Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile (audiobook)

genre: memoir

Knowing what I little I know of her as a musician and performer, I knew I was interested in learning more when I saw her memoir on the shelf in a local bookstore.  While I purchased the paperback at the time, I ended up getting the audiobook from the library to listen to it - which was exactly the right choice.  Not only is she an excellent narrator, she performs during nearly every chapter break and I loved wondering what song would be next.

From what she'd said at the concert I went to last summer, I knew she was gay, from the Northwest and I knew the "twins" she performed with were like family.  All of that is true but I really loved getting the grittier details of how Brandi has managed to fill her life with not just music but with a community of artists and musicians that seem willing to follow wherever she'll lead.  I liked learning about her talented family and choices she made along the way - both the good and the bad. She feels honest here, raw, like she's not hiding the hard parts.  I know how challenging so much of it has been - but it's sorta magical when she tells about all the things that just WORKED - the concerts, the awards, the crazy opportunities.  Brandi is a cocktail of self-depreciating but also so proud of what she's accomplished, quick to say she never could've done it alone.  This was a really entertaining listen.