Woody Guthrie: An Intimate Life

This book challenges the traditional image of Woody Guthrie as a rough-and-ready folk hero, revealing an artist who understood the importance of intimacy in political struggle.

Biographers and fans portray Guthrie as a foe of fascism, focusing on his politically charged folk songs. However, the book explores Guthrie’s unpublished or lesser-known work, which delves into the significance of intimacy in his personal and political life.

This book offers an analysis of how sexuality, politics, and disability influenced Guthrie’s art and mind. It reveals that Guthrie’s close relationship with dancer Marjorie Mazia helped him overcome childhood trauma and Huntington’s disease. Guthrie saw connecting with others as a way to combat loneliness and isolation, and he believed that intimacy could be used to fight fascism.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)