I picked up 'Shakey: Neil Young's Biography' on a whim, mostly because I'd heard so much about his music but knew surprisingly little about the man behind it. Jimmy McDonough's writing is immersive—it feels like you're sitting in a dimly lit room with Neil himself, listening to stories that range from hilarious to heartbreaking. The book doesn’t shy away from his contradictions: the environmentalist who loves vintage cars, the folk icon who embraced grunge. What stuck with me was how raw and unfiltered it all feels. McDonough clearly battled to get this story, and that tension adds a layer of drama to the whole thing.
If you’re even remotely interested in Neil Young, this is a goldmine. It’s not just a chronology of albums and tours; it digs into his creative process, his feuds, and even his weird obsessions (like model trains). Some sections drag a bit, especially if you’re not deep into music industry minutiae, but the highs—like the Crazy Horse chapters or his relationship with David Crosby—more than make up for it. By the end, I felt like I’d lived a little of that chaotic, brilliant life alongside him.