Fire and Rain: The James Taylor Story: The James Taylor Story

Perhaps more of the seventies and eighties should have been featured. But the early part of JT's life is well written. I was referred by a friend to read Fire and Rain. It did not disappoint. I used to live in North Carolina. Thoughts of my childhood sprung to my mind by reading this book. Great memories - great music. This book proves how valuable an icon JT is to the music industry. And, convincingly, the author portrays his life how he overcame lots of demons to become one of music's most notable stars - ever!

This book is utterly readable. The author lays down Taylor's story like an accomplished storyteller with a firm enough foundation of fact. The author takes a thoughtful, sympathetic look at the life and times of James Taylor. For any Taylor fan, and there are millions, this book has great stories about everything from his early childhood to how he fought depression and drug addiction. It will keep you turning pages through a long winter afternoon.

The negative reviews written here sound remarkably familiar. Must be from the same twisted person, who has nothing better to do with his life. Jealousy!! This book offers everything for all JT fans. If anything, it is very well written and balanced. My wife has followed JT's career for more than three decades. She said that for a first biography of JT it "encapsulated, entertained and hit home". The forward by Joel Risberg, the James Taylor Online webmaster, was a great added addition. Congratulations to Mr. Halperin for making a courageous attempt to give us insight into an artist, who for some strange reason, has not had a book written about him. It was long overdue!

James Taylor, one of the biggest names in the music industry, evokes memories of brilliance, peace and genuine good music. Fire And Rain tells the tale of how this fascinating musician struggled his way to the top. This book definitely reaffirms the legitimacy of Taylor as the godfather of the folk-rock era. Perhaps the chapters about the early part of his career were too long drawn out. But the information is valuable because there has not been much written about Taylor in the past. I thought the chapter about how the Beatles discovered young Taylor in England was fascinating. I didn't know how much Paul McCartney influenced the direction of his career. One thing for sure, this book is well balanced and portrays Taylor in a positive way. Music fans from the early 70s should read this book. It will bring back lots of great memories.

I have followed James Taylor's career for years. He is the most respected, loved and sweet figure of his generation. The author clearly shows that JT went through a lot of despair but vanquished it all to become a true music legend. Unlike some of the other reviews here I must maintain an objective outlook. There's no doubt that this book is fair, accurate and a great read about what the music scene was like back in the 60 and 70s. I cannot waste time laying the blame squarely at the feet of the author who certainly did not do a hack job. In fact, I found the writing to be entertaining and encapsulating. Over the years JT's fans have swelled well into the millions. I count myself as one of the die-hards. I'm glad that there is finally a book out about such a great man. I hope that he eventually comes out with his own account which would be much appreciated by his army of fans. Until then, Fire And Rain is a good alternative.