The Book of Changes: A Collection of Interviews

I found this book through a local bookstore's staff recommendation, and could not believe how little-known it was! Kristine McKenna is as much a genius as some of the artists she interviews. She asks the questions that get at what it's like to be an artist, or what it's like to be creative, questions which more often than not seem to be drowned out by the requisite shilling for a new album/movie or the latest romantic breakup. I usually hate reading interviews where someone keeps talking about her "craft", but that was absolutely not the case here. Not a single person interviewed comes across as foolish or too self-serious, and you will be thinking of them long after you've finished the book. highlights: - portraits by well-known cartoonists, including R. Crumb (!), Chris Ware, and Seth. nice touch, particularly if you read a lot of comics. - David Lynch's interview, which turned into a discussion about falling in love, how to get good ideas, and everything in between - R. Crumb: articulate and gives a good defense of the apparently offensive elements in his work - Artie Shaw: surprising amount of bite, and not afraid to move on - McKenna's own brief notes about the context of the interviews, and her own impressions of what happened. Pithy and witty, when warranted. - Werner Herzog after "Fitzcarraldo"'s disappointment. Not a man to trifle with. Not that you would. - Ray Charles' advice on the industry, and personal reflections on the power of music I can't believe this is out of print. Just get a copy if you like music, art, or movies, even remotely. You'll be smarter after reading, which is not usually the case with celebrity interviews.

So far, my favorite book of interviews. Kristine McKenna is a brilliant interviewer. She asks the best questions and is able to get her subjects to really open up without being pushy. I was especially taken with the Leonard Cohen interview, and I wasn't even much of a Cohen fan when I read it.

If I were to create a list of the world's greatest figures in film and music, nearly every surviving person on my list would be included in this collection. The great minds she brings to the fore share a common refusal to compromise their personal vision and artistic integrity, which leads them to the deepest reaches of the heart and mind. Who better to ask about God, love, evil, and suffering than Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, David Lynch, Werner Herzog, or Tom Waits? These women and men have been to the other side, and McKenna questions them carefully about the journey on our behalf.I can't wait to read her forthcoming second volume, which will surely be as great as this one.

Kristine McKenna surely know the characters before meeting and interviewing them. The interviews with David Lynch, William Burroughs, Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone are worth the price alone. In-depth and thorough. A total winner!