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Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams & Rumors
Lyrical visionary, enduring style icon, and one indispensable fifth of post-Peter Green megaband Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks is one of the most recognizable figures in rock ’n’ roll history—very much Fleetwood Mac’s “Queen Bee,” as Mick Fleetwood himself described her. With gold and quadruple platinum solo albums under her beaded belt, Stevie Nicks has enjoyed the ultimate in rock ‘n’ roll success as a recording artist—but this charmed life has come as a result of hard graft, self-belief, and a devotion to creativity above all; hers has been a journey of intense highs and lows.
This new biography, a celebration of the Stevie Nicks phenomenon, takes us on her journey from peripatetic Midwest childhood to her explosion onto the music scene as chiffon-swathed rock goddess, right up to present day. Including exclusive interviews with some of Stevie’s associates and collaborators from over the years, author Zoë Howe explores the mystique while retaining the magic of this modern-day musical sorceress and wise woman of rock.
This new biography, a celebration of the Stevie Nicks phenomenon, takes us on her journey from peripatetic Midwest childhood to her explosion onto the music scene as chiffon-swathed rock goddess, right up to present day. Including exclusive interviews with some of Stevie’s associates and collaborators from over the years, author Zoë Howe explores the mystique while retaining the magic of this modern-day musical sorceress and wise woman of rock.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2014
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November 23, 2017
This advance reader's copy was graciously provided to me by NetGalley in return for my honest review.
I can still hear the hypnotic, thumping bass of "Dreams" blaring out of a car window as I recall walking home from high school on a hot June day in the late seventies. Summer was beckoning and Fleetwood Mac's album "Rumours" ruled the radio. I never was a huge Fleetwood Mac fan, but when "The Mac" reunited in 1997 for their magnificent concert and CD "The Dance," I was more entranced than ever with their unique and emotion-laden songs. I came to realise from interviews at the time that guitarist/vocalist/composer/arranger Lindsey Buckingham and singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks had an intense, broken romance where the embers clearly still glowed. More explosively, she even had an affair with drummer and founding Mac member Mick Fleetwood. Moreover, keyboardist/singer/songwriter Christine McVie was now divorced from bassist John McVie. It was in these complicated circumstances that music reigned and the band played on towards the higher purpose of music. Just knowing these basics was intriguing enough to want to delve into this tome for further knowledge of Ms. Nicks. I wasn't disappointed.
This book traces Nicks' childhood where her musician Grandfather A.J. Nicks inspired her to sing and accompany him on his Country music travels. Stevie soon realized that music was her passion, which was ignited by a chance meeting in a church hall with Lindsey Buckingham. Such is the charming beginning of Ms. Nicks' foray into her decades long and illustrious music career.
The author draws upon two books quite often for first-hand accounts: One being a tell-all from Lindsey Buckingham's girlfriend post Nicks breakup, the other from drummer Mick Fleetwood's autobiography. We learn about Stevie's relationships with several famous musicians, her well-intentioned short-lived marriage, as well as her tendency to fall in love with her record producers.
The author paints an honest picture of an exceptionally talented woman, who becomes famous and gets drawn into the accepted drug culture that the music recording environment at the time promoted. One can understand and sympathise with her descent into this behavior and also applaud her eventual recovery from it.
There is an extensive repertoire of Stevie Nicks' songs, of which their origins are explained in great detail. I can see her now in my mind's eye, running in black or white chiffon, blond locks flowing, to her piano to immediately pour out her soul. Stevie's music is inspired by so much in her life that her songs must dredge up many memories. She is a very prolific writer, and often turned to Lindsey Buckingham to shape them into the final product. This also caused emotional warfare for the duo post-breakup, as they still had to endure each other's presence for the sake of the band.
This book is a treasure trove of stories, history and insight on the life of Stevie Nicks, a charming subject. I keep using that word, but perhaps "charming" is very appropriate for this woman who loves to dress up in flowing dresses, waving her ribbon-festooned tambourine, twirling around in her gold-dusted shawl and waving her hands aloft at the moon. She is the Enchantress, and we are enchanted with her. I have enjoyed reading this book and it has inspired me to read others and watch interviews with her on YouTube. She is a woman of substance and this book succeeded in telling her story.
