Reading Dylan's "Chronicles", where Van Ronk is often mentioned, I realized I had his autobio as well. Dave passed before the final edit, but music journalist Elijah Wald has done an excellent job pulling this all together.

A self-educated high school drop out and admitted Leftist, Van Ronk has obviously thought about the whole "Folk Scare" event of the '50's and '60's. He has many great stories, but he also has a whole chapter on Left Wing political groups in '50's NYC and how they were attached to different types of folk music.

With a short fuse for BS Van Ronk never stops from telling the truth - or at least the truth as he sees it. Great memoir of that whole scene, especially since it does not just tell about events, but also provides a critical reading of them as well.