Take Me Home: An Autobiography

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.

This book proves that if you're gonna write an autobiography, do it at a high point in your life when you know who you are, when you're enjoying your accomplishments and when you can share the happiness, wisdom and experiences that you brought you there. Some friend should have told Denver not to do this book.

Denver wrote this autobiography in 1994 at age 50 - too close to a recent divorce and not yet moving on happily.

Who would have thunk it? - John Denver writes that he did cocaine, marijuana and LSD. He was repeatedly unfaithful to his wife Annie. His personal life was usually a mess. His second wife Cassandra was a fame and money grubbing opportunist who turned his life into a temporary hell. By his own admission, Denver drank to the point that he lost his driver and pilot licenses over it.

I have always loved John Denver's music and I still do but this book taints it all a bit and makes me sad. Too often Denver succumbed to various vices and failed to really enjoy his many God-given gifts and all that they brought him. He writes that he was constantly trying to find happiness. He turned to sharmans and gurus and such constantly struggling to find answers to his emptiness and problems.

Save your money and your time and avoid this book.

Enjoy Denver's music for all the good that was in the man. His final televised concert - THE WILDLIFE CONCERT taped in 1995 about 2 years before he died in a plane crash - is among his best performances ever. He and the band sounded great - he looked great and he looked happy. It was run on A&E cable and it is available on VHS, DVD and CD. That is how I will choose to remember John Denver. He left us with a treasury of wonderful music.

I remember the first time I heard John Denver sing in one of his TV specials when my son was still a baby, now 30 years ago. I was sure he would remain a major star. His obvious singing skill and message with heart were, and remain, a winning combination. Unlike many of his avid fans, somewhere along the line I lost track of what John was doing as the years went by. I was shocked at his early death, but unaware at the time at the enormity of his contributions on so many fronts.

Recently I came across several songs of his I had never heard before. I was enthralled, touched and saddened that so much of his work had escaped my notice for so long. The songs seemed so haunting. My immersion in the scope of topics, and what the songs revealed about their originator, brought me to a mild state of shock. I found myself embarrassed and guilty not to have taken the full measure of fruits of his extraordinary efforts seriously before.

Needing more information about the man, to flesh out true intent of many of his works and learn more about his dreams, I found only 1 autobiography in the entire Washington, DC library system. Subsequently I found there were only 7 in the Montgomery County, MD, system. I was sad and disappointed to find so little has been written about him....

His autobiography reveals the huge amount of courage John brought to many of his efforts, and in revealing the less flattering facts and deeds of his own life. In many ways the words in the book are a fuller extension of what he has already given voice to in his songs.

How is an artist made? Many strong feelings and experiences of childhood and adolescence can give rise to the need for artistic self expression, especially when other outlets are difficult. Beginning with his boyhood and family relationships, John talks about the feelings and events that lead to his own use of the guitar and songwriting as a means to self expression, finding friends and relationships, and making the contributions he was so driven to make.

John discusses the development of his musical career, while trying to balance marriage and the many issues with which all adults must cope. He describes the fabric of his many victories, losses and frailties in both his personal and professional life without shrinking from unflattering facts. We are given a rare view into how an artist translates the complexity of his thoughts and feelings into a communication to which others can relate. Often the most poignant moments in John's life led to his strongest and most striking compositions.

It is rare that anyone relates such a brutally honest examination of his life and his dreams as in this book. I now have a much deeper understanding and appreciation for John Denver the man, his music and the environmental causes to which he gave so much time, effort and financial support. It seems to me he may well have sacrificed a great deal to be able to give so much to the rest of us. In the end, it remains up to us that remain after him to carry on the work he so poetically outlined and gave his life to.

What's missing? Like John's life, this autobiography ends too soon. I hope someone will write more details about what John was doing in the late '80s and '90s. We have few in the Baby Boomer generation who have contributed as much as John Denver, without the acknowledgment he should have had during his lifetime. Only five years older than me, his life begs the question of each of us, asking what have we contributed and what will live on after each of us?

This enjoyable and candid autobiography by Denver is a good overall view of his life. I personally would have preferred it if he had emphasized his musical and film career a bit more, and he could have easily done so by cutting some rather tedious digressions such as diet and psychotherapy techniques. Oddly, he also had little to say about his second wife and the children he clearly viewed with affection. But still it's a good balance overall, and fun to read.

In view of his squeaky-clean media image, some people find his flaws a shock, in particular his free use of marijuana and alcohol and his inner turmoil manifested in conflicts with wives and father. Yet the positive side of Denver prevailed through his inspiring music and social activism. His well-known efforts in environmental protection, ending world hunger, and promoting peace are amply detailed here. Upon finishing the book one knows John Denver well, and he seems a likable guy after all.

