Petty: The Biography

Reviews

1. 

   Thomas W Bennett – August 13, 2024

   Quite possibly one of the best rock bios I’ve ever read.
   From the moment I first heard “Breakdown” on my radio as a kid, I was hooked on Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. As I took up guitar, I always felt that if I could be in any band in the world, or have my band sound like any band in the world, it would sound like The Heartbreakers. Oddly enough, through his interviews, videos and what I’ve read of him over the years, I had built a picture in my head for what Petty might be like as a person, and I have to say that a few notable exceptions aside, what was in this book meshed very closely to that image I’d built of him over the years.Very often when reading books like this, you can find the image of your heroes dashed. Very often the narrative of similar works can feel like some sort of cathartic confessional intended to mend an image, explain away public embarrassment, or offer up a litany of excuses for past behavior. Zanes does not avoid Tom’s flaws and foibles, something I felt was rather blatantly passed over in the Bogdanovich film. The thing that you realize with Tom however, is that despite his flaws, he remains about as grounded as one could expect throughout his journey, and I found myself impressed and moved by his dedication and devotion to his music and those around him.Few people can take as few words and chords and spin the magic that he and The Heartbreakers have with them over the years. Tom’s music has always been incredibly relatable, and this book helps you to understand why. The book reveals an incredibly relatable persona that you can’t help but be drawn to. On one level, he’s a simple man with simple messages, who reveals himself through his simple, yet carefully crafted works. But he’s also an incredibly savvy business man and visionary, not something you might expect from a man with such humble beginnings. It makes you root for him and the band. The book helps you understand where the drive, desire and motivation comes from, and the foundation that it was all built on.Overall, I think Zanes does an absolutely masterful job of capturing Tom’s world; his background, his influences, his family circumstances, All of those elements that went into the making of the man, his career and his music. If his music has been part of the soundtrack of your life, this book has a way of making you feel like you’re old friends with Tom by the end, and you really just want it to keep going. It makes you wish he’d never left us as soon as he did… Well done.

2. 

   Seann Haver – August 13, 2024

   Known as the leader of the band, he fought and struggled to keep the band together to make great music. Tom and Mike were amazing song writers producing many hits over the decades. Like a lot of musicians he struggled with drug abuse but worked through it.A very interesting read!

3. 

   Cleusa – August 13, 2024

   Gostei da data de entrega cumprida. Agora vou começar a ler.

4. 

   Krishna Kumar – August 13, 2024
5. 

   Simsalabim – August 13, 2024

   Ich habe zweimal angefangen, dieses Buch zu lesen. Beim ersten Mal habe ich es erstmal wieder beiseite gelegt, weil es, auch wenn man recht gut Englisch kann, anfangs etwas schwierig zu lesen ist.Da ich aber ein großer Tom Petty-Fan bin und es nunmal keine Autobiographie gibt, habe ich es mir nocheinmal vorgenommen und es gerade zu Ende gelesen.Und ich muss sagen, nachdem man sich eingelesen hat, ist das Buch wirklich toll. Viel informativer ist eine AUTO-Biographie auch nicht. Es ist, wie wenn man sich mit einem guten Freund Tom Petty`s und der Band unterhält. Die Zeit damals war einfach eine Aufbruchszeit für solche Bands, sehr romantisch, leider vorbei.Es ist eines der Bücher, bei denen man traurig ist, wenn sie rum sind. Es ist, als erlebe man die Karriere Petty`s und seiner Band in der Zeit damals mit, als sei man dabei….und dann ist das Buch zuende – und Tom Petty`s Leben ebenfalls…Das einzige, was ich zu bemängeln habe: egal, wie vorsichtig man das Buch behandelt, irgendwann fallen die Seiten mit den Fotos in der Mitte heraus und kommen einem entgegen.Aber sonst sehr gutes Buch!

6. 

   Francisco Gil Leyva Medina – August 13, 2024

   Muy buen libro para fanáticos. Alguien que no conozca o no le guste Tom Petty seguramente no lo disfrutará. En ciertos temas o pasajes de la vida de Tom creó falta profundizar pero en general es muy bueno y me gustó.