I can still hear the hypnotic, thumping bass of "Dreams" blaring out of a car window as I recall walking home from high school on a hot June day in the late seventies. Summer was beckoning and Fleetwood Mac's album "Rumours" ruled the radio. I never was a huge Fleetwood Mac fan, but when "The Mac" reunited in 1997 for their magnificent concert and CD "The Dance," I was more entranced than ever with their unique and emotion-laden songs. I came to realise from interviews at the time that guitarist/vocalist/composer/arranger Lindsey Buckingham and singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks had an intense, broken romance where the embers clearly still glowed. More explosively, she even had an affair with drummer and founding Mac member Mick Fleetwood. Moreover, keyboardist/singer/songwriter Christine McVie was now divorced from bassist John McVie. It was in these complicated circumstances that music reigned and the band played on towards the higher purpose of music. Just knowing these basics was intriguing enough to want to delve into this tome for further knowledge of Ms. Nicks. I wasn't disappointed.
This book traces Nicks' childhood where her musician Grandfather A.J. Nicks inspired her to sing and accompany him on his Country music travels. Stevie soon realized that music was her passion, which was ignited by a chance meeting in a church hall with Lindsey Buckingham. Such is the charming beginning of Ms. Nicks' foray into her decades long and illustrious music career.
The author draws upon two books quite often for first-hand accounts: One being a tell-all from Lindsey Buckingham's girlfriend post Nicks breakup, the other from drummer Mick Fleetwood's autobiography. We learn about Stevie's relationships with several famous musicians, her well-intentioned short-lived marriage, as well as her tendency to fall in love with her record producers.
The author paints an honest picture of an exceptionally talented woman, who becomes famous and gets drawn into the accepted drug culture that the music recording environment at the time promoted. One can understand and sympathise with her descent into this behavior and also applaud her eventual recovery from it.
There is an extensive repertoire of Stevie Nicks' songs, of which their origins are explained in great detail. I can see her now in my mind's eye, running in black or white chiffon, blond locks flowing, to her piano to immediately pour out her soul. Stevie's music is inspired by so much in her life that her songs must dredge up many memories. She is a very prolific writer, and often turned to Lindsey Buckingham to shape them into the final product. This also caused emotional warfare for the duo post-breakup, as they still had to endure each other's presence for the sake of the band.
This book is a treasure trove of stories, history and insight on the life of Stevie Nicks, a charming subject. I keep using that word, but perhaps "charming" is very appropriate for this woman who loves to dress up in flowing dresses, waving her ribbon-festooned tambourine, twirling around in her gold-dusted shawl and waving her hands aloft at the moon. She is the Enchantress, and we are enchanted with her. I have enjoyed reading this book and it has inspired me to read others and watch interviews with her on YouTube. She is a woman of substance and this book succeeded in telling her story.
October 22, 2015
I will state a little caveat before I start this review--I am a Stevie Nicks fan girl. Dyed in the wool, total worshiper. I had no idea this book existed until I stumbled across it at my local library. (Let that be a lesson--never stop trolling your favorite sections in the library--you may not know what you are looking for, but the library knows..). I was pretty enthralled--I have adored Stevie since I was a little 70's child--I was exposed to the radio constantly in the 70's and the second I heard her voice I was enchanted (pardon the precious there..) and once I saw her--flowing capes, Gibson girl hair, platform boots...I was done for. She has been a hero of mine for as long as I can remember. I wore out Bella Donna and Wild Heart as teenager and took her as my spirit guide. She was everything I wanted to be--witchy, beautiful, romantic, embraced by the past...there was literally nothing about her that I did not want to emulate. As you can imagine, I was as wary as I was excited to find this book. I wanted to know truths but did not want to have my bubble burst. I need not have worried. The Stevie within these pages lives up to everything I adored as a girl and everything I admire as a grown woman.
First the writing--I really loved Zoe Howe's style--the biography is clearly a type of book that has been done. It is still one of my most favorite book genres but I often have issues with how biographies are written. They are rarely balanced enough to suit me (except historical biographies--those are more often than not fairly balanced). I don't want to read a book about someone I find interesting and admirable only to have them torn down or handled with kid gloves--it's a fine line. It is also difficult to keep a book moving and encapsulate the person without over or under detailing. Zoe Howe does all of this admirably and even adds some fun and different little touches--she's very humorous, which I would not always think was appropriate but she handled it beautifully. Each chapter has some little comments or anecdotes at the beginning and/or end of the chapter that are funny and informative. She manages to infuse the book with her own style despite it being non-fiction. My biggest criticism here is a bit too much reliance on 2 books written by other authors--one a former lover of Lindsey Buckingham's (his first serious girlfriend after Stevie--yeah, I doubt she has an ax to grind...) and Ken Caillat's book Making Rumors--which I have reviewed on here as a nasty piece of work. I was metaphorically shaking my finger at Ms. Howe when she repeated the hateful and stupid story Caillat told in that book that Stevie had "hexed" his dog because the dog got the cover of Tusk and not Stevie--and then supposedly Stevie (an animal lover and dog owner herself) gloated at the dog's death after it occurred. Like the rest of that book, that story is a load of hooey by a bitter and marginalized former employee. I wish she had not repeated it. That is minor compared to what she has accomplished overall.
