The Road to Woodstock

by Michael Lang

“[A] vivid and lively account of those hectic and historic three days….The best fly-on-the-wall account, tantamount to having had a backstage pass to an iconic event.”
— New York Post Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock with the definitive book on the festival. The Woodstock music festival of 1969 is an American cultural touchstone, and no book captures the sights, sounds, and behind-the-scenes machinations of the historic gathering better than Michael Lang’s New York Times bestseller, The Road to Woodstock . USA Today calls this fascinating, entertaining, and blissfully nostalgic look back, “Invaluable.” In The Road to Woodstock, Michael Lang recaptures the magic for the generation that was there…and for the generations that followed.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Memoir, Pop Culture, Rock N Roll

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2009

About the author

Lang was born in Brooklyn to a Jewish family. In 1967, Lang dropped out of New York University and moved to Coconut Grove, Florida to open a head shop. In 1968, after promoting a series of concert events in the Miami area, Lang (with Marshall Brevetz) produced the 1968 Miami Pop Festival. It drew around 25,000 people on day one (May 18) and featured Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, John Lee Hooker, Arthur Brown, and Blue Cheer. On the afternoon of the second day (May 19) it started to rain and the event ended early.

After he moved to Woodstock, New York and met Artie Kornfeld. The two developed the concept for a major festival event to celebrate the 1960s social movements, and planned to open a recording studio in the town of Woodstock. With Kornfeld and partners John P. Roberts and Joel Rosenman, Lang initiated the planning of Woodstock festival, which was held on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969.

Reviews

[Tonkica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Michael Lang nam donosi organizaciju najvećeg festivala iz prve ruke, četrdeset godina poslije (originalno izdanje knjige je iz 2009. godine). Woodstock, 1969. godina, pola milijuna ljudi, mnogobrojni izvođači, priroda, a iza kulisa ludnica na svim segmentima organizacije koja nije stala ni nakon završetka festivala.
Knjiga nam donosi osobni ali i poslovni uvid organizacije glavnog idejnog začetnika, izjave poslovnih partnera, prijatelja, kolega, izvođača; projekta kojeg su nazivali “tri dana mira i glazbe”. Nakon (sada) pedeset godina, tada dvadesetogodišnjak s vizijom, pokrenuo je nemoguće.

Cijeli osvrt pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the definitive book on the 1969 Woodstock music festival. Written by organizer Michael Lang, The Road to Woodstock details his early life, how he got into the music business, and how he came up with the idea of a massive concert. Along with partner Artie Kornfeld, Lang approached venture capitalists Joel Rosenman and John Roberts to help plan and fund the iconic concert weekend. The weekend was meant to only cater to approximately 200,000 concert goers, but more than 1/2 million people attended. The plans for the concert was not without its issues, as the men dealt with venue, security, food, and sanitation issues. Many details, including the venue spot, was not determined until the final weeks of preparation. Throughout the 3 days and beyond, other issues arose that were dealt with on the fly and the results turned out to be a rare event of music and peace that has never been duplicated.

Lang's candid book covered Woodstock from inception until well after the concertgoers were gone. It is well written, never boring, yet full of details and amazing stories from interviews with participants and attendees. What an amazing weekend it must have been despite the chaos and constant rain. This is a must-read for the music enthusiast.

[iva° · Rating 3 out of 5]

okej - ni manje ni više od toga. možda malo prenatrpano imenima, sudionicima.. nisam uspjela pohvatati sve te likove koji se spominju u smislu "tko je što bio i koju je ulogu odigrao" - navikla sam upoznavati likove preko karakternih osobina i kroz priču, a ovdje se uglavnom predstavljaju kao akteri bez neke dublje podloge. očekivala sam knjigu koja bi mi uspješnije prenijela duh woodstocka, a dobila sam pregled organizacije - od ideje do konačne realizacije. izbor fotografija mogao je biti bolji, sitne su i nekvalitetne, pa sam dodatno tražila po internetu, a za vrijeme čitanja čak sam i slušala muziku izvođača s woodstocka ( joan baez, janis joplin), ali ni to mi nije pomoglo u približavanju atmosfere.

ovu knjigu napisao je michael lang, idejni začetnik i organizator woodstocka i nisam dobila dojam da je nepristran. voljela bih pročitati neku knjigu na temu woodstocka, ali s pogledom "iznutra" - što se doista događalo i kako je doista bilo.

