The Protest Singer: An Intimate Portrait of Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger, at age 90, continues to be an musician/activist demanding freedom and equality for the downtrodden. His music has been at the forefront of American protest music joining his songwriting with the work of fellow artists such as Woody Guthrie. The Protest Singer tells of the hardships he endured trying to spread his message of freedom, even to the point of facing jail time for his words. An inspiring read.

When Alec Wilkninson approached Pete Seeger about writing this book, Seeger said that too much had already been written about him...what was really needed, Pete thought, was a book that could be read in one sitting. This is that book. Lean and inspiring, The Protest Singer gives you a quick rundown of all the reasons to love Pete Seeger. Especially inspiring is the meaty section in the middle of the story where PS stares down the Communist witch hunters, refusing to invoke the Fifth Amendment AND refusing to answer questions. Pete really does believe that he's not important -- the songs he sings are important -- and that's why he's a singer worth remembering. If you smiled to see him singing at the Lincoln Memorial this past January, show more then this book will make you smile as well. show less

This is a short and easy read that summarizes Seeger's life & career succinctly but still captures why he's in important. Seeger himself who never wants much attention focused on him wanted a book that someone could read in one sitting. Much of the book is based on interviews between Wilkinson and Seeger and takes on a conversational tone. The book jumps around between events in Seeger's life similar to the way that one memory can prompt another only tangentially related. It's also good for seeing what Seeger finds memorable and important from his own past. While are more thorough books on Seeger out there, I recommend that anyone interested in learning about this remarkable man start with this book and then check out his albums and a show more concert if possible. Then start to make your own music.

Favorite Passages:
After consulting with his lawyer, Seeger said, "I decline to discuss, under compulsion, where I have sung, and who has sung my songs, and who else has sung with me, and the people I have known. I love my country very dearly, and I greatly resent this implication that some of the places that I have sung and some of the people that I have known, and some of my opinions, whether they are religious or philosophical, or I might be a vegetarian, make me any less of an American. I will tell you about my songs, but I am not interested in telling you who wrote them, and I will tell you about my songs, and I am not interested in who listened to them." - p. 81 show less

style a bit too encyclopedic, but liked the story behind one of my favorite folk singers