Ratings8
Average rating4
An unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary life-one forged through a poverty-stricken childhood in 'slummy, one-horse towns'; obsessive desire; bursts of comedy; and indispensable friendships, reflecting on the way art, music, and a deep connection to nature helped her on a singular journey to become a beloved, Grammy-nominated artist. Neko Case has long been revered as one of music's most influential artists, whose authenticity, lyrical storytelling, and sly wit have endeared her to a legion of critics, musicians, and lifelong fans. In The Harder I Fight The More I Love You, Case brings her trademark candour and precision to a memoir that traces her evolution from an invisible girl 'raised by two dogs and a space heater' in rural Washington state to her improbable emergence as an internationally-acclaimed talent. In luminous, sharp-edged prose, Case shows readers what it's like to be left alone for hours and hours as a child, to take refuge in the woods around her home, and to channel the monotony and loneliness and joy that comes from music, camaraderie, and shared experience into art. The Harder I Fight The More I Love You is a rebellious meditation on identity and corruption, and a manifesto on how to make space for ourselves in this world, despite the obstacles we face.
Reviews with the most likes.
I wish this book had focused more on singer-songwriter Neko Case's music career, but that can't be understood apart from her dismal childhood that featured a neglectful father and a withholding mother - so withholding in fact, that she disappeared for several years and let second-grader Neko believe that she had died of cancer. Music was Neko's primary escape from feelings of emptiness and worthlessness. She found it easy to perform onstage because it wasn't much of a risk for someone so insignificant to put herself out there.
Case's narrative is like her lyrics, which have been described as idiosyncratic and cryptic. I hope the audiobook consists Case using her “120-mph fastball” contralto voice to sing all 265 pages. Whether you're familiar with her work or not, her story is unforgettable.