[Don Gerstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

"If You Remember the Sixties, You Weren’t Really There."

In regard to the above headline: Forty years after Woodstock, author Michael Lang admitted that “…doing the early interviews for this book convinced me that I was” and that “…my memories of those times remained vague.” For those not aware, author Michael Lang was one of the four principals who conceived the idea of a music festival back in 1969. Mr. Lang was the originator of this idea, and while he was a positive factor in achieving his main assignment (signing the entertainment), the rest of the author’s ramblings appear to be a mixture of whimsy and cannabis smoke.

Much of the beginning allows the reader access to the author’s thoughts, a world where drugs are supreme. In his own words: “I loved listening to jazz while stoned” and a few pages later “I loved listening to music on acid.” This is not my personal comment on drug use. Rather, it is a huge reveal as to the driving force behind many of Mr. Lang’s actions. These are not remote comments. Throughout the entire book, the author continues to indulge, and many of his quotes from others mention getting high.

Although Mr. Lang glosses over his early failures, his business acumen concerning musical events is revealed, again in his own words: “Joint Productions owed a lot of people money that we didn’t have…we weren’t going to be able to pay…” In fact, his first three festivals (including Woodstock) were losing propositions. In reading this book and others, one finds that the monetary aspect is not what the author considers important (feel free to refer back to the drugs and music quotes above).

This book feels like a narcissistic effort by Mr. Lang to enlarge his efforts from what they actually were. He downplays the bands he couldn’t get as if their absence from Woodstock was his choice. Inserting carefully worded quotes to support this view might sway some people, unless they have done some additional research. For those looking for a balanced view of how the Woodstock festival came together, I would recommend Bob Spitz’s “Barefoot in Babylon,” a book that is extensively researched and offers a balanced view of all the great efforts and unforeseen errors by the many people involved.

Personally, I can understand why people are swayed by Mr. Lang. He is convincing as a writer, and must be even more powerful in person. Some of his recounting of events match what others say, others march in a different direction (and these usually paint the author in a positive light). If you are searching for info about Woodstock, I suggest not making this book your only source. Read this book and take what the author says with a grain of salt…and maybe have the entire container available. You might need it. Three stars.

[Bruce Hatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title suggests, this book is largely about the events and dealings which led up to the iconic music festival held in upstate New York in 1969.
The first two chapters deal with the author’s childhood in an Italian-Jewish neighbourhood in Brooklyn. Then we move on to his first forays into counterculture entrepreneurship: opening a head shop in Florida and organising the Miami Pop Festival, which starred, amongst others, Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa. By now we’ve been given an insight into both Michael’s idealism and his powers of persuasion: qualities he’ll need in abundance to get Woodstock up and running.
The concert was originally planned to be held in a place called Wallkill, not far from the township of Woodstock. However, with just a month to go, and many of the acts already booked, the citizens of that town eventually managed to veto the idea. It seems almost magical that a superior replacement site was soon found at Max Yasgur’s Dairy Farm in Bethel; about 100 miles to the west.
The final third of the novel deals with the festival itself Three days of peace, love, good music and atrocious weather! The rain, at times, seemed relentless. Of course, this wasn’t helped by the fact that many more people attended than had originally been anticipated. The hard work from Michael and his hundreds of helpers was far from over. The last chapter deals with the financial fallout. As many people got into the event for free, Woodstock Productions was facing serious losses and didn’t manage to make any profit until the release of the film. From that, Michael and his partner, Artie Kornfeld didn’t receive a penny.
This is a wonderful first-hand account of a legendary event where, however briefly, the dreams and ideals of the counterculture were realised.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to bury the lead here, I really enjoyed this one. I know a few people have complained that that there's too much back story and we don't get to Woodstock until page 167. But, here's the thing, the title of the book is "The ROAD TO WOODSTOCK", which implies more than a bit of backstory to the 1969 counterculture festival. In any event, I found this book to be engaging and inspiring.

