And A Voice To Sing With

And a Voice to Sing With (1989) – Joan Baez
Arrow Books | ISBN: 9780099606000
Condition: Good | Sold by Crappy Old Books

Joan Baez. Singer, activist, pacifist, political troublemaker and possessor of a voice so pure that it could probably make a telephone directory sound like a passionate appeal for international justice. For decades, she stood at the intersection of music and protest, singing beautiful songs while irritating governments, challenging authority and occasionally discovering that having principles is a considerably less convenient occupation than simply keeping quiet.

In And a Voice to Sing With, Baez tells the story of her extraordinary life, from her early years and emergence as a leading figure in the American folk revival to her involvement in some of the most turbulent political and cultural movements of the twentieth century.

And what a collection of movements they were. Civil rights, anti-war demonstrations, political resistance, social justice campaigns and the general conviction that humanity might behave rather better if people stopped shooting one another long enough to listen to a decent song.

Baez rose to prominence in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when folk music was enjoying an extraordinary revival and young Americans were discovering that an acoustic guitar could be used for something considerably more significant than entertaining people around a campfire. Her magnificent soprano voice made her an international star, but her commitment to political activism ensured that celebrity would never be a straightforward business.

Naturally, Bob Dylan makes an appearance. Their relationship became one of the great romantic and musical entanglements of the folk era, combining artistic collaboration, personal affection, complicated emotions and the inevitable difficulties of two exceptionally talented individuals attempting to occupy the same cultural universe. Dylan went on to become a reluctant spokesman for a generation, while Baez remained considerably more willing to say exactly what she thought.

But this is much more than a backstage account of famous musicians exchanging meaningful glances at folk festivals. Baez writes about family, relationships, personal convictions, spiritual searching and the considerable emotional costs of living according to principles that don’t always make life easier.

Her involvement in the civil rights movement and opposition to the Vietnam War placed her alongside some of the defining figures and events of modern American history. She sang at demonstrations, challenged political authority and repeatedly put her convictions into practice, proving that celebrity activism existed long before social media made it possible to change one’s profile picture and consider the revolution complete.

Published in 1987, with this 1989 Arrow paperback edition, the autobiography offers an intimate portrait of a woman whose music and political conscience became inseparable. Baez is reflective, candid and occasionally disarmingly self-critical, presenting herself as something rather more interesting than an immaculate folk-music saint.

This copy is offered in Good condition by Crappy Old Books, making it an appealing addition to the shelves of music lovers, folk enthusiasts, political historians and anyone fascinated by the remarkable cultural upheavals of the 1960s and beyond.

A moving, entertaining and thoughtful memoir from a woman who spent her life demonstrating that a beautiful voice could be considerably more powerful than simply making beautiful music.

And while most people confronted with the world’s injustices settle for muttering angrily at the television, Joan Baez picked up a guitar and went out to do something about them.

Which, admittedly, takes rather more effort.

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