Merle Haggard's My House of Memories: For the Record

by Merle Haggard, Tom Carter

In this riveting personal story, the award-winning, bestselling recording artist takes you on a tour through his house of memories, offering a fascinating look inside his turbulent and successful life. Merle reveals previously untold stories about his birth and troubled upbringing in a converted railroad boxcar. He recalls the loss of his father when he was nine, and how his childish disobedience transformed into full-blown delinquency that landed him behind the cold walls of San Quentin. Having lived a Iife shaped by violence, gambling, and drugs, he shares the lessons he learned and how he continues to pay for decades of reckless living. He pays tribute to his mother, and relives the painful memory of her death. And he talks about the music he loves, and how it has ultimately defined the man he is.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, American

259 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Merle Ronald Haggard was an American country and Western songwriter, singer, guitarist, fiddler, and instrumentalist. In 1994, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Gary Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because of my love for Merle Haggard’s music, I really wanted to like this book. It became obvious early on though that it had been put together sloppily, most likely with Merle talking and prolific country music chronicler Tom Carter responsible for the writing. Haggard’s early life is filled with stories of poverty, petty crime, incarceration, escapes from incarceration, fights, and friends. These anecdotes are strung together with haphazard transitions and very little introspection.

I was hoping for some insights into Haggard’s song-writing, but he said he didn’t really know where the songs came from, and he didn’t really have a process. Sometimes a line or a melody just came to him, and he wrote around it. If that’s all there was to it, fine but maybe a more probing co-author could have pulled a little more out of ol’ Merle.

I was ready to give My House of Memories some benefit of the doubt but toward the end I came across a factual error. Haggard tells about a tour where he broke an attendance record previously set by Elvis Presley at a venue in Ireland. But guess what? Elvis Presley never performed outside of the United States except for a few dates in Canada in the 1950s. For me, that untruth cast doubt over the entire book.

Probably my favorite thing about My House of Memories was finding the end of a pack of Marlboro Lights 100s left between the pages, apparently used as a previous reader’s bookmark.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big Merle Haggard fan but I was somewhat disappointed. The early life part was interesting but hard to follow. He jumped around a lot. It was hard to determine chronological order. An awful lot seemed to happen when he was 14 but that may only be due to the way it was told. I would have really liked more about his post San Quentin days. I just felt like we got a very small glimpse of the man.

[Kenneth Knezick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic life story. Learned a lot about the man, and how some of his most famous songs came to be composed. After decades of the wild life, with his fifth wife Haggard came to salient realization. "If a man does not know the difference between having sex and making love, he is wasting his erections."

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Haggard’s songs for years. And I’ve read a number of Johnny Cash bios recently, so thought I would learn a bit about Haggard. I guess those Johnny Cash biographies led me to imagine Haggard’s life in the same way – overcoming a difficult early life, overcoming weaknesses like pills and women, and learning and becoming successful. At the end of the Cash books I’ve read, he stands larger than life, noble, wise. Haggard also overcame, somehow, early difficulties, but in the end the picture that remains is him nude and plastered on a houseboat, as he often describes. Haggard isn’t out to make himself a saint. In that he is quite successful in this book.

The stories here jump around quite a bit. There are a number of stories about his troubled youth and incarceration – that’s more than half the book. There’s a lot on his personal life, including some sordid bits which he writes about with relish. Given he writes story songs, you’d expect he’d tell a good story, and he does. I was hoping to learn more about his songs, but Haggard instead focuses this book on his personal life. Interesting, but in the end I felt less of Haggard than I expected. Not everyone becomes a saint.

[Les · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe these country music singer biography's are all the same, but writing this review two weeks after I read the book, I can barely think of anything that really stuck out about the book.
Haggard does talk a lot about his rambling fever and his time at San Quintin. You really see the correlation between his experiences in life and the music he played. I swear the guy was fourteen for about 10 years, but the stories of him hopping trains and disappearing on his mother were pretty interesting.
He mentions his drug use and really plays it down. He just basically tells his kids that he made the mistakes, they shouldn't have to make them. Hey, it is his book, I guess he has the right to tell and not tell the things he wants to, but I really felt there were a lot of holes in the book that I would have enjoyed reading about, I sort of expect the tough subjects discussed in an Autobiography.
It held my attention and I really enjoyed reading about his development into the music scene and how he stayed on top for so long.