As a music nut, I just ate the words off the page, but found it's much more than a book about music. Above all else, it's a story of determination, passion, and tenacity. Against all odds, and seemingly good sense, Michael Lang fought tooth and nail to see his dream come to fruition. As I read about Lang's "never say die" attitude, I found myself wishing I could be that way, and wanting to pull off something as big as Woodstock. Of course, the backstage stories of the concert itself were extremely interesting.

The book talks of people who were starving to have their musical appetite sated, a trait that sadly, seems lost these days. I found myself relating to so many people described here in regards to wanting more than what the status quo offers. I attended the '99 Woodstock and while it was a great few days and wild time to be sure, it was a far cry from what the original intent was in 1969.

Road to Woodstock gets a big recommendation from me, whether you like the 60's or not, a music fan or not, it's a great story from start to finish.

[Helga Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Lang’s book is an excellent and definitive account of Woodstock. He was a cofounder so conclusively recounted the events that occurred before, during and after the festival. Michael Lang, with partner Artie Kornfeld, and venture capitalists, Joel Rosen and John Roberts conceived the idea of an outdoor music festival which they called “The First Aquarian Exposition” or “Woodstock Music and Art Fair”. He vividly explains the behind the scenes events and the hectic historic three days from August 15-17, 1969.
In August 1969, half a million music lovers attended the festival at Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, NY. The event was planned for around 200,000 attendees. Lang explained how these attendees endured torrential rain, lack of food and clean water. Lang interweaves anecdotes from both production team members and performers, lending insights and clarity to how and why decisions were made. They had to overcome numerous obstacles every turn. They had struggles with small town political leaders who opposed the festival so they had to move the venue from the Woodstock area of Wallkill, New York to Bethel, NY and thanks to Max Yasgur and his 600 acre dairy farm made it possible.
Woodstock was career changing for some new bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and introduced many central players like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Roger Daltry, Pete Townshend and the Who, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, Blood Sweat and Tears, Santana, Joe Cocker and many more. We also find out why Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, The Rolling Stones and others were not there.
This was an amazing narrative of how Woodstock became the greatest and biggest event in rock and roll history consisting of some of the best artists and musicians and how nothing would ever be like it again. It was a great read to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock.

[Sharon Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe that 40 years ago, on a dairy farm in upstate New York, musical history was made. And that four decades later, people would still be talking about the phenomenon known as Woodstock.
Sure, there have been movies, documentaries and scores of books about the 1969 festival, but perhaps the defining account of what really went into putting on one of the most spectacular concerts in history can be found in the words of the man who thought it all up.
Michael Lang’s book, “The Road To Woodstock: From The Man Behind The Legendary Festival,” follows Lang’s journey from a hippie headshop owner in Miami to becoming the driving force behind the Woodstock event.
I think in most people’s minds the Woodstock festival was a thrown-together happening that a lot of people heard about through word of mouth and just up and went to. But actually months and months of work went into organizing and finalizing the details that resulted in the final event. Lang and his partners went out and found the best people in the various fields of music, promotion, and construction to create what would be known as Woodstock Ventures. There were stages to be built, concessions to bring in, and the ever-present port-a-potties to arrange for. And Lang documents each and every detail that had to be worked out.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle the partnership faced was finding an actual place to hold the concert. After battling and losing to the town council of Wallkill, New York just weeks before the festival was scheduled, Lang was lucky to stumble upon Max Yagsur’s farm which would become the location where the world would amass for three days of music, love and peace.
Also included are the stories of the financial difficulties the group faced in putting on a show this big. Lang tells how on Friday, with the enormous mass of people were descending on the farm, that the realization hit him that this was going to turn into a “free” concert, and there would be no way to recoup much, if any of the ticket sales. But the show must go on, and go on it did!
Lang includes the memories of the people he worked closely with, including the musicians who brought the music to life. There are also wonderful photos of the behind-the-scenes action backstage and throughout the “village” that had cropped up during the festival.
While there are other people’s accounts of Woodstock on the market, “The Road To Woodstock” is Michael Lang’s version of what happened during the months leading up to the famous event. It was his baby from the start, and he watched it mature into a historical moment never to be forgotten.

