Michael Nesmith's eclectic, electric life spans his star-making role on The Monkees, his invention of the music video, and his critical contributions to movies, comedy, and the world of virtual reality. Above all, his is a seeker's story, a pilgrimage in search of a set of principles to live by. That search took Nesmith from a childhood in Dallas, where his single mother Bette invented Liquid Paper, to the set of The Monkees in Los Angeles; to the heart of swinging London with John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix; and to an unexpected oasis of brilliance in the Santa Fe desert, where his friendships with Douglas Adams and Los Alamos scientists would point him toward the power of the infinite and the endless possibilities of human connection. This funny, thoughtful, self-aware book is a window onto an unexpected life, inflected at every turn by the surprising candor and absurdist humor of an American original.
Opening Infinite Tuesday is like stepping into the world of Michael Nesmith, where something curious is always unfolding, and where riffs on everything from bands to dogs to the nature of reality make for an endlessly engaging journey.
About the Author :
MICHAEL NESMITH's career in music and television took him from starring in The Monkees to a celebrated run of albums as a solo artist and in the First National Band. He created the TV show Popclips, a forerunner of what would become MTV, and produced the films Repo Man and Tapeheads. He is the author of two novels and the founder of the Pacific Arts Corporation, which produces projects in the worlds of audio, video, and virtual reality, including Videoranch 3D. He lives in Carmel, California.
Review :
Praise for Infinite Tuesday
"Beautifully written." --New York Times "Penetrating... As a writer, Nesmith is practical without being conventional. And he riffs on metaphysical topics like 'non-time moments' - when portent and symmetry seem to enter our lives - without sounding trippy or losing his relatability. He also abstains from using his pen to settle scores, something from which other celebrity memoirists could learn. In fact, he's delightfully self-depricating... [Infinite Tuesday is] a nonlinear realm to which [Nesmith] is a distinctly likable, erudite guide." --Washington Post
"In his memoir, Infinite Tuesday, the highlights of [Nesmith's] career speak for themselves... Jimi Hendrix, who supported the Monkees on their first tour, got the Monkees; John Lennon got the Monkees; Zappa did too. These countercultural icons understood the genius of its premise - simultaneously celebrating and satirizing popular culture, fabricating a faux-Beatlemania to rival Beatlemania itself - and recognized its brilliant execution." --Wall Street Journal
"Reads like the chronicle of a relentless seeker...although Nesmith certainly doesn't ignore the professional and social collaborations he's had with Douglas Adams, members of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, actor Jack Nicholson and numerous others." --Los Angeles Times
"This selectively revealing, insightful memoir casts the cerebral Monkee as a spiritual seeker and self-deprecating visionary. Popular culture has barely revealed the tip of the iceberg that is Nesmith....A book--and a life--unlike any other in rock." --Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Nesmith may be most remembered for his role as the stoic guitarist in the Monkees, but his brilliant, candid, and humorous new autobiographical musings give readers a much clearer picture of his originality and inventiveness...Nesmith's entertaining memoir reveals his creative genius, his canny ability never to take himself too seriously, and his restless questions about the value of spirituality."--Publishers Weekly
"The Monkees were the beginning for me, the amazing thing is they were only the beginning for Mike Nesmith. This is the way a genius lives life right. Great stories of his buddies Hendrix, Timmy Leary, and Douglas Adams, adventures while inventing the music video and changing home video, yogis in California, VR, and why you should never complain about the air conditioning on a private jet. Nez inspired me when I was 13 and now with this book he continues to inspire me at 61."--Penn Jillette of "Penn & Teller"
"You know it's a good book when you quote lines and anecdotes from it, and claim them as your own. Infinite Tuesday is fascinating and funny! In a word, Nezmerizing."-- Jack Handey, author of Deep Thoughts and The Stench of Honolulu
"Mike Nesmith is a pop-culture spirit guide. Every creative person should take this revealing, hilarious, semi-hallucinogenic trip back in time through all the biggest cultural revolutions of the late 20th century. Nesmith himself was a driving force in many of them. This book is honest, moving, and inspirational."--Jay Roach, director of Austin Powers and Meet the Parents
"Infinite Tuesday is a picnic in forward motion. The table is full of gems, big and small, and studded throughout with a full cast of characters. I am already looking for volume two and, please, let there be one."--Ed Ruscha
"Nesmith is an artist, adventurer and thinker whose nimble creativity soared far above the appellation he was given: "The smart Monkee." In Infinite Tuesday, he details the inner forces, from personal to spiritual, that kept him forging ahead -and that created stumbling blocks as well. Unsparing and revealing, this book is an unusual, unforgettable read." --Ben Fong-Torres
"Nesmith is witty and ironic and has a fund of amazing and often absurd stories. Infinite Tuesday is unlike any other music or movie autobiography." --Alex Cox, director of Repo Man