[Liz Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merle is refreshingly honest and real in the telling of his life story. He certainly doesn’t beat around the bush about things. He’s upfront and blunt about what he’s done and how he feels. He owns his mistakes and flaws. I couldn’t put it down. Written in a conversational style, as if Merle was sitting down with you and telling you, personally, his stories.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open and honest, Haggard tells his kids they don't need to learn from their mistakes...they can learn from his.
Haggard recaps his previous book and adds detail through 1999. With his death this spring, I was interested to read the updates. I'm only sorry the book didn't come later. We leave his children at ages 5 and 10; now 22 and 26 (or thereabouts). It would have been interesting to see how he perceived the success of his choice for home schooling as well as how the children perceived their semi-isolationist (my word, not his) upbringing. It sounds idyllic; I hope it was.
I found his honesty sometimes startling (I would never think of doing some of the things he did) and never sugar coated. He owned up, he paid the price, he decided he didn't want to do that anymore and with the help of a good woman, his children and his deep seated faith (though apparently earlier put on the back burner) he made choices that significantly improved his quality of life. And we are the richer for it. We can all learn something from some of his mistakes and not cost us what they cost him. His music will live longer still.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Single throw away lines kept revealing the stories I wanted to hear but they weren't the stories he told. It's always interesting to glimpse into another's life, but it was superficial where I wanted it deep and way too much about other things, especially the ex-wives. That was a bit depressing. I always felt Haggard to be contradictory in his songs and his politics, but this made them clear in a sense...looking back to the 'good' old times and traditions even though he did more drugs and damage than probably any hippie, personal loyalty above all else which explains his support for Reagen who gave him a full pardon. Worth reading but I was hoping for so much more.

[Vickie Kulp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merle Haggard has always been a favorite singer of mine but I didn't know much about his life except that he was in San Quentin prison one time. This book tells about his many crimes he committed mainly as a juvenile and young adult. I was surprised at how his small crimes were dealt with. Sentences were harsher back then compared to today in my opinion. It also tells about his marriages and friendships. He is honest about mistakes he made. I enjoyed reading this.

[Michael Pantelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! such a whirlwind story of one of the greatest country music singers ever! From the hopeless beginnings in Bakersfield to fame and fortune and 360 back to where it all began. Merle really beats himself up the last few chapters of the book and it is sad to read him describe his feelings as he walks through that town where it all started.

[Tamela Kubicek · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting to see what he went through in his life. The timeline in the book jumped around quite a bit so it was not a smooth read.

[Billy Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite possibly one of the worst Auto-biographies I've ever read. I'm in the unique position of having read his previous book "Sing Me Back Home" right before I read this one and let me tell you this book is not worth the paper its printed on.

90% of the stories in this book are told better in the previous book and the ones that are added only make me dislike the author more. Rife with spelling and grammatical errors it feels like something slapped together just to makes some money, which could be true given Merle's attitude towards the end of the book. Thanking the reader for the royalties for all the CD's I bought? I'm glad I never did.

Filled with sanctimonious, self-serving, half-true drivel that I would ignore if I heard in a bar. Plenty of moments where an old man condemns the world for being the world. Several moments of completely open hypocrisy and a lack of self-awareness that DID exist in the previous book. It is baffling how this book got made and published. He makes sure to let you know that he has found the lord but it doesn't change anything about him. Backhanded apologies abound and sarcastic or passive aggressive acquiescence constantly bombard the reader.

The stories that take up 220 of the 260 pages of this book are also slightly different in the previous book, details are changed, dates, times, people, actions. In "Sing Me Back Home" he tells a story about a pistol and mistaken identity. He tells it like something that happened and makes sure to mention that him and his friend never used the pistol or the knife they found in their bag when the cops showed up.

In this book he tells the story again, however now they DID use the pistol to scare away a truck full of homicidal black men who wanted to kill them just for being white. Why was this not included in the first book? Add that to the fact that there is a story about outselling Elvis in Ireland. Elvis never played in Ireland. Given that that simple story is a complete fabrication it is incredibly hard to take anything in this book as true. I feel scammed after having read this book and I got it for free.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my musical heroes.

He was kind of a jerk growing up after his dad passed when he was nine. And even though his momma tried, she couldn't curb his criminal ways.

He made millions throughout his illustrious career and squandered and gambled much of it; the rest he blames on people he hired to look after his affairs. That's one thing I don't like about this autobiography; Merle puts too much blame on others for his misfortunes and lost money. And the fact that he was married five times to what he describes as mostly shitty women makes me think less of my hero somehow. He even stole his guitar player's women. Lame.

Despite all that I enjoyed all the stories throughout his tumultuous life. He was one of the few "outlaw country" artists that was an actual outlaw. unlike Johnny Cash, who spent a a few nights in county jails due to his drug addictions, Haggard did hard time.

Tom Carter, Haggard's ghost writer didn't impress me all that much. Apparently Merle wasn't very spry with prose so he enlisted a hired gun to do the writing - but he could sure write a damn good country song.

While Cash by Johnny Cash is a better written book, I enjoyed the Haggard stories more.

I always thought that Haggard should have been the fourth of The Highway Men replacing Kristofferson but they never asked me.

All in all I would recommend. Quick read.

[Rodr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty good long-view writing of his life. By reading the book you can tell it was put together through a variety of interviews with people who knew Merle, and he added some narrative views to create the retelling of the stories. I thought the anecdotes were at times less than stellar with regards to depth, but what do you really expect. I didn't know much about him as a person prior to reading the book, minus his songs, and I got a better respect for him as a result of finishing the book. He had a couple of quotes and life lessons I thought were interesting, but honestly wish there was a little more depth.

One of the greatest Country Western singers who ever graced the planet, but definitely not the best person to fill book content. I think the author he teamed up with did a great job all things considered. Throughout the book he mentioned on occasion the book his mom wrote on her deathbed about her life. I think that book would be a better read, though shorter.

