He Is . . . I Say

September 22, 2008
Wild, who's written companion books to the sitcoms Friends
and Seinfeld
, doesn't pretend to any objectivity on the subject of Neil Diamond—over the years, he's interviewed the singer-songwriter for Rolling Stone
, written liner notes for a retrospective box set, even produced an episode of Behind the Music
. So this isn't so much a biography as a book-length case of pure, unapologetic fandom that traces every step of Diamond's life, from his childhood in Brooklyn and his rise to fame in the 1960s and '70s to his most recent comeback albums. (Wild is not, however, critically blind; an attempt to watch the film of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
, for which Diamond wrote the soundtrack, ends in frustration.) The cutesy references to song titles can get annoying—Wild runs the phrase “I'm a Believer” as a self-description into the ground—but perceptive insights into the biographical circumstances of Diamond's artistry abound. If you are not a Neil Diamond fan already, this book is not likely to change your mind, but Wild knows he's preaching to the converted: “If you hate Neil Diamond,” he jokes, “then you may actually hate yourself.”

October 1, 2008
Neil Diamond is one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of the last few decades. Spanning many music genres, Diamond's career has endured since the 1960s. However, it was not until the last ten years that Diamond has received the recognition he deserves. Wild, a contributing editor for "Rolling Stone" and a TV critic, pens a tribute to Diamond. While partly autobiographical, the book also addresses Diamond's life, primarily focused on his professional career, i.e., songs, albums, and performances. Over the years, at least six biographies have been written on Diamond; this book fails to offer a new or a unique slant. Wild's inclusion of his own experiences and overzealous praising of Diamond do little to enhance the dull text. All in all, this biography is not a necessary purchase, especially for libraries with other studies of Diamond, like Laura Jackson's "Neil Diamond: His Life, His Music, His Passion" or Diana Karanikas Harvey and Jackson Harvey's "Neil Diamond". Not recommended.Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2008
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who dont. Wild is clearly a fan. Big in Jersey, Wild insists, well before Bruce Springsteen, Diamond has been a fixture in the Wild household, providing the soundtrack to the familys lives. Diamonds passionate and poppy music spoke to usand to me in particular. Diamond is the Jewish Elvis, the Hebrew hunk who, despite countless pop classics (Cherry, Cherry, Im a Believer, Solitary Man, Shilo, Sweet Caroline, etc.), has never received the respect he deserves. This affectionate and touching bookpart musical biography, part autobiographyis Wilds heartfelt attempt to give Diamond his due. As a fellow Jew from the East Coast, Wild identifies with Diamond, music and man, and he juxtaposes his story and Diamonds career, his many triumphs but also his failures. It makes an unusual marriage of genres, but it works. Diamond fans will love it, but so should other, more casual pop-music fans and students of Jewish popular culture.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)