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Summary: A GREAT BIOGRAPHY! THANKS, RICHIE!
Review: More like an easygoing conversation with an old friend than a traditional autobiography, "They Can't Hide Us Anymore" brings Richie Havens close to the reader. One can almost feel the deep resonating timbre that suffuses his music as Havens shares vivid memories of his adolescence in a boisterous but bucolic Brooklyn before ethnicity mattered; early adulthood in the Village when it was THE place to be and his globetrotting journey since those days. Like his singing, some tales seem cyclic with hints of what is to come, only to be reprised on a later page. Others slowly reveal his many and varied interests beyond the stage - the visual arts, his profound belief in the power of children, and his commitment to safeguard this planet and its inhabitants. Havens' skill as a storyteller serves him well in this thoroughly enjoyable book. Whether a fan from years back or someone just discovering the wandering troubadour, this book will help you know and possibly even understand the man behind the music. Buy it, put on one of his CDs and read. It will be, as Havens is known to say, "Far out!"
Rating: 
Summary: Listening to a friend
Review: More like an easygoing conversation with an old friend than a traditional autobiography, "They Can't Hide Us Anymore" brings Richie Havens close to the reader. One can almost feel the deep resonating timbre that suffuses his music as Havens shares vivid memories of his adolescence in a boisterous but bucolic Brooklyn before ethnicity mattered; early adulthood in the Village when it was THE place to be and his globetrotting journey since those days. Like his singing, some tales seem cyclic with hints of what is to come, only to be reprised on a later page. Others slowly reveal his many and varied interests beyond the stage - the visual arts, his profound belief in the power of children, and his commitment to safeguard this planet and its inhabitants. Havens' skill as a storyteller serves him well in this thoroughly enjoyable book. Whether a fan from years back or someone just discovering the wandering troubadour, this book will help you know and possibly even understand the man behind the music. Buy it, put on one of his CDs and read. It will be, as Havens is known to say, "Far out!"
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Summary: Davidowitz Brings Home a Winner with Havens
Review: Richie Havens is a wonderful communicator - he has the gift of being able to SHARE his experiences. I was born nine months after Woodstock, but after reading this book I WAS there!!! This book is filled with beautiful stories from the heart of the man with the biggest!
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Summary: Beautiful!
Review: Richie Havens is a wonderful communicator - he has the gift of being able to SHARE his experiences. I was born nine months after Woodstock, but after reading this book I WAS there!!! This book is filled with beautiful stories from the heart of the man with the biggest!
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Summary: Heavenly Havens
Review: Thirty years after he appeared as the opening act at Woodstock, folksinger Richie Havens now takes the stage as an author. He insists this book isn't a memoir but an account of the "humorous, talented and incompetent people who occupy the entertainment industry." Havens's tales of the people he met in New York City during the 1960s -- Bob Dylan, James Earl Jones (who also contributes a generous foreword), Joan Baez, Lou Gossett Jr. and others -- are full of nostalgic appeal. Such grace notes from Havens the historian, however, get overwhelmed by his penchant for pontificating -- on the environment, drug use, child-rearing, world peace, you name it. He grows wearisome fast. Warning: Havens takes astrology very seriously. He dismisses his absentmindedness as "an Aquarian trait" and describes a former business manager as a "very nervous type. He also was a Capricorn." As for John Lennon, the ex-Beatle "had a strong premonition that something was going to happen to him," reports Havens. "I know I did." All of which raises one more question: Does Havens, a talented, likable musical performer, have any premonitions about his future in publishing? All in all an interesting glimpse into a life of contradictions and fun.
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Summary: Opening up, reaching out, and aquiring yourself...
Review: This book is my first, it made me realize how many stories and people there are to acknowledge especially those who influenced my life in their own unique way, and how little room to tell them all. What did come forth was a major thread of the adventure my life has been ... So far...
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Summary: A soothing book written from the heart
Review: This book reveals the inner thoughts of Richie Haven's genius. The stories behind his story, with credits to those individuals who helped shape the true music of the 60's and 70's, are wonderful. One finds that the kindness expressed in Richie Haven's music and wishes for a better world, are those which really exist in his mind and spirit. This is a great book for anyone who grew-up in the 60's, as well as for others who love contemporary folk music and/or Richie Havens...S. Winters
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Summary: I am co author of this book.
Review: This simply means that I have been exposed to a dazzling array of Richie Havens' personal stories about life, liberty and his pursuit of excellence through 40 years of working with (and influencing) many of the most talented people in the world. More than an accomplished guitarist, singer and songwriter, Richie is a storyteller of the highest magnitude, a man with a unique perspective on the enduring legacy of Woodstock, a man who lived and helped shape Greenwich Village during the 1960's, when that was the center of the artistic and musical universe. Even so, the breadth of this book goes way beyond Woodstock and 'The Village Years.' You will be astounded, as I was, by Richie's practical insights into the world of autistic children and the fabulous North Winds Undersea Institute he formed with a close friend to expose our youth to enviornmental issues. You will see our complex world differently I think, when you tune in to Richie's adventures in Israel and South Africa. And you will see an array of unusual, extremely gifted people up close and personal as we rarely see the real people in this world who go unnoticed by so many. . .Should we be surprised that Richie's grandfather was an American Indian who worked with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show? Or, as a teenager, Richie gained safe passage through the toughest Brooklyn neighborhoods by teaching gang members how to sing doo wop on street corners, or that a decade later he helped Jimi Hendrix make his first professional connections in The Village? After all of this and more, I think you will be blown away by Richie's sculptures and by the uncanny portraits he paints while blindfolded, or by his ingenious experiments with computer and visual technology. . .While those who have seen Richie perform live in recent years know he is absolutely better than ever, I believe you will be amazed by what he shares in this book, amazed enough to listen to one of his CD's more carefully, or perhaps, as in my own case, to delve deeper into your own art, your own ideas. That is exactly what happens to everyone who spends time with Richie Havens. Guaranteed.
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Summary: With a zest for life, Richie tells his story.
Review: You don't have to read this book to know the author; you only have to hear him perform. But to read his "work in progress" one can only further appreciate his love for people and music. Unlike many autobiographies that seem to be written to promote the author or to set the record straight, this one simply and sincerely reveals the heart and mind of the author as he explores his passion for music. With a childlike innocence, Richie finds goodness in all he touches and everyone he meets; he accepts any setbacks as a part of growth and education and without preaching reminds us how important it is to take time to appreciate our world and our neighbors. At times, it's not clear when a certain event is taking place and one might wish for even more details of Richie's experiences during the "Village Years", but the areas that deal in greater depth are those that are important to Richie and his life. Keep the words and music coming for another thirty years, Richie.
Rating:
Summary: With a zest for life, Richie tells his story.
Review: You don't have to read this book to know the author; you only have to hear him perform. But to read his "work in progress" one can only further appreciate his love for people and music. Unlike many autobiographies that seem to be written to promote the author or to set the record straight, this one simply and sincerely reveals the heart and mind of the author as he explores his passion for music. With a childlike innocence, Richie finds goodness in all he touches and everyone he meets; he accepts any setbacks as a part of growth and education and without preaching reminds us how important it is to take time to appreciate our world and our neighbors. At times, it's not clear when a certain event is taking place and one might wish for even more details of Richie's experiences during the "Village Years", but the areas that deal in greater depth are those that are important to Richie and his life. Keep the words and music coming for another thirty years, Richie.
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