Although it took me nearly a month to finish this book, I enjoyed reading about Cash. A man who struggled with drug addition and infidelity, he offered no excuses for his wrong doings nor did he turn himself into a victim. What he did instead was use has faith to help him become a better human being. He was never self-righteous and so full of judgement that he could not identify with anyone. On the contrary, his faults made him approachable because he was honest about them. His marriage to June had their hardships, however, because they were determined to be devoted to each other, the marriage endured the test of time. Whether one is a country music fan or not, this book will help people appreciate what grace is.

Like many others I guess I got into Johnny Cash via his American recordings series of albums produced by Rick Rubin and released from the mid 90s onwards. This part of Cash"s career is detailed pretty well in poet and journalist Steve Turner's biography about Cash and it's fascinating how Rubin reintroduced him to a whole new audience but it looks at so much more than that.

It was a really interesting read that concentrates a lot on Johnny Cash's faith and how that influenced his life and music as well as looking at the well documented struggles he faced with addiction particularly with amphetamines.

Cash may be seen by some as a contradiction but I don't think that's the case. He's a picture of redemption and restoration and a reminder that struggle doesn't negate a life of faith.

He was always a rebel and that came out in how He was always so open about his Christian faith in an industry in which that was far from thr norm to him it was never forced but naturally came out.

This book doesn't gloss over Johnny Cash's weakness and failures and in particular the way he treated his first wife wasn't good.

In his final years he struggled with his health and grieved the loss of his wife June. Some of his final work in the American recordings series shows a man nearing the end and that can be heard in his voice. This book covers that well.

It's a great and insightful read that has been well researched.

There's musicians and then there's artists whose mediums are the fusion of words, angst, notes, present moments, future hopes and rhythm. In this book, we see how the artist Johnny Cash navigated all those layers of his existence and transformed them into tangible works for the world to enjoy and to be uplifted by while also finding his own path to peace.

Not really finished, just finally decided that my interest in reading about Cash was there,just not enough to continue reading. I like his voice and a lot of his music as well as the biopic about him but I just simply don't care THAT much Nice to find out that he was a really quick study with what he chose to follow,in service or in music

A good overview of Cash's life.

Nja inte någon större upplevelse direkt men ändå kul att försöka förstå sig på en man med så pass många olika personligheter.

This book had a rhythm and flow to it that worked. It covered a lot of information without giving too many details. I think the authors goal was to capture the spirit of Johnny Cash, and it did. I listened to The Man Called Cash on audiobook, and the reader was perfect. He had a slight southern drawl which helped pull me into Johnny's world.

Recommended for Cash fans. I think the author assumes the reader has a certain understanding of Cash's influence or presence, of which most Americans should. If not, listened to some of his songs and then delve in!

First book of 2023!

(Does it count if I read half of it in 2022?)

Johnny Cash is frequently my answer to the question, “if you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?” It’s not just because I love his music; he is an absolutely fascinating person. This story, near the end, exemplifies the genuine nature of Cash:

“That same year, Cash met Bono, who came to Hendersonville during a trip across America with U2 bass player Adam Clayton. When they sat down for a
meal, Cash intoned a long and elaborate grace, thanking God for his wonderful
provisions and asking him to bless the food to their bodies. Then he opened his eyes, winked at Bono, and said, "Sure do miss the drugs though." The demonstration of piety coupled with the admission of weakness endeared Cash to the young Irish musicians. In May 1989 Cash recalled the meeting: "We sat around and played some songs afterwards and then we started writing a song together ["Ellis Island," which was never completed]. We were going to finish it off by fax, but that didn't work out. I hope to go and see him when I get to Dublin."

This biography is not nearly as in-depth and detailed as Robert Hilburn’s. I’d say this one is a bit of a quicker and easier read. It’s also more of a spiritual biography. This one is a must-read for any Cash fan; Hilburn’s is sort of next level.

Overall, 4.5 stars.