I know a good deal about Stevie, but I learned so much. Her struggles with drugs and love are pretty well known but there is so much more to the story and a lot of that is laid out in Stevie's own words from interviews. I will say that bless her heart--she has loved a lot of jackasses. I understand this especially as a woman who has loved 2 musicians, and knows that jackass-ery is par for the course with that group of humans. The reasons why we love them are obvious--the reasons we put up with their mistreatment is a bit more of a mystery. Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood come off especially badly--they are both fascinating but Buckingham especially treated Stevie very badly. Fleetwood does not seem to have treated any women in his life with much respect, so Stevie is not alone here. Most fans of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie know the storied passion of Buckingham/Nicks--and it is compelling. Two beautiful, talented and passionate people who can't live together and can't live apart--well, it's the stuff romance is made of. It has a very ugly side though--it's difficult to get the vision of Lindsey literally kicking Stevie onstage with his cowboy boots out of one's head--thank goodness Christine McVie had the good sense to slap the taste out of his mouth for that bit of excess. Despite all that went between, they seem to have made peace with each other and their respective pasts and that is a nice thing--but Lindsey does sound like a egomaniac and is very difficult to like.
Stevie's passion for her music and her strength in overcoming crippling addiction (first cocaine and then klonopin) and maintaining her career are two of the most admirable things about her (and there are a lot of admirable things about her). I myself have been taking klonopin (not in the doses she was, thank goodness) and I am now in the midst of tapering off of that very scary and over prescribed drug myself, so I can definitely relate to how it can slowly and insidiously mess with your life. I loved the stories of her deep and loving friendships as well. She is well known for her love and support of other female musicians and this is explored in depth. Particularly touching is her long friendship with her dear friend and inspiration Robyn. The story of their friendship and Robyn's early death is incredibly moving.
Clearly, I could go on for days...
So, to wrap it up, this is a loving but balanced look at an amazing and ever fascinating woman. The writing is excellent and the book is well researched and includes lovely sections of pictures. I came away more knowledgeable and just as enamored of Ms. Nicks and for that I am grateful. Highly recommend.
First the writing--I really loved Zoe Howe's style--the biography is clearly a type of book that has been done. It is still one of my most favorite book genres but I often have issues with how biographies are written. They are rarely balanced enough to suit me (except historical biographies--those are more often than not fairly balanced). I don't want to read a book about someone I find interesting and admirable only to have them torn down or handled with kid gloves--it's a fine line. It is also difficult to keep a book moving and encapsulate the person without over or under detailing. Zoe Howe does all of this admirably and even adds some fun and different little touches--she's very humorous, which I would not always think was appropriate but she handled it beautifully. Each chapter has some little comments or anecdotes at the beginning and/or end of the chapter that are funny and informative. She manages to infuse the book with her own style despite it being non-fiction. My biggest criticism here is a bit too much reliance on 2 books written by other authors--one a former lover of Lindsey Buckingham's (his first serious girlfriend after Stevie--yeah, I doubt she has an ax to grind...) and Ken Caillat's book Making Rumors--which I have reviewed on here as a nasty piece of work. I was metaphorically shaking my finger at Ms. Howe when she repeated the hateful and stupid story Caillat told in that book that Stevie had "hexed" his dog because the dog got the cover of Tusk and not Stevie--and then supposedly Stevie (an animal lover and dog owner herself) gloated at the dog's death after it occurred. Like the rest of that book, that story is a load of hooey by a bitter and marginalized former employee. I wish she had not repeated it. That is minor compared to what she has accomplished overall.
I know a good deal about Stevie, but I learned so much. Her struggles with drugs and love are pretty well known but there is so much more to the story and a lot of that is laid out in Stevie's own words from interviews. I will say that bless her heart--she has loved a lot of jackasses. I understand this especially as a woman who has loved 2 musicians, and knows that jackass-ery is par for the course with that group of humans. The reasons why we love them are obvious--the reasons we put up with their mistreatment is a bit more of a mystery. Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood come off especially badly--they are both fascinating but Buckingham especially treated Stevie very badly. Fleetwood does not seem to have treated any women in his life with much respect, so Stevie is not alone here. Most fans of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie know the storied passion of Buckingham/Nicks--and it is compelling. Two beautiful, talented and passionate people who can't live together and can't live apart--well, it's the stuff romance is made of. It has a very ugly side though--it's difficult to get the vision of Lindsey literally kicking Stevie onstage with his cowboy boots out of one's head--thank goodness Christine McVie had the good sense to slap the taste out of his mouth for that bit of excess. Despite all that went between, they seem to have made peace with each other and their respective pasts and that is a nice thing--but Lindsey does sound like a egomaniac and is very difficult to like.
