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He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond
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Product Description
An illuminating snapshot of a beloved American icon, He Is...I Say endearingly speaks to the condition of being a Diamondhead in a hipper-than-thou world, while fully illustrating exactly what it is that makes the man and the artist so special.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #396763 in Books
- Published on: 2008-10-20
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 224 pages
Features
- ISBN13: 9780306817847
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Wild, who's written companion books to the sitcoms Friends and Seinfeld, doesn't pretend to any objectivity on the subject of Neil Diamond—over the years, he's interviewed the singer-songwriter for Rolling Stone, written liner notes for a retrospective box set, even produced an episode of Behind the Music. So this isn't so much a biography as a book-length case of pure, unapologetic fandom that traces every step of Diamond's life, from his childhood in Brooklyn and his rise to fame in the 1960s and '70s to his most recent comeback albums. (Wild is not, however, critically blind; an attempt to watch the film of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, for which Diamond wrote the soundtrack, ends in frustration.) The cutesy references to song titles can get annoying—Wild runs the phrase I'm a Believer as a self-description into the ground—but perceptive insights into the biographical circumstances of Diamond's artistry abound. If you are not a Neil Diamond fan already, this book is not likely to change your mind, but Wild knows he's preaching to the converted: If you hate Neil Diamond, he jokes, then you may actually hate yourself. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don’t. Wild is clearly a fan. Big in Jersey, Wild insists, “well before Bruce Springsteen,” Diamond has been a fixture in the Wild household, providing the soundtrack to the family’s lives. “Diamond’s passionate and poppy music spoke to us—and to me in particular.” Diamond is the Jewish Elvis, “the Hebrew hunk” who, despite countless pop classics (“Cherry, Cherry,” “I’m a Believer,” “Solitary Man,” “Shilo,” “Sweet Caroline,” etc.), has never received the respect he deserves. This affectionate and touching book—part musical biography, part autobiography—is Wild’s heartfelt attempt to give Diamond his due. As a fellow Jew from the East Coast, Wild identifies with Diamond, music and man, and he juxtaposes his story and Diamond’s career, his many triumphs but also his failures. It makes an unusual marriage of genres, but it works. Diamond fans will love it, but so should other, more casual pop-music fans and students of Jewish popular culture. --June Sawyers
Review
“Excellent…Wild takes us on a witty odyssey of obsession…and makes a strong case for the man as a true musical iconoclast impervious to hip fashions. Wild's defense of Diamond…is a courageous piece of pop criticism…This is one of the best pop books of the year.”
“A love letter to the singer/songwriter.”
“A fast, breezy, and humorous read…This is a great book. It is extremely well-written, and often very, very funny…As much as He Is...I Say is Wild's unabashed and unapologetic love letter to Neil Diamond, it is also in many ways a book about music criticism itself.”
“If you’re a Neil Diamond fan, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.”
“A resounding defense of the singer. More than just a mash note to an underappreciated personal favorite, Wild's book makes a persuasive case for why the man who wrote ‘Solitary Man’ and ‘I'm a Believer’ belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall Fame.”
Nashville Tennessean, 11/6/08
“Engaging.”
Q Magazine, 11/08
“Much more than a biography, it’s Wild’s appreciation of ‘the man, the myth, the Hebrew hunk’…Wild’s enthusiasm illuminates the book like one of his hero’s glowing stage shirts, and might even convince doubters that Diamond really is ‘the Jewish Elvis.’”
Mojo, 12/08
“The chapters on the Brill Building and the late-‘60s era Diamond are certainly fascinating…Wild’s insight can be both touching and sagacious.”
Blurt Online, 11/08
“The conceit of the book is an interesting one: Neil Diamond as the Jewish Sinatra/Elvis…Wild does manage to secure our attention when he writes about Diamond’s Brill Building days…Wild is upfront about his and his family’s love for Diamond and makes a good case for it.”
Jewish Journal of Los Angeles, 11/12/08
“Consider Wild’s book-length tribute album to Diamond to be the author’s own ‘Song Sung Blue.’ Or, perhaps, his ‘Song Sung Jew.’”
“A humorous read of the author’s fanboy self into the life and art of the ‘Jewish Elvis,’ Wild seems serious about giving the influential songwriter some version of his due.”
