First published 2002
Woody Guthrie scrawled "This Machine Kills Fascists" across his guitar and set out to capture America in song. From the late 1920s through the 1950s, he penned over three thousand songs, including "This Land Is Your Land," which became America's unofficial national anthem. Guthrie drew inspiration from union organizers, migrant workers, and his own painful childhood. He could transform any experience into a song almost instantly, speaking for people of every color and background. His example influenced musicians for generations, from Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen. But Guthrie's story carries tragedy alongside triumph. Huntington's disease, the same illness that claimed his mother, slowly destroyed his body and mind. He died in a mental institution at age fifty-five, unable to find everything he sought. Elizabeth Partridge weaves together Guthrie's lyrics and rich biographical materials to create an intimate portrait of the songwriting genius who gave voice to twentieth-century America.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, music
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: biographical, inspirational
Setting: America
Period: 1920s, 1950s
224 pages · Hardcover · Viking Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: mental-illness