Stevie's passion for her music and her strength in overcoming crippling addiction (first cocaine and then klonopin) and maintaining her career are two of the most admirable things about her (and there are a lot of admirable things about her). I myself have been taking klonopin (not in the doses she was, thank goodness) and I am now in the midst of tapering off of that very scary and over prescribed drug myself, so I can definitely relate to how it can slowly and insidiously mess with your life. I loved the stories of her deep and loving friendships as well. She is well known for her love and support of other female musicians and this is explored in depth. Particularly touching is her long friendship with her dear friend and inspiration Robyn. The story of their friendship and Robyn's early death is incredibly moving.
Clearly, I could go on for days...
So, to wrap it up, this is a loving but balanced look at an amazing and ever fascinating woman. The writing is excellent and the book is well researched and includes lovely sections of pictures. I came away more knowledgeable and just as enamored of Ms. Nicks and for that I am grateful. Highly recommend.
April 27, 2015
3.5 stars
This was an informative, interesting, and thorough biography of Stevie, and even though (as someone else pointed out) most of the material is taken from interviews throughout the years, I admire the amount of research that was done. True fans will no doubt know most of what is in this book, but for a casual fan (like me), there was much new information and a few "rumors" I had heard were either confirmed or debunked. What was especially enjoyable was the background of many songs and how they were written along with inside information of how they were recorded. The tumultuous relationship between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie is also well chronicled. I came out both admiring Stevie's talent and genius and feeling a little chagrined at her self-involvement.
I took off 1.5 stars for the author's annoying editorial comments and (I'm reading between the lines here) eye-rolling at some of Steven's statements and antics. Also, each chapter began with bullet list of topics contained in the section which was not necessary. I did like the little "fun facts" at the end of various chapters.
When I read a detailed biography, I find myself wanting to find more information such as finding a video mentioned or listening to a particular song, and this was no exception so I took many notes for Internet searching. The author also mentioned a few little known YouTube videos that turned out to be fun to watch. One in particular was moving. In December 2013 Fleetwood Mac performed in Las Vegas. Lindsey Buckingham dedicated "Say Goodbye" to Stevie, and as they sang a duet there was a point where Stevie was crying so hard she couldn't sing.
Until Stevie writes her own memoir (and she admits if she does it won't be until everyone is too old to care, or--as I heard--Lindsey Buckingham is gone from this world--), this will have to do.
This was an informative, interesting, and thorough biography of Stevie, and even though (as someone else pointed out) most of the material is taken from interviews throughout the years, I admire the amount of research that was done. True fans will no doubt know most of what is in this book, but for a casual fan (like me), there was much new information and a few "rumors" I had heard were either confirmed or debunked. What was especially enjoyable was the background of many songs and how they were written along with inside information of how they were recorded. The tumultuous relationship between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie is also well chronicled. I came out both admiring Stevie's talent and genius and feeling a little chagrined at her self-involvement.
I took off 1.5 stars for the author's annoying editorial comments and (I'm reading between the lines here) eye-rolling at some of Steven's statements and antics. Also, each chapter began with bullet list of topics contained in the section which was not necessary. I did like the little "fun facts" at the end of various chapters.
When I read a detailed biography, I find myself wanting to find more information such as finding a video mentioned or listening to a particular song, and this was no exception so I took many notes for Internet searching. The author also mentioned a few little known YouTube videos that turned out to be fun to watch. One in particular was moving. In December 2013 Fleetwood Mac performed in Las Vegas. Lindsey Buckingham dedicated "Say Goodbye" to Stevie, and as they sang a duet there was a point where Stevie was crying so hard she couldn't sing.
Until Stevie writes her own memoir (and she admits if she does it won't be until everyone is too old to care, or--as I heard--Lindsey Buckingham is gone from this world--), this will have to do.
February 19, 2017
Fascinating! This is a re-release of a book from a few years ago. I received it from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I have always been enthralled, "bewitched", and fascinated by Stevie Nicks. From the first time I listened to Fleetwood Mac in the mid-seventies until today. That voice. That music. And, later, when I would see concert clips of them on The Midnight Special and other shows, the pure enchantment of watching Stevie perform. And, later, to actually seeing them perform in concert in person. It would just fill me with a sense of wonder. And the rumors. Of the drug use. Of the drama. Of the in-fighting. What to believe?Well, it's pretty much all laid bare in this book. I found that I just could not put it down. And it left me, at age 57, still feeling the same way about Stevie Nicks as I did when I was a teenager. Fascinating!
