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| A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties | 
 enlarge | Author: Suze Rotolo
Publisher: Broadway
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
Buy New: $13.66
You Save: $9.29 (40%)
New (43) Used (11) Collectible (2) from $13.66
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 10880
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.4
ISBN: 0767926870
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.42164092
EAN: 9780767926874
ASIN: 0767926870
Publication Date: May 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 An evocative look at the early-to-middle 1960's youth movement in the U.S.that may surprise you. June 25, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a really good read--whether for a look back at the early folk scene in Greenwich Village (starring Bob Dylan, of course) or for a casual history of that still important time that spawned the "youth movement" in the U.S.
The hook to read this book is that it is written by Bob Dylan's girlfriend during his early career. But soon into the book, the reader realizes that it is not going to be a tell-all about the famous singer with anecdote after anecdote exposing Dylan's life at this very crucial stage. So, should the reader continue? I wasn't sure if it would be worth the time investment to hear Suze Rotolo's story. I did continue on and am I glad I did. What we have here is the story of the '60's by a remarkable, sensitive, intelligent,loyal girl who refused to be swallowed up by the cult of celebrity worship so prevalent in our society today. Yes, it was certainly alluring for her to be Dylan's girlfriend--with all of its glamour and power-- but she knew that she would lose her soul and never discover her own self-worth if she were to remain with him, despite being in love with him (and he her).
Rotolo writes in a breezy style with the vernacular of the early sixties. She captures well what is like to be a teen/young adult during any epoch and adds the specifics of the turbulent sixties. A long list of characters(most from the folk and music scene) make an appearance in this story: Dave Van Ronk, Ian and Sylvia, Joan Baez, Trini Lopez, Phil Ochs, John Hammond, Jerry Rubin, Raul and Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Ramblin Jack Elliott to mention a few.
My favorite anecdote in the book is a short one that reveals a most endearing quality of Rotolo. Speaking to an audience in Cuba just after the Revolution, she tells them that she is alienated with the constant use of the terms the proletariat, blue-collar workers stating that she was the only one among the American speakers who was actually from a blue-collar background. "My father,who had worked in a factory, never referred to himself as 'a proletariat'."
Highly recommended for those who were young during this period, or anyone interested in the genesis and milieu of the young Dylan and his art.
A terrific memoir! June 4, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Being a big fan of Dylan and particularly the Freewheelin' album, I waited with much anticipation when I heard this book was coming out. I am about 3/4 the way through it and I have very high marks for it. It is a very entertaining book esp. if you are familiar with the era. I like Suze's writing style and this book is chock full of interesting tidbits and inside information. It was very interesting to read how this photo came about and anecdotes about the various clubs in Greenwich village. I recommend it for all fans of Bob Dylan, esp. 1961-1965. Great job Suze!
Excellent Portrait, Vivid detail of the life at the time June 12, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Everyone looks up to Dylan as some type of God. She was there before and after all the hype and can see both sides of the picture. She lived through it all and didn't want to be part of the mass hysteria. Can't blame her. This book is great and recommended for anyone who wants to relive greenwich village at the time or for anyone who is interested in capturing some part of Dylan's life at the time.
 Interesting stuff, writing was often flat, still: Recommended July 1, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is for the most part, but not entirely, about the time that Rotolo was lovers with Bob Dylan. She's an interesting person so I was also interested in the stories about her time in Italy, her life as an artist, her upbringing as a working class red diaper baby, her experiences in Greenwich Village, the people she knew in the folksinging world there in the Village. Then, of course, there's Dylan. Interesting stuff. However, her writing was often flat and the ending was disappointing. She skips chunks of time. I would have liked to know more about her evolution as an artist and the ways she may have struggled to keep being a creative person.
I do recommend it to those of you who are interested in that period of time and Greenwich Village.
Nice deposit in the nostalgia bank July 7, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This was a well written depiction of the 60's. I was a Bob Dylan fan at this time and he was always quite a mystery to me. This could have been one reason, other than his music which I loved, that he infatuated me. Having never been to the village I'd always been curious about the life style there and Suze Rotolo put it together beautifully. I particularly enjoyed how she linked so many of the folk era greats together and their personal dynamics with each other. The book would be worth reading even had she not been the girlfriend of Bob Dylan. Her story was mesmerizing and without a great deal of empty sentiment.
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