Dublin Herald, 11/15/08
“Through Wild's genuine enthusiasm for his idol, he has come up with a touching biography…Diamond's rise from Tin Pan Alley to forge a hugely successful career is a remarkable rags to riches tale…Fans will be thrilled.”
“The depths to which Wild strives to share his passion for his favorite musician are endearing.”
WTVF TV’s “Talk of the Town”, 11/4
“David Wild tells one compelling story after another.”
Augusta Metro Spirit, 11/26/08
“A fascinating look at a should-be Hall of Famer…A wonderful read for any Diamond or simply any music fan, this book recreates an amazing life and career with intricate details and fastidious observation…The witty voice of Wild offers [a] charismatic trip through the life of Neil Diamond.”
London Times, 11/28/08
“A wryly amusing tribute to the ‘Jewish Elvis.’ Personal touches work well, as Wild realizes that, pushing 50, he has become embarrassingly obsessed with the sequined performer. His closeness to Diamond pulls out some cracking lines from the singer, too.”
GloriousNoise.com, 11/27/08
“There is an interesting story here…which is how Diamond managed to create a notable career as a solo artist at the time when it was all about groups.”
InfoDad.com, 11/26/08
“Exclusive interviews and well-researched behind-the-scenes information."
Under the Radar, Year End 2008
“A memoir-biography…Well-written love.”
Booktrust.org, 12/08
“[Wild] guides us through this most American of pop stories with the verve and affection of a die-hard fan (and fellow Jew)…Clearly Diamond can do (and has done) no wrong in Wild’s eyes, but in spite of his over-reverent approach, he ably conveys the sense of Diamond as a thoughtful man of integrity, something of a loner who nevertheless adopts for his fans the old-fashioned role of performer.”
Austin Chronicle, 12/5/08
"A gushing, pun-filled ode to the beloved guilty pleasure...There's certainly more than a dash of over-the-topness in He Is, which is fair enough for a book on this particular subject."
Rolling Stone, 1/22/09
A lovely, affectionate portrait of Neil Diamond.”
Bookreporter.com
“[A] loving homage…That [Wild] is a wild fan of Diamond is unquestionable and charming…In his breezy style, filled with puns and very funny stories, he keeps the reader engaged and entertained. His insights are not tarnished by his feelings for Diamond. Readers who are Neil Diamond fans will really enjoy this book. Those who aren’t should give themselves a chance to read it because it’s a well-written, informative and funny biography…[A] paean to the man and his music.”
Jimmy Kimmel
“There’s a wonderful new book that pays tribute to Neil called He Is…I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond and the author David Wild points out something that I believe is true: Neil Diamond sings sensitive things—in a very masculine way.”
Magill Book Reviews
“A heartfelt tribute to one of the 20th century’s most prolific, long-lived, and often-overlooked singer/songwriters…[Wild] puts his critical reputation on the line by declaring, once and for all, and with considerable Yiddish humor, that when it comes to Neil Diamond, he is a believer…Part celebrity biography, part musical liner notes, part nebbishy autobiography, part Catskill-style amusement and all hyperbolic admiration…This book will appeal to David Wild’s fans, Diamondheads, and those who want to get to know the Jewish Elvis just a little bit better.”
Curled Up With a Good Book
“If your opinion of the singer/songwriter parallels [Wild’s], this book is a must-read…A funny book about a profoundly gifted artist. If Diamond is your star, read this."
singer Chris Isaac in the Houston Chronicle, 8/5/09
“Get the book by David Wild about Neil Diamond. It will fill you in and make you realize why without Neil Diamond, the USA would probably not be free, and you and I and many others would be working in chains in a sewage plant someplace.”
Customer Reviews
Give in to the feel of Neil...
This book hits a truly sweet spot where the biography of Neil Diamond, the autobiography of David Wild and a critical appreciation of pop music's most enduring singer/songwriter overlap. The author is the rarest of beasts - a fully-anointed Rolling Stone-certified rock critic who isn't too much a rock-snob to appreciate the full scope of Neil Diamond's unique talent and legacy. And I'm not just talking about the early recordings that even the most staunch rock snobs seem to have finally embraced, but every stage of Diamond's career--Wild does casual fans the service of picking the great songs out of Neil's overlooked albums.
