The Tao of Willie

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 (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

March 20, 2006
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.