[Larry Bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audible version of this book that was first published in 2009. I was 23 years old when Woodstock happened in August 1969. I was fairly immersed that Time in being a young husband and father. I can’t remember exactly how aware I was during those days in August when this event was happening in New York State. But in the years since I have been among the ranks of many people I am sure who occasionally wished I had been there! I have listen to the music and seeing the movie and the many classic photographs.

I hold a fairly romanticized view of the event in my mind. But I was surprised recently when I mentioned this event during a family conversation and not only my 85-year-old ex father-in-law but my 25-year-old daughter had an immediate negative perception of the event.

This book doesn’t exactly rise to the level of hagiography but it was written in retrospect by one of the major organizers of the event. He presents himself as probably the major organizer and credit himself significantly for getting it to happen against many odds. So the story told from his point of view Has a fairly rosy glow.

I was aware of many of the highlights of the story but not so much of the nitty-gritty details that were involved in bringing it off. It was indeed a historic event. And Woodstock has etched itself into US cultural history.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. Can you imagine being at a concert where the sets are so behind that the headliner plays as the sun is rising? Me neither but I’m glad to read about it

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book written by one of the creators of Woodstock, about how the idea came about and how they pulled it off.

I'm kind of obsessed with the sixties. It's my favorite decade to read about, given the changes that were happening during that time. I've read and watched quite a bit on Woodstock, and so naturally I was inclined to pick this book up from the library the other day.

To start, I'll say that apparently some people didn't know this was going to be more of a backstory and detail the goings-on behind the scenes of the festival; with a title like "The Road to Woodstock", I'm not sure how they didn't see that coming. So to those who may not get that, this isn't going to be a book which details the festival from a concert-goer standpoint. This is why I enjoyed the book so much, though. We've all seen the documentaries about the concert itself, but not much is shown about what it took to get there. This book connected the dots for me about where the idea for Woodstock came from, why they had to move from Wallkill to Bethel, how they got the money for everything, and the intense planning that went into it. Within Lang's story, are quotes/blurbs from some of the other people involved, either from current interviews for the book, or from past interviews with those who are no longer around. I liked reading a short piece of someone else's perspective of a particular situation as the story moved along.

The book was well written, but having two writers made me wonder how much of it was written in Lang's voice. I couldn't help but thinking, while reading super descriptive sentences, if those were his words to describe the scene, or if he dictated his thought, and co-writer Holly George-Warren wrote it in her own way. So that distracted me a little bit, but not enough to knock it down a star. I was hooked into this book.

I recommend it to anyone who is fascinated by the sixties and/or Woodstock, or for anyone who was actually there. It's interesting to learn more about what went on leading up to the festival, and how they handled well-known situations during it. If you're looking for a book that is going to be all about the concert and the artists, skip this one because you'll be disappointed when only part of the book focuses on that.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If you remember the Sixties, you weren't there." Bullshit! If you don't remember the Sixties, perhaps you did nothing back then worth remembering. Michael Lang was there, and he remembers, and was responsible for the defining moment. Never in world history had this many people gathered together for something other than a battle. And did so remarkably well, flying by the seat of their pants.
This is an excellent book by a guy who certainly has much to be proud of, much he's been humbled by, and will be remembered by many (as he should be by all) as the impetus for this great and historical event.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book even though I found myself getting annoyed at what I thought was pretty sloppy organization of a major event. To be fair though, Woodstock ended up being so much bigger than Michael Lang and co. expected it to be.

I do recommend reading it.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Road to Woodstock: From the Man Behind the Legendary Festival

The festival didn't just happen. A lot of planning went into realising those three days. A mammoth logistical exercise against considerable local conservative opposition, which is ironic in hindsight considering the unknown music careers it kick-started like CSNY and Santana, and future global album sales into the U.S. economy, and the film Woodstock a great cultural ambassador at a time when the U.S.A. was on the nose with the Vietnam War.
The festival was a success because the motivation wasn't money but to show a different alternative spirit of living.