More importantly, though, Wild defends the career of the man himself in a measured but passionate book that incorporates his own feelings about Neil's music with his many encounters with the man himself. He doesn't dig for dirt in Diamond's personal biographical details, nor does he go for cheap shots at some of the man's admittedly less-than-stellar work. Instead he makes the case for a truly unique artist who, into his late 60s, is coming full-circle to his beginnings as a songwriter and, yes, even critical success.
If you're a true (sparkly) blue Diamond-head, you might not find the deeply detailed biography you've been waiting for, but you'll certainly find a loving appreciation for an artist who seldom gets his due. It's a book that could only have been written by someone with Wild's background, access and credibility.
It's time to let your Neil flag fly and admit that there's nothing wrong with shedding a tear to "September Morn" or "Love On The Rocks."
Diamond charges on at his own pace and style
Neil Diamond has said that he doesn't "fit" into any of the accepted pigeon holes to which singers are assigned. He is a multi-faceted entertainer who has produced a body of work that embraces every form of music: ballads, "cracklin' toe tappers," country, reggae, romantic love songs, story songs, and at least one film score. His canvas is large and his talent seemingly endless and certainly enduring. His concerts sell out in minutes, and his fans sing along with his standards while cheering anything new he introduces. And his fans are "FANS!"
Just ask his number one fan and friend, David Wild. "I'm a Believer that Neil Diamond is an altogether merciful and loving musical god," effuses Wild. He claims no objectivity in this loving homage to his idol and is proud of it. A contributing editor with Rolling Stone magazine, Wild is still a true professional, with such credits as writing the liner notes to Diamond's anthologies and producing an episode of "Behind the Music" starring his hero. He has written companion books to several sitcoms and in his role of music critic has (objectively) reviewed much of Diamond's work.
One of the more serious anecdotes he shares is in telling the story of how he convinced the powers that be at Rolling Stone to run with his long and loving interview with the man, the myth, the middle-aged "Hebrew American Hunk." Wild hints that Diamond's generous donation to Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner's anti-gun charity, in honor of John Lennon, just might have tipped the scales in Wild's favor --- especially since Neil Diamond is not known to give interviews. It seems like it was a coup for everyone concerned.
Wild's idolatry propels the narrative, and he infuses every sentence with either a pun or a family memory, or a signal of his own personal passion for the man and his music. One of the best tidbits is when he and his family were invited to a concert and given special backstage passes. Just before taking the stage, Mrs. Wild, the person responsible for transforming her children into "Diamondheads," was graciously invited by Diamond into his dressing room just before he was to take the stage. He had a generous pile of Neil Diamond memorabilia ready and waiting for her. But the biggest gift to Wild and his mother was when Diamond told her she had raised a "mensch" (a Yiddish word meaning a person to be very proud of). Wild said he was overwhelmed, and the family was even surer of their love for the music, lyrics and especially the man, their "Jewish Elvis."
At first, readers may wonder if Wild brings any "real" objectivity or "real" research to the book. The answer is yes and no. That he is a wild fan of Diamond is unquestionable and charming. As for the research, he is a professional with the credentials to prove it and he has done his homework. In his breezy style, filled with puns and very funny stories, he keeps the reader engaged and entertained. His insights are not tarnished by his feelings for Diamond.
Readers who are Neil Diamond fans will really enjoy this book. Those who aren't should give themselves a chance to read it because it's a well-written, informative and funny biography. As he ends this paean to the man and his music, Wild chastises those critics who have kept Diamond out of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their narrowness and inability to admit that being an entertainer who cares about his audiences does not negate the place he deserves in the hallowed home of other inductees.
Nevertheless, Diamond charges on at his own pace and style, telling Wild: "Somehow, each album means as much to me as my very first record, if not more, and the experience of creation has yet to become easy. In truth, I'm as hungry as I ever was: the `emptiness deep inside' aches even more." Wild ends the book with the hope that Neil Diamond will someday write a memoir "about his music and the singular life to which [his words and life] are inextricably tied." In the meantime, Wild offers his own.
--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum
What a gem!
After reading David Wild's new book, I felt instantly compelled to write a rave-review. Mr. Wild's book is both insightful, thoughtful, and hilarious! After being a Neil fan for most of my life, this book was able to teach me "inside" information about the man himself, and the story of his incredible success. David Wild is able to interspurse anecdotes about his own life, and Neil's life, which adds heart and soul to this incredible piece. A must buy!