Either way, I don't regret reading the book even though I somehow feel it was released simply to generate alternative revenue streams to pay the tax man. I wish he did better, but its not terrible.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merle Haggard was my mother’s favorite singer, so I grew up surrounded by his music. When I found this memoir in her belongings after her death, a book I likely gave her, I wanted to read about her idol’s life. In my opinion, Tom Carter did not live up to the task of helping Haggard write his story. There is a randomness to many of Hag’s recollections that makes them less interesting than they might have been with a different structure. Hag also had a somewhat off-putting, chauvinistic outlook in these pages that did not inspire me to want to read more. The poet of the common man perspective that I love in his songs didn’t translate to his memoir for me, and I’m not sure that wasn’t Tom Carter’s inability to help capture his plain talking spirit in its best light. I have read all of Willie Nelson’s memoirs and finished each admiring his storytelling, candor, unique perspective, and his taking full responsibility for the mistakes he has made in his life. Each book left me wanting to hear more from Willie. I hate I didn’t feel this way about Hag. No matter, I still love his music.

[Marit · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Merle! For that reason alone, 5 stars are warranted!

In all seriousness, Merle's life is intriguing. Triggered by the loss of his father at age 9, Merle embarked on a (seemingly) never-ending journey in search of something to fill the resulting hole in his heart. First, cheap thrills (such as skipping school and hopping on trains) fit the bill. Then, he graduated to stealing cars. After being booked in prison, one would think that Merle would completely settle down. He, instead, continued his "ramblin" ways...chasing fast women and developing a gambling addiction.

His later life is far different, and the book vividly describes how he "came full circle" in his fifties.

A must read!

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

being a huge haggard fan this book was a must read I read sing me back home many years ago and wanted to read an update book. I know the hag never lived an easy life and im glad he finally found happiness. I was lucky to final see him in concert a few years before he passed away and it was a big moment in my life growing up when my dad worked night shift my mom put merles records on to play so we didn't wake him up and I got hooked my favorite song was fugitive and farmers daughter....if you love haggard or just want to read about him I would recommend this book highly.

[Dave Pirtle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Hag doesn't always name names but otherwise he never holds back, owning his mistakes as he shares stories of a life well lived. Even with all that is told, it feels like there is a lot more to be said, which sadly will never happen. My biggest complaint is with reading this now, the last 15 years of his life are unaccounted for. I'd love to hear about that, especially what it meant to him to pass the torch to his son Ben.

[Amy K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this for my husband years ago, hoping to get him into reading or at least interested in reading A book. After lugging this around in our camper for years, I decided to read it. I'm familiar with Merle Haggard's music, but would likely (before now) would confuse him with other country musicians of that era (except for Willy and Johnny). Now I know. I'm always up for a biography, especially a musician and this one was worth the while. A true singer with real experience.

[Lou · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story was interesting, but felt scattered. The timeline kept jumping back and forth. The worst for me was discovering what kind of person Merle actually was in regards to how he treated women. It was a big let down for me as he was one of my favorites, hence the lonesome star. Might have been redeemable if he had showed remorse in lieu of taking his violent acts in stride.

[John Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the accessible writing style used, but somehow the book as a whole was unfulfilling. There was way too much focus on Haggard's early life with little or no mention of music, just confinement and escape. I would've preferred if he'd included some names he did not, if only for the sake of clarity. Haggard was quite a character!

[Diana Shore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merle's life was very interesting and complicated; never realized what was behind the man until you read the story. Also, I have to admit it was inlighted by this story of all his marriages and travels with shows and other musicians he met along the way. All and all a good book, worth the time and read.

[Koren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was published in 1999. Merle passed away in 2016. Interesting factoid...he died on his birthday. He is one of the few artists who has actually lived the songs he sings about, including prison time. His mama must have been a saint. He actually wrote a song called "Mama tried" that is very autobiographical. He was a little stinker when he was a kid and into adulthood. His autobiography deals more with his personal life than the musical industry but he does jump back and forth in time quite a bit. Fans will probably love this book.

[Anthony Gargiulo · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a lot of heart in this book. There's a certain fascination in Merle's rags-to-riches story, with stops at San Quentin and at major concert venues of the world along the way. The final chapter about his return home to Bakersfield is poignant. However, the book could have used much better editing. Stories stop abruptly or take detours or go off on tangents. RIP Merle.

[Carla Mulcahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book gave me honest insight on the life of Merle Haggard. Every event in his life kept me on the edge of my seat. The book was interesting from start to finish and the man was a true survivor and legend in my opinion. Loved the book! Love the man!

[Mike Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personably read by the author himself. The occasional authentic chuggles bring the sincerely written book alive.
Whites being the only group refusing fight for each other in the juvenile system was a interesting remark.
Brief, bitter at times, but always sincere. Especially about personal mess.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.

[Fonda Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed Merle's straight forward and honest style. You felt as if you were listening to him.

[Alex Dimaio · Rating 3 out of 5]

The same story over and over for the first 100 pages. Not much text about his music.

[Malinda Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything about Merle Haggard. He tells it like it is.