This is THE BOOK by THE MAN himself ! It is one of the most honest, objective autobiographies I have ever read. I think the author was being too kind and too much of a gentleman about several of the people in his personal life who used him and hurt him and who to this very day continue to make fools of themselves by pretending to be an essential part of the John Denver Story and legacy when they so obviously are not and never have been and John Denver himself states this about these individuals in his book ! In spite of these people not because of them, this creative genius succeeded and gave the world everlasting beauty through his lyrics, music and his love, respect and compassion for humanity and the preservation of nature. This was a very special spirit and a very creative soul whose genius burst forth brightly from his loneliness, pain and suffering and whose star will shine eternally for all of creation. Read this book and listen to his music because no one knows this very special soul better than he himself and no one can express who and what he was all about better than this wonderful man himself ! Why waste time and money reading about what others think when you can get the truth from the man himself through his autobiography and his music !

I love John Denver's music. I HATED this autobiography: partly because it destroyed the myth of John Denver [not the clean-cut, wife-loving, nature loving man his music and image portrays], and partly because it was sloppily written [I would have expected a lyricist to care more about words]. Why did he write it? I'm not sure, but it reads like "venting", someone who is very unhappy and repeatedly blames others for his unhappiness. As a result of his "searching", he is filled with vague, new-age psycho-babble. He justifies cheating on his second wife by saying "Sometimes you have to be true to yourself, rather than true to the other, in order to keep the relationship healthy." huh? His shaman brings his spirit together, which had divided into 3 parts, one just before his brother was born -- is he really carrying that resentment around for 50 years??

I think we [usually unconsciously] expect those with talents to touch our hearts to be better human beings than we are, and we are disappointed when we learn they are fallible. This is certainly the case here. Skip the book and revel in the music.

It's hard to believe that John Denver has been gone for 5 1/2 years. I bought my book when it first came out and was dissappointed that it didn't have more personal information. Recently I paid over four times as much for another copy just so that I could understand more accurately how he thought. Maturity has lead to an increased appreciation of the candor in this book.
Until and if Annie chooses to write about her first husband there will be no better source for the history of this remarkable man. With each reading I gain insight into the music that has touched me so deeply for so many years.

Hi, I love John Denver songs/lyrics/and the awesome person he was. This book told about his career in music and a little about his relationships. He is very polite/kind...tries to get along with everyone in peace/harmony. He doesn't say alot about others to be kind to them. He had a hard childhood and marriages did not work out too well even though he wanted them to work. I think he got very sad at the end of his life...felt a fool, said his brain did not work too well. I don't know if his plane accident was suicide...but he was very depressed at this time. One time he wanted to jump out a window when his relationship with his wife was not working. He wanted to soar like Eagles. He talked about the future with grandkids and wanted to protect nature/help hunger. He was starting to not run and face his inner self. He gives information about how he did this and his health. He is an awesome person. Talented in many ways and so sweet. His lyrics match my life. I don't think bad about him at all. I just wish he could have found the love he always wanted on this earth. I loved his adventures around the world that helped him. He was smart...beautiful songs. He was a great singer and hard worker. He always wanted to be acceptable and make others happy. He was happiest playing his guitar. I wish he was happier/better romantic/family relationships. Maybe playing kept him busy so he didn't think about his feeling alone. To me he maybe Celiac due to Irish heritage which may have caused his depression and family tree relationships issues. At one time he got special cooking. I wish he could have healed at the end. I enjoyed the book. The disk was not there on this used book, but I can see him on Youtube.com..

I bought this book when it came out in '94. It does contain some very candid stories about his personal life. I do not blame John for not writing a "tell-all" book. He did a very difficult thing, which is to let outsiders know about some sensitive private matters. How many of the "dirt-diggers and dishers" would be comfortable with telling strangers about their extra-marital affairs, fits of temper, depression, and drug use? John could have avoided all of that and focused on more up-beat family and professional stories. I think that he left out the meaty details out of respect for himself and those affected by his mistakes.
Unless you are interested in EST and New-Age philosophies, you will be uninterested by his personal beliefs. I think that he could have expounded on where he stands with those beliefs. It leaves you wondering because I have heard him refer to God, Jesus, and angels prior to this book and afterwards.
It is an interesting read for JD fans and curious readers.

This is an excellent book in Denver's own words about his life. And as all of Denver's material, it is very honest and allows one a rather intimate portrait of him. After reading this book, one comes away feeling that one was fortunate enough to know Denver personally. A good overview into his life and career and tha backgrounds of some of his better songs are given as well as his passion about ending world hunger and other charitable projects that he gave so much of his time to. One caveat though: he does not prtray himself as a hero, like so many of his fans try to fashion him; he reveals himself not only as a decent man in many respects, but one who had no problems whatsoever with cheating on his wife with impunity nor using any convenient drug that came within reach, and he reveals only a very limited understanding of himself. But it aslo a picture of a man who was constantly struggling to overcome his shortcomings and who was making real strides in his life before he was killed just a few years later.