Ronnie Gilbert (1926–2015)

I first heard Ronnie Gilbert sing when I went to a Holly Near/Ronnnie Gilbert concert. They sang of courage, of oppression, of their love of women and so much more. I knew Ronnie Gilbert was in the Weavers and certainly knew who Pete Seeger was and when I received this review copy from Netgalley I was thrilled to learn more about this amazing singer/activist who's voice was so clear and true that I ran out and bought all of her CD's.

And so, I was fairly disappointed in her memoir. I learned show more a lot about her; the facts of her life. I did enjoy reading about her time after the Weavers and with Holly Near and understanding the arc of her activism throughout the years. Yet, the memoir felt flat. While I came to appreciate the life that she lived I did not understand who she was; her motivations and what she felt at different choice points or about the people in her life. For example, I never understood why she became involved in primal scream and what it meant for her. For me, Ronnie Gilbert: A Radical Life in Song had breadth but little depth. This is more a biography than a memoir and though I appreciated coming to know this vibrant and courageous woman I would have liked to understand her heart and spirit even more.

Thank you to NetGalley who allowed me to review this book for an honest opinion. show less