February 17, 2024
stevie nicks is mother.
i love stevie nicks and fleetwood mac so much and i was ECSTATIC when i stumbled upon this book. this biography was written in such a fun way. it was clear that the author was a huge stevie fan (obviously) and she kinda voiced all the thoughts that the readers were most likely thinking. it was a very relatable and fun third-party lens to look through. i have never been a non-fiction girl but was drawn to this book, and howe made it so fun to read. i also loved the inclusion of photos and little fun facts (and the song index?! such a nice touch). however, though i was enjoying it, sometimes it felt like this book took me forever to read. i was beginning to lose interest towards the end because it seemed like every chapter was just “she put out a new solo album and then she toured”. the ending also seemed a little abrupt which is a little understandable considering she’s still alive and there’s no real “ending”.
in conclusion, stevie nicks is a legend, and i love lindsey buckingham (when he’s not being an asshole).
i love stevie nicks and fleetwood mac so much and i was ECSTATIC when i stumbled upon this book. this biography was written in such a fun way. it was clear that the author was a huge stevie fan (obviously) and she kinda voiced all the thoughts that the readers were most likely thinking. it was a very relatable and fun third-party lens to look through. i have never been a non-fiction girl but was drawn to this book, and howe made it so fun to read. i also loved the inclusion of photos and little fun facts (and the song index?! such a nice touch). however, though i was enjoying it, sometimes it felt like this book took me forever to read. i was beginning to lose interest towards the end because it seemed like every chapter was just “she put out a new solo album and then she toured”. the ending also seemed a little abrupt which is a little understandable considering she’s still alive and there’s no real “ending”.
in conclusion, stevie nicks is a legend, and i love lindsey buckingham (when he’s not being an asshole).
February 15, 2017
Great book about a fascinating woman. So much interesting information on the magic that is Stevie. I loved learning Stevie's true meanings of her songs. All the usual stuff is here about the love and strife between her and her Fleetwood Mac bandmates, but you also get a look at Stevie's early life before the band and an expanded look at her amazing solo career too. A real eye opener. Fans of Stevie and Fleetwood Mac will definitely not be disappointed.
Netgalley ARC received for an unbiased review.
Netgalley ARC received for an unbiased review.
February 24, 2015
I love Stevie Nicks. Adore her. Wanna be here if I ever grow up. I waited and waited for this book to come out, didn't have the money when it did, so requested it from my library.i am Oh-so-glad I got it at the library and didn't BUY it. the book contains mostly stuff any Nicks fan would, and should, already know; it's mostly a record of her love affairs (already knew; don't care), her drug use (DUH), her albums (own em all), and squabbles with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac (again, already knew). kind of a disappointment; the section called "Belladonna" was the most interesting. I won't go so far as to say I regret reading the book, but I had hoped to get some previously undisclosed information out of it. I may as well have gone back and reread back issues of magazines with this info already in it.
August 8, 2017
As a Stevie Nicks fan, I enjoyed this new biography from British journalist Zoe Howe, but recommend it with some reservations. I was a bit disappointed that most of the material is sourced from published interviews and books, so I would not recommend this book for fans looking for "new" insights about Nicks, especially fans who have already read one of the several Stevie Nicks biographies currently on the market. Howe is clearly a fan of Stevie Nicks, offering commentary throughout the chronological narrative, and while I enjoyed her sometimes sarcastic comments, Howe's writing style might annoy some readers who are looking for a more traditional biography. Make sure to locate your favorite Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks albums, as this book will make fans want to revisit favorite songs.
Kathleen K. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
May 18, 2017
Well it's true, if you're a big fan of Stevie's you won't learn anything new here. This is a book whilst extensive about going over Nicks history, lacks any real in depth consideration or insight. This is because the author has sourced her material from YouTube videos, interviews and documentaries, some being dubious sources (like Carol Ann Harris' insipid work).
It's not to say it's not worth reading. On the whole it's an enjoyable, easy read and if you wanted to know about Nicks then it's worth a look in.
It's not to say it's not worth reading. On the whole it's an enjoyable, easy read and if you wanted to know about Nicks then it's worth a look in.
September 15, 2014
As a huge Stevie Nicks fan, I was really excited about a biography but in fact it contains no new info and has no direct interviews with Fleetwood Mac or her friends/family and as a result, I felt I knew the information already. It is more like a Fleetwood Mac biography than one dedicated to Stevie Nicks. A missed opportunity........
June 23, 2015
3.5 stars. Fun look at the background of Stevie Nicks.
