Laurie Anderson

I've been a fan of Lou Reed since the mid-80's. He was known - to put it politely - as difficult. Yet, I also heard stories of how gentle, funny, and warm he could be. This book reveals all of that: Lou the brutish jerk, Lou the sweetheart, and most of all, Lou the passionate practitioner. Lou felt that his devotion to Tai Chi saved his life when he left his days of drug and drink behind him. Only music held his interest as much as the martial arts did.

This book is the completion of a show more project Lou started in the early 2000's, but couldn't complete before his death. His longtime partner, musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson, devoted herselt to completing the book and getting it out into the world. To do so, she gathered reminiscences from friends, other artists (Iggy Pop, Wim Winders, members of Metallica, and others), Buddhist teacher Mingyur Rinpoche, other friends that Lou encountered during his Tai Chi journey, and his revered teacher, Master Ren GuangYi.

The result is a loving, compelling tribute to Lou's indefatigable spirit, his love of Tai Chi, and his deep desire to be as healthy as possible: healthy physically, mentally, and spiritually. Up against liver disease, diabetes, arthritis, and a body worn down by years of substance abuse, Lou went all in with Tai Chi as a way to work with his pain and live as fully as he could.

How convincing are the stories? I just ordered two books on Tai Chi and have started doing it with the help of a video series available on Gaia.

And here's the verdict on Lou, the man: was he abrasive and rude? Yes...and the next minute, he could be kind and gentle. He was aware of it, he was working on it, and his anger was often perpetuated by a rigorous liver treatment he was on. He felt Tai Chi was the best way he could work with his most difficult emotions. I'd also say that Laurie Anderson brought out the best in him. Her love for Lou shines through this book. She is a radiant gift, to Lou and to all who encounter her work and spirit.

I learned a lot from this book: about Lou, Laurie, Tai Chi, and the martial arts. I recommend it if any of these topics are of interest to you. show less

Es un libro precioso, aunque por momentos demasiado yankee. Trabaja el tema de la muerte de forma sutil, como quien no quiere la cosa.

"En el año 2015, Laurie Anderson, cantante, compositora, poeta y artista experimental clave de los años 70 neoyorquinos hasta la fecha, estrenó Heart of a Dog, un documental hecho de recuerdos y reflexiones sobre su vida de niña, adolescente y adulta. Un documental sobre la memoria, sobre cómo contamos las historias de nuestro pasado, y sobre la liberación del amor generada por tres muertes sucesivas: la de su compañero de vida de los últimos 20 años, Lou Reed; la de su madre; y la show more de Lolabelle, la perra rat terrier que Anderson adoptó luego de que fuera abandonada por la familia que la había comprado". (Descripción editorial). show less

A photographic memoir, accompanied by the complete text, of avante-garde innovator Laurie Anderson's "Empty Spaces" tour includes songs from her album "Strange Angels" and some never-before-seen material.