Saturday August.16, Second day
P. 204: 'At some point during the afternoon, a New York Times reporter grabbed me for an interview. I quickly told him, "It's about the best behaved five hundred thousand people in one place on a rainy, muddy weekend that can be imagined." A state police official told the same reporter he was "dumbfounded by the size of the crowd. I can hardly believe that there haven't been even small incidents of misbehavior by the young people." '

A great self-isolation read.

[Kaye Cloutman · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we approach the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival, you might think that by now every moment of the summer of ‘69, the days leading up to the fabled weekend, and those following it would be chronicled in the greatest of details. The summer of 1969 was, after all, the culmination of something great, something both wondrous and ominous, which had been brewing and stewing for decades - a kind of heady mixture of ingredients like art, culture, communication and technology which made that summer a kind of crossroads for mankind. While millions starved in seething ghettos in faraway lands, rich sophisticated Americans walked on the Moon. As an 11-year-old who that summer was dreaming of ways he could sneak away to upstate New York for a weekend without getting busted by the folks (”Hey Mom, Dad, I’m going camping in the back 40 for a little while, see ya!”), I would ultimately have to settle for devouring the details of the actual events that transpired as they became available over the ensuing decades. I thought I’d seen all the footage, heard all the mixes and re-mixes, heard every story, account, and tall tale which was available, until now.

The timing for this new document by festival co-creator and producer Michael Lang, with the help of author Holly George-Warren, couldn’t be better. It reads a little bit like “speak now or forever hold your peace.” I can only imagine the feverish pace of the discovery of documents, re-visiting of recordings and interviewing of participants in the shows that must have been necessary to glean these additional details and organize them into a new volume that actually shed new light on the events leading up to and following the Woodstock Festival. The result is what I would consider to be an important addition to (as opposed to epilogue for) the story of the Woodstock Festival. The story of the bookings of many of the acts was fascinating to me, and the story about negotiating with Abbie Hoffman was hilarious in its own right. Details given by the other principals and artists involved add an important dimension to the book as well, making it much more fun to read.

Ultimately, every story written or told about Woodstock up until now has been either very incomplete (at best) or a kind of virtual hearsay. Stories recalled by people who would embellish - wittingly or otherwise, stories by people who were too high at the time to give a fully credible account (entertaining as it may have been to hear), or worse, complete fabrications. It’s very gratifying to read Michael Lang’s account of those days and events, as he’s one of the few folks who was not only there but involved in the creation of the now-legendary festival and likely one of the few lucid souls in attendance as well. Additionally he’s one of the few who, with sufficient research and corroboration, could verify much if not all of the details of the proceedings of the time. It was incumbent upon him to produce this book to highlight, to add veracity and to set the record straight about the origins of the Woodstock Festival.

[Ted Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book is not a great piece of literature, it really captures this moment in time. It is festival promoter Michael Lang's memoir of the event, so it clearly comes from a particular point of view, but it does contain the recollections of dozens of participants: organizers, builders, musicians, festival-goers. My knowledge of the Woodstock festival came from a combination of being an interested 14-year-old in 1969, seeing the movie and listening to albums, reading the occasional article, and most recently, visiting the festival site, which is now a beautiful performing arts center and museum. This book fills in a lot of the gaps, and dispels some long held beliefs, while confirming others. Above all else, the book confirms something that I gathered from a visit to the site, and that is the identity of the true "heroes" of Woodstock. I give credit to Michael Lang for his tireless efforts to make it happen, but he was a promoter and did not shy away from being disingenuous when it came to trying to "sell" the event to local communities. And while I love the music of that era, the book made it clear how selfish some of the performers were as they decided to perform their music while doing some serious drugs, regardless of the impact on the quality of their performance. No, to me the true heroes were: Hugh Romney (aka, "Wavy Gravy") the leader of the Hog Farm commune who spent the weekend feeding people, diffusing tense situations, and dealing with people who were having bad trips; and most importantly: Max Yasgur, the conservative Sullivan Country farmer who made his land available to the festival, figured out his fee with a pencil and paper and his brain cells (and never asked for a penny more, unlike some of the "beautiful people" like Abby Hoffman), and worked all weekend to help make it happen, despite suffering from the heart ailment that would take his life four years later. If only he could see the wonderful center that is now on his land.

