if just to satisfy your idle curiosity. If you are a fan, I'd suggest that this is a book you really have to read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A re-print would be nice!, April 25, 2000

By 

Amazon.customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story (Hardcover)

I had heard amusing stories about how messed up Brian Wilson was at one point, but until reading this I never realized how NOT funny his condition was! It must have been as painful writing it as it was living it. I dont think I've ever heard such brutally honest confessions and stories from such an important icon as Wilson is. Additionally, this is probably one of the best source for inside info on the Beach Boys, since Brian practically was the Beach Boys. I am aware of some other books being written, but who could tell a better story than the person who lived it? in this case this story cant be effectively told by anyone BUT Brian(...who else would know about what the voices in his head said, etc.) While reading, you get the imoression (actually its quite obvious) that this book was written during a time when relationships with the other bandmates were obviously strained, and it is particularly evident in the latter part of the book. Much of the bitterness is directed at Mike Love, perhaps justifiably so based on other accounts I've read about him. After reading, I'm not sure I agree totally with Dr. Landy's methods, but I do believe Brian wouldnt have been around to write this book were it not for Landy. This book could have ended with Brian's "resurrection" in 1983, all the events descrbed after that are really alot of bitterness and downright nastiness directed at the other Beach Boys. I'm not faulting Brian for this, it seemed to me that most of it was Landy's influence. It seemed like Landy's way of getting back at the other Beach Boys for exposing him as the fraud he really turned out to be at Brian's expense, and Brian ended up being sued over this book from what I understand. Still though, this book offers first hand accounts of some of the events that inspired (or in the case of Smile, destroyed) most of the Beach Boys material. I hope someday that this book can be de-Landyized and re-written by Brian. This is a fascinating and important insight into pop music that should not be out of print. How important? Name at least one other major icon of the sixties that ever published an auto-biography. The Stones? Dylan? The Beatles? None, all 3rd party observation and speculative accounts. And besides, as much as I love these other bands, they cant hold a candle musically to Brian Wilson. Read this book ,but stop after you get to 1983.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good (and bad) Vibrations, December 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story (Hardcover)

I found this an engrossing read. There was a lot to take in. Brian's father put him through a lot of hell, and when Brian finnally found something that made him happy, Captiol records nearly overworked him to death. I really liked reading about his encounters with other famous rock legends. Brian wasn't just intimidated by the Beatles. He was equally scared of the Rolling Stones. (He attenended some of the "Between the Buttons" sessions.) There's a lot of heart breaking stories. A story that kind of upset me was when he talks about the "Beach Boys Love You" album. Brian never really meant for the material to be heard. It was part of his therapy and he felt embarrased by the songs. After reading this book, I think Dr. Landy was benneficial to Brian in some ways. He made him much more healthy and got him back into making muisc. The only problem was he then went on to exploit his position. Someone should have stepped in in '85 when Landy ceased to be a therapist/ pshyciatrist and became a Sven Gali. With all that's happend to Brian since I hope we one day say a revised update. Other reviewers have talked about how Brian bad mouths his brothers in this book. I recommend people check out an interview/piece Rolling Stone did on Brian in 2000. It serves as a kind of sequel to this book. In the interview, Brian has much kinder words towards his brothers, particuarly Carl.