A stunning, powerful, mesmerizing capturing of Woody Guthrie's essence. Anne Neimark writes with all the compression, ferocity of a poet blended with extraordinary skill as a biographer. Woody's world emerges -- all of its complexity, challenge, adventure, triumph -- and the reader is breathless; all of the history, from Black Sunday to labor strikes to migrant workers -- and the something more, the power of Guthrie's spirit, his passion for the ordinary worker's struggles, his valor in the face of terrible illness -- his love of freedom. And then the music -- its meaning, magic ring through the book. Wonderful photos. A fantastic gift for all ages and interests-- history, politics, labor movement, the Depression, folk music -- for all those looking for their own voice, how to sing their own song, even in the face of great struggles to celebrate.