[Robert Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a magnificent insight into how Woodstock 1969 came about. I found it thoroughly well written, vastly entertaining and entirely engaging.

I've read numerous Woodstock books that chronicle the event through the eyes of those who attended the event. However, to read the story behind the scenes of Woodstock, from concept through fruition and beyond, through the eyes of one who was central to production is priceless. This is a story only Michael could tell with anecdotes skillfully interwoven from both production team members and performers, lending insight and clarity to how and why decisions were made. It was a hell of a ride, overcoming monstrous adversity at every turn. Clearly this was the festival destined to be.

Additionally this book includes photos of those providing anecdotes allowing the reader to put faces to names.

I almost didn't purchase this book because of some of the negative reviews it received. Let me put it this way; if you want to hear the amazing tale of how Woodstock became the cultural phenomenon it was, from the man himself, then give it a chance.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been kind of fascinated with the Woodstock Festival - I even did a project on it in the 6th grade. It was such a cultural phenomenon and such a huge representation of counterculture and change in the US in the 60s! This book about the festival crossed my path at the library recently, and I was intrigued again. It tells the whole backstory of how Woodstock came to be by the man who created the festival, Michael Lang. It's pretty amazing how much money, planning, and collaboration was involved in making it happen. Because this book is so much about the details of the backstage part of the festival it's a little dull in terms of the magic and madness that the festival goers experienced, but there are a lot of stories about the musicians backstage and the challenges they were facing as performers on a stage that was soaking wet and to a crowd of 500,000 people. Overall, I found the whole story fascinating. It takes a lot to create something of that magnitude and then to let it be what it became, far bigger and wilder than anyone anticipated. Next up for me - watching the Woodstock documentary with new eyes and a different understanding.

[Livia Linhares Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woodstock is kind of an obsession of mine. They managed to gather an enormous audience + the best musical acts in this beautiful property for 3 days, while the weather sucked, they ran out of food, sanitation, shelter, and STILL whoever attended loved it and thought of it as a life changing experience. But how? Why can't this be achieved again? Why do current festivals not have the same atmosphere?

Because Woodstock is a state of mind.

Out of all Woodstock books I've read, this is my favourite one. Michael (and Holly's) storytelling way is fun, easy, approachable. They make you feel like you were actually THERE, like their dream is also YOUR dream, like Michael is an old friend of yours, with whom you just recently reconnected. I absolutely loved reading this book, it was just so easy to get caught up in the magic and understand what they were trying to achieve, what they were fighting for.

The only negative thing this book brought me was jealousy for the ones that actually got to attend the festival, lol. :) 5 stars, definitely.

[Patrick Esposito · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who was 19 at the time of Woodstock and a 1A draft classification, I remember the days of this festival well. At the time that it occurred the newspaper and TV accounts focused on the rain the mud, the drugs. What they did not discuss was the months of planning, setbacks, hard work and love that went into the planning and execution of this festival and how obstacles were overcome while being planned and as it was happening,

I especially enjoyed the sections that discussed the performers and their performances. Having not been at the festival I did not realize the number of artist that played at the festival. There stories, the ratings of the performances by the artist themselves made for great reading.

[Cindy Marcusen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written first hand view of the Woodstock Festival written by the man whose idea came to fruition.
Michael Lang put a ton of work into Woodstock and it was a huge success. I was very young when Woodstock took place but was aware of it. I remember discussing it with my dad who said besides all of the drugs the kids ruined the farmer's land. Actually, they paid for use of the land and for the lost crops. I learned a lot about the entire festival and all of the work they put into making it possible. I am amazed that over 1/2 million youth could show up for a weekend of peace and love and music and honestly keep things peaceful. The community pulled together and helped with feeding the kids as they hadn't planned for that many people!
Where is this generation now?

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title implies, this book takes us along on Michael Lang's journey leading up to and culminating with the Woodstock festival. I was a teenager in the '70s, and grew up in the shadow of all things Woodstock. As with any major event, rumors and half-truths became legendary. Lang clarifies it all here, and I enjoyed learning how the event really unfolded.

Woodstock was not just about the music. It was about freedom of expression, equal rights, and unity. We see all that play out here. I've always believed Woodstock to be one of those pivotal points in history. We can never repeat its magic, but we can reflect back and learn.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Ever since my teens I've loved the 60s and Woodstock, and if I could time travel to one time in history this would be it. Needless to say, I was excited about this book. Unfortunately, it fell short. There were some interesting bits of information, but overall I thought it was a bit long-winded and boring. For a large part it felt like an endless list of people and their jobs and I had difficulties keeping them all straight. Usually I prefer books over movies, but in this case I much rather watch a documentary than read the book.

[Brian Imeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

before I reads this book, I knew absolutely nothing about the first ever Woodstock concert (other than the fact that it was muddy as hell). Once I started reading, I could not put it down as I found myself so intrigued by the whole process in organizing this historic event. It is a must read for anyone !!!!!!

[hele.b.ook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woodstock je za mene apsolutno jedan od najznačajnijih događaja 20. stoljeća. Kako za glazbu, tako i općenito i fascinantna mi je cijela pozadina njegove realizacije. Kako samo jedna ideja u čovjekovoj glavi može stvoriti povijest. Kako se rodila ideja Woodstocka, tko je sve sudjelovao, kako je tekla sama organizacija, tko je bio za, a tko protiv, te na kraju kako je protekao festival, sve je to jako lijepo opisano u knjizi. Ono sa čime sam se malo borila je veliki broj osoba navedenih u knjizi koje su sudjelovale u realizaciji projekta, što je zapravo uobičajeno za ovakav tip knjige. Čitajući, može se dogoditi da u određenom trenutku naprosto više ne znate tko je tko. Na kraju knjige navedeni su svi izvođači koji su se u ta 3 legendarna dana izmijenili na pozornici Woodstocka, te sve izvedene pjesme. Mogu reći da sam zaista uživala u Langovoj knjizi. Barem na trenutak, ponovno nas je odveo u hipijevsku 1969. i dočarao legendarni Woodstock.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This account comes from Michael Lang, the main person who organized Woodstock, along with interviews from many people, including fellow organizers, performers, and festival attendees; these perspectives work seamlessly together to create a comprehensive overview of what it was like to create such a historic moment and to experience it, as well as to capture some of the events immediately after. The fact that Woodstock ever happened with all of the chaos leading up to it and the disastrous weather that occurred throughout seems miraculous. What fascinates me is the overall cultural vibe it contained, filled with positivity and community; of course, there is a bit of contradiction with the fact that bad trips were fairly rampant and some food concession stands were burned down due to overly long lines and high prices, but that didn’t stop the predominant outlook of peace and love throughout the festival. This is a really great account for those who were born way after the fact and who want to get a better understanding of such a unique event.

[Avary Amaral · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what i think about when someone says grassroots or discusses what it means to be "hippie". Capitalism and greed have distorted a lot of the meaning behind Woodstock and the liberating morals of those who have been involved in communal events since. This book counteracts those perspectives and provides a direct look into what Woodstock actually was and the passion and love that made it happen. Community is something that I think is severely overlooked and under appreciated in this day and age, reading this book will remind you why it's important. Half a million souls came together for 3 days to celebrate humanity and music with no violent outbreaks or negative disturbances, that's what life should be about and what I our generation craves and desperately needs. Woodstock is a beautiful reminder that acceptance, love, compassion, open mindedness and kindness are the key attributes in having successful connection, with anyone, anywhere.

[Tami Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so interesting how Woodstock became of the festival in 69 . It blew my mind . If your a 60’s child & love anything about Woodstock must read . Saving this book . 📚

[Christoph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gutes Buch, es beleuchtet aber vor allem den Planungsprozess davor und das wurde irgendwann etwas langweilig, ich hätte auch nicht ganz so viele Anmerkungen von anderen Personen gebraucht

[mol · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books I am going to wish I could read again for the first time.