April 25, 2019
If you are a Stevie or Fleetwood Mac fanatic you will love this book. It's very in-depth and long. It starts in the late '60s and ends in 2013. Parts of the book are like a soap opera on steroids. It's almost frightening to realize what rock stars do to their bodies--weird sleeping patterns, drugs, alcohol, sex and their insecurities. I fell in love with Fleetwood Mac in 1975 and have attended countless concerts, bought almost every album/CD and until the late '90s read everything I could about them. I was a Stevie wanna be and tried to emulate her fashion style. I knew about her cocaine issues, but not about her Klonopin addiction. Stevie is a caring, loving person...almost to a fault. I was pleased to find out about all her charity work with Veterans and Heart hospitals in the Phoenix area. I now need to go listen to all of her music again knowing the stories behind them and where the emotion came from.
Read
September 8, 2017Stevie's voice is one that nobody will ever forget, however I was not that impressed with this book. I don't know what I was hoping for but I just had a hard time getting into it and really feeling the passion one would expect, however, some parts were interesting and revealed somethings I wasn't aware of.
I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
May 13, 2024
I was drawn in by Rumours and hearing so much about Stevie Nicks and her songwriting abilities. I really enjoyed the song history, album development, and growth in her career details and liked diving into songs on YouTube when they were discussed in the book. While she was before my time, the exclamatory details like tumultuous Mac relationships and drug use are well known so it was nice to learn more about her as a person and artist. I gave only 4 stars because I had a hard time with authors personal comments and quips and what felt a little jumping across topics or people but am still glad I read it! And, back to her discography…!
November 1, 2023
This book was long and took me a while to get through. I learned so much about Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, and some of my favorite songs, so, even though it did drag, it deserves four stars from me! This would be a good book to pick up and read a few chapters here and there.
October 2, 2025
I loved this book and getting front row insight to Stevie’s life!!! There was so much to learn about this queen of rock n’ roll. The making of Rumours, her admiration for literature and other musicians, her loyalty and love to friends, celebrating her sensitive soul, and fighting through addiction to get on the even better side of her best self. Highly recommend for anyone who is already a fan of Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac! This is your front row ticket written in respect and love.
July 5, 2024
Very informative but god it’s cheesy
August 11, 2025
im a huge fleetwood mac and stevie nicks fan so some of the stuff i already knew but it’s nice to read about it a little more in depth. for anyone who’s interested in learning about fleetwood mac and/or stevie nicks this book is great ! i loved reading about the creation of sara and sisters of the moon (my favorites☺️)
and silver springs will forever be my roman empire haha
and silver springs will forever be my roman empire haha
March 23, 2017
I enjoyed the book. I did feel that it just pulled from a lot of other sources, however. I didn't learn anything new about Stevie.
November 23, 2016
Biographies can offer a wide range of information and insight. This one mostly sticks to the evolution of Stevie Nicks' music career, along with her love life and drug abuse as it coincides with her music. It's important to note that Nicks did not participate in this biography. The author does not interview Nicks or anyone else for this book. All the material is gathered from old interviews and books already published. While that entails a whole lot of research, we don't get any new information or personal insight from Nicks as she reflects back on her life. Conclusions are mostly conjecture based on a compilation of interviews Nicks and her bandmates have done over the years, as well as books already published by people who knew her. In fact, a good deal of the content is borrowed quotes from other books and interviews.
This book excels at giving us a full chronology of Stevie Nicks' recording career. If you want to know the stories behind the songs she writes, you'll find a lot of that information here. Her songs are quite personal, and I enjoyed learning the inspiration behind many of her lyrics.
As far as the way Stevie Nicks is portrayed here, she comes off as childish, insecure, spoiled, self-centered, and, at times, mean. I don't know whether any of that is true about her - and I cling to the hope that it is not - but, whether intentionally or not, that is how the author shows her to us.
The author's writing style is conversational, and the content flows well. The only issue I had came with spelling. The author is British but Nicks is not, and yet many of the quotes attributed to Nicks used British English spelling. It's a minor issue but one I found distracting.
Overall, this is an easy and interesting read following the trajectory of Stevie Nicks' career as she rises to fame. If your focus is mostly on her music, then you'll probably love this book. If you're looking for information on her childhood, family relationships, and honest reflections on how things have worked out in her life, you will probably be disappointed.
This book excels at giving us a full chronology of Stevie Nicks' recording career. If you want to know the stories behind the songs she writes, you'll find a lot of that information here. Her songs are quite personal, and I enjoyed learning the inspiration behind many of her lyrics.
