A Few Words in Defense of Our Country

A passionate and richly reported biography of [a] great American songwriter

[A] penetrating biography . . . While the book posits Newman as a writer of sociopolitical import, its emotional narrative is driven by the more personal aspects of his story: a complex family legacy, childhood struggles with strabismus (crossed eyes) and a lifelong tendency toward sadness and isolation

Randy Newman is our great master of American song and storytelling

A supremely detailed account of an extraordinary career; every album and film score is assessed with potent insight, punctuated by vivid illustrations of the man's personality and intellect

Every time I go to Disneyland and hear Randy Newman's fanfare that announces the thrill-ride of the Cars ride, I marvel at his genius for infiltration. Robert Hilburn's book makes a very good case for Newman being the composer of two or three songs that might serve as the national anthem of a more curious and a less vainglorious America. Some of those songs are heart-breaking and chilling, others are just flat out funny

At last, the biography that Randy Newman has long deserved. The emotional precision, the humour and sweep, the truths and secrets behind his remarkable body of work . . . it's all here in Robert Hilburn's heartfelt and indispensable account of America's finest songwriter. Leave it to Hilburn to pull back the curtain on the incredible life of Newman, a shy genius who clearly trusted him enough to point him in all the right directions. It's more than a great read, it's an invitation to re-visit Randy Newman's work with renewed appreciation for the man who uniquely defined the American Experience just when we needed it most

For fans of Newman or anyone who loves a good story, this is a must-read . . . It's the definitive take on a legend who has captured the respect of musical giants like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen - and for good reason

An illuminating and masterful achievement

Apart from his many other astonishing gifts, I believe Randy Newman to be the finest American satirist in any medium in my lifetime

With A Few Words In Defense of Our Country, Robert Hilburn does an extraordinary feat: He reminds us that it is passion within a songwriter that is always the genesis for music. Hilburn's thoroughly researched and skillfully narrated bio fully brings Newman's passion to life. This book stands as the definitive biography of one of our greatest songwriters

A Few Words in Defense of Our Country is a strong and invaluable book. The title is perfect, and expands and deepens as the story goes on, and Randy's commitment to artistic citizenship, and Robert Hilburn's pursuit of the theme, give the book great weight. The argument powering Newman's work is that defending your country means criticizing it, living in it as it really is, demanding that the country live up to its promises while acknowledging its betrayals

Robert Hilburn presents Randy Newman front and centre as an American treasure, a political lightning bolt and one of the finest songwriters of his generation. Like all of Hilburn's biographies it is addictive and utterly definitive, an intoxicating blend of scrupulously researched detail and unearthed treasures