THE ART OF THE STRAIGHT LINE My Tai Chi

Laurie Anderson, the late Lou Reed's wife and sometimes collaborator, invites listeners to learn about another side of the groundbreaking songwriter. Anderson and a full cast narrate this mix of interviews and short pieces describing Reed's passion for tai chi and how it saved his life. The audiobook rarely feels like a tribute or a eulogy to Reed. Many of the interviewees, for example, Lou's sister, Merill Weiner, and musician Jonathan Richmond, recount personal perspectives that differ from Reed's public persona. What emerges is a realistic, often endearing, portrait of a seeker whose confidants understood his darker moods. Ten years after his passing, Anderson and her three co-editors have created a reflective, meditative collage of an artist and his private passion. R.W.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]