As far as the way Stevie Nicks is portrayed here, she comes off as childish, insecure, spoiled, self-centered, and, at times, mean. I don't know whether any of that is true about her - and I cling to the hope that it is not - but, whether intentionally or not, that is how the author shows her to us.
The author's writing style is conversational, and the content flows well. The only issue I had came with spelling. The author is British but Nicks is not, and yet many of the quotes attributed to Nicks used British English spelling. It's a minor issue but one I found distracting.
Overall, this is an easy and interesting read following the trajectory of Stevie Nicks' career as she rises to fame. If your focus is mostly on her music, then you'll probably love this book. If you're looking for information on her childhood, family relationships, and honest reflections on how things have worked out in her life, you will probably be disappointed.
May 27, 2017
Fleetwood Mac was one of those bands that I did not really appreciate growing up but now that I am an adult they are one of my all-time favorite classic rock bands. Though I know their music quite well I knew little about the bandmates themselves and their rocky history until I read the latest Stevie Nicks biography Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams, and Rumors by Zoe Howe.
I personally fell in love with Stevie Nicks when she did her solo album Rock a Little which was released in 1985. Stevie's unique voice and her beauty and fashion sense are something I've always admired. Reading about who she was as a person, where she came from, and the tumultuous journey that she has been on in her music career was something I was very excited about.
I've always heard about her love/hate relationship with Lindsey Buckingham but I never realized the depth! I loved hearing about her start with Fleetwood Mac and the stories behind many of their songs. I wish there would've been more focus on Stevie and her solo career but the author seemed to stick with Stevie and her association with Fleetwood Mac more than anything. Fleetwood Mac is touring this year so I'm sure this biography was a push to get more interest in the band reuniting and the tour itself.
There were many quotes that I did not find cited which I thought was strange and, to be honest, the book was hard to get through for me. It is extremely long and after awhile you feel like the story becomes redundant. I still think the story of Stevie Nicks is fascinating and I plan on picking up Gold Dust Woman by Stephen Davis, which is coming out in November of this year. I hope Davis delves deeper into his subject more than Ms. Howe has.
For someone who has never read anything on Stevie Nicks, or Fleetwood Mac for that matter, I would say this is a decent book to start out with, since the majority of the book is bits and pieces of other articles and interviews. But I do believe this book could've been better.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I personally fell in love with Stevie Nicks when she did her solo album Rock a Little which was released in 1985. Stevie's unique voice and her beauty and fashion sense are something I've always admired. Reading about who she was as a person, where she came from, and the tumultuous journey that she has been on in her music career was something I was very excited about.
I've always heard about her love/hate relationship with Lindsey Buckingham but I never realized the depth! I loved hearing about her start with Fleetwood Mac and the stories behind many of their songs. I wish there would've been more focus on Stevie and her solo career but the author seemed to stick with Stevie and her association with Fleetwood Mac more than anything. Fleetwood Mac is touring this year so I'm sure this biography was a push to get more interest in the band reuniting and the tour itself.
There were many quotes that I did not find cited which I thought was strange and, to be honest, the book was hard to get through for me. It is extremely long and after awhile you feel like the story becomes redundant. I still think the story of Stevie Nicks is fascinating and I plan on picking up Gold Dust Woman by Stephen Davis, which is coming out in November of this year. I hope Davis delves deeper into his subject more than Ms. Howe has.
For someone who has never read anything on Stevie Nicks, or Fleetwood Mac for that matter, I would say this is a decent book to start out with, since the majority of the book is bits and pieces of other articles and interviews. But I do believe this book could've been better.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
August 27, 2022
I took this book on holiday for reading whilst relaxing in the sun, what was great about this was that I could listen to the songs as the author explained the backstory of the songs, overall this was a very enjoyable book and provided a good appreciation of the career of Stevie Nicks, generally Stevie does not get a whole book dedicated to her career and her songs, normally this is contained within books on Fleetwood Mac, don't get me wrong, there is much info contained on Fleetwood Mac and especially Lindsey Buckingham, but as the title explains, Stevie was very much the main content within this book.
This book has received some mild criticism online that the content was just made up of existing info from other books, press releases and interviews, but as Stevie has not authorised a biography of herself at this time, then this is as best that we will get at this time. I thought the author did a fine job of chronicling the info into the correct time-steam and provided a good account of the career of Stevie Nicks up to including the end of 2013.
A few minor niggles where content was not completely accurate, but overall a fine addition to any music book library and currently the only up and date and fairly accurate book on the career of Stevie Nicks.
This book has received some mild criticism online that the content was just made up of existing info from other books, press releases and interviews, but as Stevie has not authorised a biography of herself at this time, then this is as best that we will get at this time. I thought the author did a fine job of chronicling the info into the correct time-steam and provided a good account of the career of Stevie Nicks up to including the end of 2013.
