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Harrington Street
The cultural icon and rock musician offers a look at his early history on Harrington Street in San Francisco
85 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1995
2 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Garcia
131 books54 followersJerome John "Jerry" García was an American musician, songwriter, artist, and lead guitarist and vocalist of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead. García was viewed by many as the leader or "spokesman" of the group.
Performing with the Grateful Dead for its entire three-decade career (which spanned from 1965 to 1995), García participated in a variety of side projects, including the Jerry García Band, Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, and Legion of Mary. García co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage with John Dawson and David Nelson. He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story.
Later in life, García was sometimes ill because of his unstable weight, and in 1986 experienced a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life. Although his overall health improved somewhat after that, he also struggled with heroin addiction, and was residing in a drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack in August 1995.
Performing with the Grateful Dead for its entire three-decade career (which spanned from 1965 to 1995), García participated in a variety of side projects, including the Jerry García Band, Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, and Legion of Mary. García co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage with John Dawson and David Nelson. He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story.
Later in life, García was sometimes ill because of his unstable weight, and in 1986 experienced a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life. Although his overall health improved somewhat after that, he also struggled with heroin addiction, and was residing in a drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack in August 1995.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 26, 2021
I was oddly enthralled with Jerry’s maternal Nan, Tillie. Especially, her courage as a radical union organizer in the 1930’s! Can you imagine a young Jerry counting ballots?!?! Hah!
“She was a politician and I suppose a radical union organizer in the 30’s of San Francisco laundries. She was the secretary treasurer of Local ? Of the Laundry Workers Union, A.F. Of L for as long as I can remember. This was an elected post so Tillie would run for office down at Union Hall (16th near Mission) every so long often and unfailingly won in a walk-usually by an enormous margin-I actually counted ballots once, fabulously dull! She always won. I think she mostly ran unopposed. She was tremendously popular, well loved, with the tank and file.
***San Francisco in the 40s and 50s was a union town. Harry Bridge’s and his longshoremen were a tremendously powerful force socially and economically, The Teamsters also- not quite up to Hoffa speed- and Harry Lundberg’s Sailors Union of the Pacific (S.V.P). The A.F. Of L was omnipresent and tremendously powerful, with a radical leftist spin.
“She was a politician and I suppose a radical union organizer in the 30’s of San Francisco laundries. She was the secretary treasurer of Local ? Of the Laundry Workers Union, A.F. Of L for as long as I can remember. This was an elected post so Tillie would run for office down at Union Hall (16th near Mission) every so long often and unfailingly won in a walk-usually by an enormous margin-I actually counted ballots once, fabulously dull! She always won. I think she mostly ran unopposed. She was tremendously popular, well loved, with the tank and file.
***San Francisco in the 40s and 50s was a union town. Harry Bridge’s and his longshoremen were a tremendously powerful force socially and economically, The Teamsters also- not quite up to Hoffa speed- and Harry Lundberg’s Sailors Union of the Pacific (S.V.P). The A.F. Of L was omnipresent and tremendously powerful, with a radical leftist spin.
October 19, 2022
Completely unconventional and eye catching. Although I’m not a large Grateful Dead fan, I find Jerry Garcia’s life story very interesting and have the utmost respect for his band. I’m going to keep it as a coffee table book and hope friends will read !
May 31, 2020
Jerry was a one of a kind wonderful & multi talented man! Great little book.
December 20, 2025
This book shows Jerry’s creativity - it’s just so sad that it was cut short.
May 16, 2020
Psychotropic etchings from the magician himself
May 13, 2020
Harrington Street by Jerry Garcia (Delacorte Press 1995) (782.42166) is eighty pages of scribbly-scratches that are the original words and illustrations of our dear Jerry. This is billed as an "anecdotal personal history," and it appears to be sketches and handwritten notes that Jerry intended to turn into a memoir. Though acknowledged as incomplete, this manuscript was sent to press by Garcia's last wife. I'd say that this would be of no interest to anyone other than a hardcore Deadhead (like me). My rating: 7/10, finished 2/5/13.
March 1, 2015
I got this book free from BookMooch. I didn't know much about it, just that it was by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.
I read it in less than an hour, while waiting for a phone call.
It was interesting. I wasn't too thrilled by it. I mean, it's a fine book, but I can't imagine reading it more than once.
The illustrations (also by Mr. Garcia) are trippy, very psychedelic. There can be no doubt after seeing this art work that Jerry did quite a bit of the LSD in his day. (Did anyone doubt that?)
I read it in less than an hour, while waiting for a phone call.
It was interesting. I wasn't too thrilled by it. I mean, it's a fine book, but I can't imagine reading it more than once.
The illustrations (also by Mr. Garcia) are trippy, very psychedelic. There can be no doubt after seeing this art work that Jerry did quite a bit of the LSD in his day. (Did anyone doubt that?)
June 8, 2008
pretty pictures!
November 18, 2008
Well, not much to read here of course. But, it makes a great gift for a Dead fan, which is how I acquired it. It is quite nice.
August 12, 2010
Great collector's item!!
October 14, 2011
A charming and sometimes sad story of the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.
January 31, 2016
Pretty much a kid's book, but i enjoyed it.
July 18, 2009
Interesting scribbles and pictures if you're a Dead Head
September 24, 2009
It's not fininished. He passed too early.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews