Ghost Rider: An Epic Journey of Healing and Discovery

John Dlouhy: Neil was such a descriptive writer. He really keeps your interest in his writings. I can almost see what he describes through his writing. Losing my parents in a car accident when I was 15 I can understand and empathize what he went through. It’s extremely interesting to me to see/read how people deal with their grief when dealt a bad hand in life. I truly envy Neil’s life, he was able to travel the world through his job as the drummer for Rush. Allowing him to travel to some really amazing places and see incredible things. Almost ready to buy another one of his books.

United States on Oct 06, 2023

Yolanda M.: Buen libro, triste por momentos pero bastante bueno de un gran batería.

Mexico on Jun 27, 2023

Rik: Great. rip Neil

United Kingdom on Jun 24, 2023

Joseph A. Cullen: I read it as a teenager when it came out. Recently read it again, through new eyes, while dealing with loss of my own.

Both then and now, I consider this an important work in the business of moving on/through when suffering great loss. He embraced the endless beauty and fascination in the world, in his own way, and I think it kept him alive (and I think he would agree).

It’s fascinating to live it vicariously through his eyes and experience, since we naturally can’t all afford to disappear on a bike for two years while eating out for every meal and staying in hotel every night. This may be as close as many of us would get. Still I take note of many places he describes, and have added them to my own bucket list.

Between the lines I think there is a message. You don’t need to go far. You don’t need to go on a bike or any specific kind of vehicle. You don’t need to go to a certain destination. You don’t need to be gone as long as he was. You simply need to turn to the world and take it in, when your own former internal world has been destroyed. The earth offers endless opportunity, experience, curiosity, beauty, majesty, etc. Let those things fill...

United States on Apr 25, 2023

Dayglo Jesus: I looked at buying this years ago but didn't and only came back to it out of my current revived obsession with all things Rush following Neil's tragic death in January. He sure had a roller coaster life where the dips were massive. The first chapters are a very frank and honest account of the terrible things that happened to him which would shock anyone. So he then bundles onto this journey of epic proportions and he gives a strong feeling of his mental state through times that we would all hope to never have to endure. The book becomes heavy going as the mundane nature of the journey sets in, he has a few incidents along the way and friends to meet etc.. Discussion of Rush is done in a very detached way with memories of touring revolving around his families involvement. The book is a healing exercise for him and I will finish it out of loyalty for a man who created some of the songs and lyrics that shaped my life and a desire to know something of him, but I have just stopped to take a break (as he did)at the halfway point . Completion feels more like a duty than for the enjoyment of the book, you are definitely on his epic journey with him. - Follow up, OK I nearly didn't but I...

United Kingdom on Mar 18, 2020

The Gospel: I bought this book through being a big Rush fan (well, till "Presto" anyway). I've no particular interest in drums (solos should be banned!) nor lyrics, but still respect the contribution he's made to Rush, and consequently my listening entertainment for many years. I'd heard about his double tragedy so was intrigued to know his thoughts, not least because I can relate to it. My first reaction, however, was surprise. This "love of his life" for 12 years was a lady he had not even married (why not?), and it seems they'd had ups and downs. I'm not trying to diminish his love for one minute, but merely saying it wasn't the picture I'd been led to believe. Similarly, the daughter was loved, but not to the extent he could couldn't go weeks without seeing her (on tour) presumably? Again, I'm not being dismissive, but saying it wasn't what I was expecting. I lost the love of my life after one year and it crucified me (and still does). But whereas Neal had a millionaire lifestyle and could afford to stop work and do ANYTHING he wanted, I had no such luxury. My second loss (at the same time) was my career, my livelihood, and my whole standard of living (besides "a reason to live", still...

United Kingdom on Dec 30, 2014

Gregory Canellis: As a faithful fan of the Canadian rock-trio Rush since 1976, I had read about the heart breaking double tragedy in drummer Neil Peart's personal life: first the death of his daughter in a car accident, followed by that of his wife to cancer eight months later. Driving home from a recent Rush concert, I felt it was time to delve into Peart's writings, beginning appropriately with _Ghost Rider: Travels of the Healing Road_.

Constantly surrounded at home by memories of his beloved wife and daughter, while consumed in his misery, loss and anguish, Peart, an empty shell of a man with no will to continue living realized he would die from the ravages of depression, if he did not keep moving "Book One" recounts Peart's motorcycle journey of healing through some of North America's most remote, rugged and majestically beautiful National Parks. Like many of his literary heroes, Peart set off with a writer's eye and journal in hand. When not riding, Peart hiked forest trails, rowed on mountain lakes, anything to keep moving. Peart finds wonder in nature, its beauty, and is a knowledgeable bird watcher. Along the way, he investigates local used book stores, museums and the stomping...

United States on Aug 27, 2008

schilba: Die Geschichte der BEWÄLTIGUNG einer menschlichen Katastrophe über fast ein Jahr auf der Straße und in Hotels in merikanischen Kleinstädten, kurze Treffen mit alten Weggefährten, neue Bekanntschaften, den belanglosen Alltag anderer, Einschübe aus der Vergangenheit, Amüsantes, daß doch sehr wichtig ist...
Es gibt wenig auszusetzen an diesem Buch,
außer vielleicht:
1. Es wird hauptsächlich von Rush-Fans gelesen werden
2. es wird in absehbarer Zeit keine Übersetzung in eine andere Sprache geben
3. es macht klar, daß der Autor sein Talent noch nicht mal annähernd ausgeschöpft hat, wenn er bisher fast nur Songtexte geschrieben hat.
Dieses Buch ist sehr persönlich und bis in den letzten Nebensatz autobiographisch. Neil Peart sagte ehrlich, daß zwei Dinge Ihn bewogen haben, dies alles niederzuschreiben.
1. Der Hinweis seines besten Freundes, die Briefe an Ihn erreichten mittlerweile Prosaqualität. (geschrieben hat er viele davon auf der Reise weg von den Verlusten der Vergangenheit (ausgedrückt in einer echten Reise auf dem Motorrad über 60000 Meilen) hin zu sich selbst geschrieben. Der Freund saß im Gefängnis, weil er mit anderen, als seinen...

Germany on Jul 06, 2004