A few minor niggles where content was not completely accurate, but overall a fine addition to any music book library and currently the only up and date and fairly accurate book on the career of Stevie Nicks.
August 3, 2016
Zoe Howe is clearly a fan of Ms. Nicks. (which is fine, anyone reading this book is probably a fan as well). However, the problem occurs when the author wants to turn her subject into a Mary Sue. Stevie Nicks has always been very open about her battles with cocaine, clonopin, don Henley, and last but certainly not least Lindsey Buckingham. Through out the book you find small vignettes that are pieced together by Mrs. Howe through past interviews, news reels, and i would have to assume her own imagination.
She has a great deal of love and respect for her subject, but so much so that she always seems to paint Ms. Nicks in the best of lights or that as a victim.
There is a lot to enjoy about this book, but there is also the clear bias of the author. I learned a lot more about Stevie Nicks than I previously knew, and that is always a welcomed experience.
I do wish Mrs. Howe would not have directly addressed the reader throughout the book with parenthesis. She attempted something different in a biography so kudos to that, but it, at least for me, detracted from my enjoyment of the narrative.
If you are a big Stevie Nicks fan (like I am) then I would suggest reading the book. But if you are only a luke warm fan I would avoid the book.
She has a great deal of love and respect for her subject, but so much so that she always seems to paint Ms. Nicks in the best of lights or that as a victim.
There is a lot to enjoy about this book, but there is also the clear bias of the author. I learned a lot more about Stevie Nicks than I previously knew, and that is always a welcomed experience.
I do wish Mrs. Howe would not have directly addressed the reader throughout the book with parenthesis. She attempted something different in a biography so kudos to that, but it, at least for me, detracted from my enjoyment of the narrative.
If you are a big Stevie Nicks fan (like I am) then I would suggest reading the book. But if you are only a luke warm fan I would avoid the book.
July 6, 2015
Terribly disappointing. I've been waiting for a decent Nicks biography, and this looked like it: thick (turns out it's just 352 pages of big type but thick paper), haunting black and white cover photo (like all serious bios of modern folks!), a thoroughly professional look. This is, frustratingly, merely a breathless, idolizing, extended fanzine article. Everything I read I'd already read on the Internet. Tellingly, no source notes. No original research. No original interviews or correspondence. I tried but couldn't get past 30 or so pages and brief looks further on to see if it improved. My hope is that this rubbish indicates that a true biography is quickly forthcoming from another publisher, and this was rushed out to beat it to market.
March 17, 2015
I love Stevie Nicks- which is the only reason I read this book as biographies are normally my favorite genre. Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed. I felt much of the material to be surface level at best & gave a one dimensional portrait of my fave female singer. Lindsay also comes off as a mad as hell jackass & I believe there had to be more to him than that for their love to be so intense & ongoing. My biggest pet peeve was the authors need to outline what we would 'learn' in each chapter. I found that very sophomoric & it got annoying by the end. Just ok read.
February 13, 2015
Looking for Viv Albertine's autobiog at the library I also picked this up. Yes I can do both proto-punk feminist and 70s soft rock. But despite this heft, its just a pedestrian gathering of quotes from previously published interviews. A cut and paste I think its called in the publishing industry. Author is really irritating, with snarky little asides or bad jokes tagged on, like a bad party guest trying to muscle in on an anecdote.
November 9, 2015
*2 1/2 stars*
Yeah it was okay. Nothing too exciting or what I didn't already know, and I'm not the biggest Stevie Nicks fan. But what I didn't know and WTF! Stevie and Joe Walsh dated and she really liked him a lot and he kind of blew her off! LOL what? That little tidbit bumps up the rating! I could have told her it wouldn't work. A Scorpio and a Gemini? No way.
Yeah it was okay. Nothing too exciting or what I didn't already know, and I'm not the biggest Stevie Nicks fan. But what I didn't know and WTF! Stevie and Joe Walsh dated and she really liked him a lot and he kind of blew her off! LOL what? That little tidbit bumps up the rating! I could have told her it wouldn't work. A Scorpio and a Gemini? No way.
May 20, 2016
I love reading about Fleetwood Mac and this didn't disappoint but I could have done without all the authors strange side comments. I didn't find the portion about Stevie ' s solo career as interesting as the Fleetwood Mac portions of the book.
July 30, 2015
This was a poorly written book because Ms. Howe merely quoted other books that were researched or were memoirs of people who worked with Stevie Nicks. It was also very depressing.
February 29, 2016
Not overwhelmed by the author's style, it seemed like I was reading a fan magazine article. She also talks directly to the reader too often for me.
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