Far and Away: A Prize Every Time

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 784 ratings

Price: 21.83

Last update: 12-21-2024


About this item

Following in the tradition of Ghost Rider and Traveling Music, Rush drummer Neil Peart relates nearly four years of band tours, road trips, and personal discoveries in this introspective travelogue. From the ups and downs of a professional artist to the birth of a child, this revealing narrative recounts 22 adventures from rock's foremost drummer, biker enthusiast, husband, and father. Both playful and insightful, Peart's love of drumming and the open road weaves throughout the stories as Neil explores horizons that are both physical and spiritual, sharing his observations about nature, society, and the self.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Zuzu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Neil Drums Up Another Awesome Solo
    Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2011
    Q: Why should I buy this book when I can read Neil Peart's blog for free?

    A: 'Far and Away' includes additional essays not included in Neil's excellent blog. They blew me away, sprung tears of joy and pride in my eyes, and made me laugh out loud.

    Neil ascends further into the pantheon of great writers with stand-alone packets of stories filled with the usual adventure, geology lessons, and humor in his writing. My favorites are "Under the Marine Layer" and "The Ballad of Larry and Suzy", where he shares his thoughts and feelings of becoming a father again after losing his only child (and first wife and even his dog in 1997). This is not `The Motorcycle Diaries' or the kind of fluff designed to sell to the lowest common denominator of reader. Neil used metaphor wrapped in everyday Southern California events and some lucky circumstances (his friend's daughter is named Selena and she shines an enviable facet in his prose) to tell the story.

    It's an interesting read if you have no idea who Neil is, but as a Rush fan it's delightful to share bittersweet life on the road and the hilarious interactions with bandmates Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee.

    In an April 2011 interview with Neil by Jim Ladd of KLOS Jim wishes we could see `the infectious gleam in his eye and smile'. Wishes come true in 'Far and Away'; it's filled with pictures (mainly taken by Neil) who has an artist's eye for composition. My only regret with the book is some of the non-professional photos, particularly ones taken on overcast winter days, would shine better with a little enhancement. Neil's probably used to the brightness of photos lit by a monitor; print immediately snuffs them. The art director could've said or done something--Neil's a writer, not a Photoshopper.

    I love a blog, but I love a book more. I took 'Far and Away' on the train to the show at Madison Square Garden, and when I finished I hugged its linen cover with copper foil title and smiled deeply. Nothing like a book.

    I hope his agent sends this to The New York Times. Neil's ready.
  • E. Allen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational and real
    Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021
    Neil has a wonderful way with words. Any Rush fan would agree with those words but so often the true scope of his talent is over looked. In this collection of travel memoirs chronicling his motorcycle journeys in the first decade of the 2000’s and the events surrounding them, Neil exposes his inner self, the fears and pleasures, the drive and integrity; the things that made him such an inspiration as a musician and, more so, as an individual. It’s a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone!
  • william Burtt
    5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read
    Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024
    Makes you feel like you were right there with him riding through and exploring ... Hard to put down once you start reading .
  • Shannon Blue Christensen
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Jack of All Trades, and a Master of - Several
    Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2012
    "Far and Away" is my favorite of Peart's books. The "open letter" format gives him terrific agility between subjects, form, tone, and perspective. There is a careful informality to each piece, as if he is chatting with the reader over a late-night drink, sitting on a terrace overlooking the lights of Southern California. There is intimacy, too, the intimacy of strangers. The emotional timbre of each piece has increased, as opposed to some of his earlier work (even "Ghost Rider") where the subjects where more obviously private - and therefore the reader needed to be kept a little farther away from the author by careful use of grammar and style.

    For the audience not familiar with Peart's day job, "Far and Away" is a treasure of travel literature, both between geographic locales and between ideas. The casual tone of the work belies its attention to the craft of writing. Much as Rush fans practice playing "YYZ" repeatedly just for the joy of it, Peart practices writing for the pleasure of creating a finely tuned, precise, meaningful phrase. The essays stand on their own, and anyone who appreciates the patient, meticulous, loving effort of good writing will be satisfied - and grateful.
  • Jay W. Lundgreen
    4.0 out of 5 stars More good writing from a unique and gifted author.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2011
    Neil Peart's latest offering, Far and Away: A Prize Every Time, stays true to the author's established vision. While an argument could be made that most of the writing here isn't original to this work (most of it comes straight from Peart's personal website) it is an argument that doesn't hold much weight. Having first read most of the material as it appeared on line I have to say that new life has been breathed into it in this new and refreshing presentation.

    Aesthetically, Far and Away is Peart's most impressive book to date. The photography is a mix of beautiful sights, or interesting insights, but more importantly always relevant to the writing. This book is a labor of love and it really does come through in the physical feel and presentation.

    Peart's writing is a lot like his musicianship. He has an established style, but it isn't stagnant, it is a living breathing thing. Part of the fun with this read is not only being taken on the journey through the events in the author's life, but also on the journey of the author's relationship to his own craft. The end result is a new layer of intimacy to his prose. Peart, though somewhat shy, has never been so as an author, which is one of his greatest strengths. And though the proverbial floodgates aren't wide open in this work (which is for the best) regular readers of his material will have the sensation that, with this book, the doorway into his life and times has been opened just a crack more.

    Peart's writing usually makes me want to go buy a motorcycle and travel the country, but this time around it has left me wanting to start keeping a journal. And that's one of the best parts about a new Peart book, like the title suggests, it's a prize every time.

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