Long Time Gone: The Autobiography of David Crosby Paperback – September 26, 2007

Anyone that grew up in the 60s knew, or liked Crosby, Stills and Nash (and sometimes Young), and were aware of Crosby's struggle with drug addiction over the years. I don't think anyone (save for his close friends) knew how far down the well he actually went. I certainly didn't. This is a good read, but detailed stories about his (first person) drug use is eye-opening, and depressing at the same time. I loved his honesty about his entire journey in dealing with drugs, inevitable incarceration, and recovery. Highly recommend this book, but it's not about the band, CSN.

David, Upon reading your book Long Time Gone, I looked for pictures online of the Mayan. I came upon a note from you regarding the possibility that the Mayan may be up for sale! This because of your believe you may not be around long enough to maintain this love of yours, and so you are thinking to let it go to someone who could care for it. You put your body through a lot through the years no doubt, but you can beat much of your issues and live long enough to work with CSNY once more, Keep and maintain the Mayan, and love your wife, kids and friends for many more years than you believe. With that said: I would ask you to read the following book, because it will change your life.. It is written by a doctor with incredible creds. His name is Dr. Steven R. Gundry, MD FACS., FACC. The book is titled Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution. This is not another Diet book, this is book that is curing Obesity, Cancer, Diabites, and Heart disease. It's saving my life! Have some faith, give it a read!. It's not another Diet book by some kook... Its about the evolution of food for humans. It's a history lesson that helps one to understand that we are what we eat. And more importantly what that means. KEEP THE MAYAN!

As a musician, i always want to know more about the music making and recording aspects of an artists story. There are good doses of it in this book, and its clear that Crosby's success is the result of his love of music and his talent.I love the quote that says when with CSN, you cant hear David sing because he is perfectly harmonizing with Stills And Nash, in the middle of the harmonic structure. That is exactly why he is one of the great talents of the generation.However, this book reflects what Cros found much more important, a love of drugs, specifically cocaine in its various permutations.Both Cros and co writer Gottlieb (as well as interviewed friends) give us a clear understanding of how much fun was had in the court of David Crosby in the late 60's to early 70's. Crosby's love of sailing, and all those who experiences around that were great fun to learn about, and but one example of the pleasures and privilege that his talent and work afforded him and friends.Be forewarned however that this is a telling of a very sad story of a man who had everything who gave it up to cocaine and heroin. Despite being put into numerous expensive private detox facilities, he only came clean through the Texas prison system. He was literally dead man walking, and after many years, made the transition back to "David Crosby, a great singer and songwriter of our generation". Highly recommended.

This is THE MOST informative & well written biography I have ever encountered. I have read at least 100 biographies but the incredible way that this has been put together leaves not only no stone unturned BUT comes from many, many differing peoples opinions, perspectives, insights, memories, and TRUTHS! This is clearly THE MOST OUTSTANDING research I have ever read about Genius, Drug Addiction, Love, Rebellion, Money, Fame, & everything that life has to offer . . . Good & Bad. I cannot express enough gratitude for having been able to absorb so much Honesty & Truth in one book! READ THIS! 500 no 5,000 STARS!!!

I DIDN'T LIKE THE STRUCTURE IN HIS NEW EDITION WHICH BROUGHT IN QUOTES FROM OTHER PEOPLE. I MUCH RATHER WOULD HAVD PREFERRED JUST CROSBY'S VOICE.

If you are a fan of Crosby, Still, and Nash this book is a must read.

Great info and insight of the sixties west coast rock scene. A bit of a downer about the long destructive hard drug road. Interesting format using inputs from other musical peers throughout in their own words.

Still reading it, but enjoying it so far. Told in paragraphs by the author and friends. DC doesn't have alot of paragraphs probably because of his drug use, he doesn't remember much. But it is a good book IMO.

Crosby in his various stages of his life, was the soundtrack to my life. As a teenager in the sixties and having a crush on that cute guy in the cape from the Byrds to CSNY to today. I did not know about all the things that happened to him. This was an eye opener. A really good look at the sound behind the amazing musician that was and is David Crosby. I only wish that in the last couple years he and Graham had mended fences. They had been such close, good friends that really loved each other.

People often say that a biography is, “Warts and all”. But this one definitely heavy on the warts, and is all the better for it. Recommended.

Le CROZ nous fait partager la folie créatrice des 60's, des 70's, et de l'enfer de l'addiction des 80's !J'ai la version en langue anglaise ... Touché !===/===Bémol sur la qualité de l'édition : les planches photos sont d'une qualité plus que médiocre, et à peine visible/lisible... Dommage

David Crosby published Long Time Gone together with Carl Gottlieb first in 1988 and then reissued it with revisions in 2007. While doctors, lawyers, politicians and business men try to hide their inadequacies as much as possible, Crosby wastes no time in reprinting his medical file from the rehab clinic just after the intro. From there, we can restart in chronological order how the pudgy rebellious teenager with dubious personal hygiene but a golden voice drifted into the folk scene in the very early 1960s. Even then, he was exploring the limits of acceptable behaviour while sailing boats as at least one healthy outlet. You get a feel how things clicked for him seeing Bob Dylan perform Mr. "Tambourine Man" but thinking it could be done better with harmonies. Crosby then gives you a full account of the all too brief tenure of the Byrds, before his ignominious ejection, which seems a bit unreal and rushed. That led him into the waiting arms of Steven Stills, Graham Nash and occasional even Neil Young for that band with a name like a law firm which single handedly create the Album Oriented genre and played Woodstock as its second gig. Crosby always had been a doper, but progressively drifts into the cocaine and heroin scene after the death of his girlfriend Christine Hinton. CSN was able to fill stadiums and the bank coffers for a long time thanks to mellowing baby boomers while Crosby keeps some semblance of control during most of the 1970s. Crosby and his Partner Jan Dance completely lose it with the invention of freebase which sees him fall to new chemical and firearm paranoia depth and finally into the Texas State Penitentiary where he eventually cleaned up. While most Rock N’ Rollers have difficulties in involving the people around in their writing, Crosby amusingly had his friends, doctors, state troopers, sailors, groupies and fellow-musicians write many series of paragraphs that he includes verbatim in italics. Gotlieb’s contribution appears as a more objective and succinct alter ego in bold. Somehow it all works.

I love David Crosby - his music in it's various settings has formed the soundtrack to my musical life, from the 60s to the present day - but after reading this very honest account of his life up to the late 80s I can imagine it would have been very hard to love the man if you actually knew him... Most of the book deals with his serial womanising, and particularly with his multiple drug addictions, particularly his enthusiasm for 'freebase' (look it up). His substance abuse drove him into near (if not actual) bankruptcy, perilously frail health, the loss of most of his friends and almost the loss of his beloved schooner 'The Mayan', which takes up another wedge of the book. Crosby admits he made very, very many very wrong decisions. Finally the drug taking landed him in jail, which almost definitely saved his life. It's amazing the Cros is still with us...Well out together by Carl Gottlieb, the book has an effective structure, so the reader is clear whose 'voice' he is listening to - Crosby's, Gottlieb's (a long time friend and supporter), or the many interview subjects.If I have one criticism of the book it is that it is relatively weak on much of the music making, and some of the dates of events are unclear. Still, as Crosby would be the first to admit, a lot of his life was a bit of a blur...