Ramblin' Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie
by Ed Cray

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Book Reviews of Ramblin' Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie

Book Review: Woody Guthrie, Inspiring, Imperfect Hero
Summary: 5 Stars

Guthrie, despite his claims to the contrary, had a middle-class upbringing. His father was, of all things, a successful real estate dealer, who was too busy to pay the boy much attention. His mother was distant and uninterested. He was a dedicated student only when he wanted to be; he would listen to local singers and imitate guitar records for hours. In 1937, the 25-year-old Guthrie lit out for California (leaving his wife), by freight train or hitchhiking, as did other migrants. On the road and within the state "he was among people who understood hunger" in camps and shantytowns, and the sense of unfairness to others would never leave him. He never officially joined the Communist party; he was too independent for that (or, "They wouldn't have him," according to his first wife). He did write regularly for the Daily Worker, but instead of earnest propaganda, he presented an aw-shucks column full of personal commentary. He admired Will Rogers, and much of what he wrote for newspapers shows it: "I aint a communist necessarily, but I have been in the red all my life." All three of his wives learned that he did exactly what he wanted, drank too much if he chose, left whenever he decided to, and chased skirts with enthusiasm and success. He had his share of selflessness, and even considerable heroism; included here are stories about his service in World War II that would make any American proud.

The most difficult part of the book, unsurprisingly, is Guthrie's descent into neurological doom by the strange affliction Huntington's chorea. It was probably the illness that sent his mother to an asylum, and it gradually took away his ability to play, walk, talk, and think. As sad as this was, it also provided opportunities for his friends and especially his second ex-wife, Marjorie, to demonstrate how deeply he was loved. Pete Seeger, who knew him well and loved his music, had put it well years before: "I can't stand him when he is around, but I miss him when he's gone." There were tributes and concerts in his honor, before and after his death, but the greatest tribute has been the influence he has had on performers like Seeger, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and the early Bob Dylan, who called himself a "Woody Guthrie jukebox." This big and comprehensive biography, itself an admiring but unfawning tribute, is just the volume to show why the tributes are deserved to this American original.

Summary of Ramblin' Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie

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