I Walked the Line - Vivian Cash

I Walked the Line

By Vivian Cash

  • Release Date: 2007-09-04
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 188 Ratings
$15.99 On itunes Buy on Amazon

Description

I Walked the Line is a chronicle of first love, long-kept secrets, betrayal, forgiveness, and the truth--told at last by Johnny Cash's first wife, the mother of his four daughters.

It is a book that had the full support of Johnny Cash, who insisted it was time for their story to be told, despite any painful revelations that might come to light as a result.

Many myths and contradictions regarding the life of Johnny and his family have been perpetuated for decades in film and literature. Vivian exposes previously untold stories involving Johnny's drug addiction, his fraught family life, and their divorce in 1968, as well as the truth behind the writing of two of Johnny's most famous songs, "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire."

Supplemented by a never-before-published archive of love letters and family photos, I Walked the Line offers a deeper look at one of the most significant artists in music history. Here, fans and readers can experience the extraordinary account of love and heartbreak between Johnny and Vivian, and come to understand Vivian's dignified silence over the years. Through this elegant, revealing, and powerful memoir, Vivian Cash's voice is finally heard.

Reviews

  • A Cash Who loves reading about Johnny & Family

    5
    By Dad13842
    My maiden name is Elizabeth Cash so I love reading about Johnny & his family. I am so happy to know more about Vivian. I loved their love story. It reminded me of writing letters to my now husband. Sadly, our children now won’t get to know the “waiting for a letter” experience like we did and how special it was due to them having text now. Thank you Vivian for sharing your life story of you & Johnny. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you from this book. I wish you were here to know it, but at least your girls will now, reading this. Your book was so wonderful that I wanted to scoop you up and hug you like Johnny did when he got home from Germany myself. As much as Johnny said he loved you and missed you, heck I started to miss you. My family & I went to Dyess and saw Johnny’s childhood home. So when I would read about Vivian talking about it, I could visualize the inside of the house. This was a much needed book for everyone to read about you. You deserved to be heard and known about and I am happy to have been part of that. Thank you Vivian.

  • Unclear Message

    1
    By ElevateAddict
    Almost 70% of this book is Johnny’s letters to Vivian during the time period he served in the Air Force. They knew each other for 3 weeks before he left. The letters sound like a teenage boy wrote them. They didn’t make me like or understand him anymore; they actually made me like him less. In the introduction, Vivian says she wants to show others how much he loved her. These letters just don’t do that for me. I couldn’t wait to get this book over with, and not in a good way. This would have definitely been a DNF if I could handle not finishing a book. If you do want to know Vivian’s side of the story, I recommend skipping all the way to Part II. What I did get from the story was that Vivian was very angry, as she had a right to be, but she lived her whole life in that anger and never got to move on and actually live the last almost 40 years of her life in peace, and for that, I will always share sadness with her.

  • I walk the line by Vivian Cash

    5
    By laport65
    I loved best book I read in a long time reading about Vivian and the girls I just wished things would have worked out for Johnny and Vivían but when you have a woman in the way flirting with a married man or him flirting with a single woman and she knows his married with a growing family it’s her job to walk away if your a true lady but if your a flirt and you don’t care about his family.

  • excellent book!!

    5
    By kicker2010
    after years of watching 'walk the line,' i finally discovered this book. i must say, whoever made that movie (as much as i adore it) should be ashamed of themselves for painting june to be a reluctant participant in the affair rather than the homewrecker that she actually was. vivian was a very strong woman to be able to forgive both june and johnny. this book was definitely a great read. the one issue i had was the overabundance of letters. after about the first hundred or so pages of "honey" or "darling" at the beginning or end of virtually every sentence, i have to admit, i was getting a little nauseated. other than that, though, i really enjoyed reading this book!!

  • I Walked The Line

    4
    By Reece Winn
    Great book if you're a Cash fan or a fan of the movie. It's not a rebuttal to the movie, "Walk The Line", but the other side from Cash's first wife before the movie came out and right before her death. It's insightful to say the least! Don't get bogged down in the letters that were exchanged during the time Johnny Cash was in the service. Skip over them if needed. They were included for a reason, but can get redundant after awhile. A must read for anyone who is a Cash family fan! Get ready for some hard truth, though.

  • In awe

    5
    By Smpierc90
    Truly an eye opener and wonderful read. Could not put down!

  • A beautiful memoir

    5
    By Furlow87
    As I wipe the tears from my eyes, I just can't help but think, after all these years, most of us just had the Johnny & June fairy tale all wrong. As a huge Johnny Cash fan since childhood, I can't help but be slightly disappointed in hearing about some of his actions as a husband and father. And June Carter, well, I just can't put into words my opinion about her as a woman. (and I was always taught to not speak ill of the deceased) I am so glad that Vivian was able to find peace. She deserved a medal for what she endured. Her children should be so proud of her. I only wish she had not waited so long to share her story. If you have seen the complete work of fiction that is called "Walk The Line", starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, then you owe it to yourself to uncover the TRUE story, and read this book! It was truly an honor and a privilege to experience her journey through life. Rest in peace, sweet Vivian.

  • I walked the line my life with Johnny Cash

    4
    By Angelsmyst
    I loved the book. I am a fan of Johnny Cash and became interested in getting Vivian's side of the story after walk the line. This book gave you a more intimate side of Johnny and his life with Viv I couldn't put it down. I think if you buy this book you will not be disappointed. It is a book written with class and charm. Give it a try!

  • The Truth

    5
    By Jhaygood12
    In all my years of being a devoted "The Man In Black" follower I never realized several things about Johhny Cash's first marriage. It just goes to shoe you not everything you see is sweet as sugar. Seeing Vivian Cash's story, or should I say Mrs. Vivian, has completely touched my heart. I cannot imagine the pain she endured during those years. God blessed her for all the pain and suffering she went through. Thank you for sharing your story Mrs. Vivian. I will NEVER write you out of Johnny Cash's story again. You made him the man he became the singer, lover and song writer that he was and will forever be. The bad side was only the falling to temptation that he never prevailed over and to me this has been the best story to read seeing what really happened in the life of Johnny Cash. Thank you.

  • Great read

    5
    By Cpmeringolo
    Great to hear the other side of the story. Honest and open.

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