Product Description

Born in small-town Texas during the Great Depression, Willie Nelson was raised to believe in helping his neighbors and living without pretense. After many hardscrabble years as a poorly paid songwriter (often watching his work become a gold mine for other performers), Willie finally found his own voice—the gentle but unmistakably honest sound that has made him an American icon. Now the master of harmonization has created a guide to finding harmony in everyday life. Featuring vignettes from each chapter of his seventy-plus years (along with plenty of his favorite jokes), The Tao of Willie captures his views on money, love, war, religion, cowboys, and other essential Willie topics.

Loosely based on the principles of the Chinese philosophy of the Tao Te Cheng, which Willie has admired and followed for much of his adult life, this inspiring and entertaining collection of “Willie wisdom” takes us from his roadhouse days, when he united redneck rockers with straitlaced country music fans, to the mega-sized benefit concerts and environmentalism that define his boundless heart. In the spirit of his fellow Texan Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, Willie’s timeless insights sparkle with clarity: It’s like having a one-on-one conversation with the sage himself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #220053 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In his third book, American icon Nelson mingles stories, jokes and adages with a collection of "lessons" he has learned "in this life." Loosely basing his book on the philosophical text of the Tao Te Ching, Nelson advocates incorporating into one's life many of the teachings of that ancient work, such as meditation and the belief that all things are interconnected. But while the Tao may inspire this book, Nelson's charming, often humorous tales of his Texas childhood, cowboy lifestyle, and famous and interesting friends make the "mysteries of life" not all that mysterious. Indeed, with chapter titles like "The Golden Rule" and "Don't Think No Negative Thoughts," the book is rooted as much in down-home common sense as it is in mystical philosophy. Nelson also shares his liberal views on subjects like marijuana ("I'll support a war on drugs, but not a war on flowers or herbs"), the environment ("Biodiesel reduces carbon dioxide emissions up to eighty percent") and war ("I believe in peace"). Whatever his message, the "Red-Headed Stranger" conveys his thoughts in the same friendly, endearing manner that has made his songs part of the fabric of American life. (On sale May 9)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
From down-and-out Kirby vacuum salesman to country music superstar, Willie Nelson is here to tell you he's lived a full life. He's been married four times, has hundreds of friends, and is an international performer, as well as being a supporter of the farmer and a genuine guy concerned about the greater good. Turk Pipkin does most of the narration of Nelson's memoir with some comments from the star himself. Pipkin provides just the pace and wit necessary to pull off Nelson's jokes and story after story about the predicaments he's found himself in and aspects of his life as a superstar who aims to "keep it all real." The lucky listener benefits from Willie's life experiences while having a darned good time. B.J.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Novelist, golf writer, and longtime Nelson compadre Pipkin mounts this collection of the grizzled singer's bromides, aphorisms, and observations in an upbeat, warm-and-fuzzy manner designed to comfort as much as to guide readers through life's prickly situations. Recurring snippets of "The Willie Way" alternate with Nelson's views on "The Golden Rule," "The Time of the Preacher," and similar timeless topics. No doubt these are heartfelt expressions of Nelson's worldview, but as advice, they are less provocative than those delivered in, say, Hell's Angel Sonny Barger's similar set of musings, Freedom (2005). Likely to comfort those already in Willie's thrall, and likely useless to others, the little collection still has high circulation potential, given Nelson's standing with the boomer music-lover demographic. Such maxims as "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results" can do no harm, and god knows Willie, avuncular and far removed from his "outlaw" days, can't, either. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Down to Earth Tao
Gotta love Willie. He is just down to earth-real and very compassionate. I loaned the book to a friend, so I havent gotten all the way through, but I liked what I read so far.

JUST GOOD OLE WILLY
Just another fun, creative, heart-warming piece from Willie. He takes all the wisdom for happiness to fill the heart, and from his creative music, and from his personal life/s (he's had more than his share), and turns out a nice, relaxing philosophical tome for pleasurable, meaningful, comfortable reading. It's not academic, just some guidelines for living a good life and information about how Willie turned out to be Willie. I liked it and glad that I bought it. As the sign sez in Luck, Texas: "If you're not here, you're out of luck..."

Great book!
I've enjoyed reading The Tao of Willie very much. It's full of wisdom and humor and gives you the feeling that you know Willie personal.