From the Publisher
"As someone who has spent his life telling made-up stories that are obliged to sound somewhat plausible, I am deeply envious of Geddy Lee. And it’s not only the improbable, absurd, wondrous and at times heartbreaking true story that life has gifted him that I envy, but also the warmth, care, artfulness, hard-earned wisdom and—always—the gently skewed humor with which he tells it. He’s one of my musical heroes, for reasons that are there on record, but with this book everyone can see why for so long he has also been one of my heroes as a man." — Michael Chabon
"An effin' good read." — Associated Press
“There was never a band like Rush. Geddy Lee doesn’t want to forget it. It took a series of losses for the high-voiced rock star to confront his personal history. It all came out in his new memoir.” — The Washington Post
“A page-turner . . . gives readers a fly-on-the-wall, tick-tock perspective . . . and also provides a backstage pass into Lee’s inner monologue as he balanced rising fame and enduring fears.” — Toronto Star
“My Effin’ Life is joyously thoughtful and engaging.” — The Boston Globe
“The main takeaway from Geddy Lee's new memoir, My Effin’ Life, is that anything can happen as long as you live your life with an honest conviction.” — Vulture
“The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer—who played bass, keyboards, and sang on the progressive rock band's biggest hits—holds nothing back in his highly-anticipated memoir.” — Entertainment Weekly
Library Journal
01/12/2024
Love it or hate it, the singing voice of Rush's lead vocalist, Lee, is certainly distinct. It's irreplaceable in the overall sound of his legendary band and a big part of their success. One of three affable Canadian men who all just happen to be maestros at their instruments, Lee, age 70, is a hero among bass guitar players and has had a thrilling career in music. His memoir, which grew out of a series of emails with cowriter Daniel Richler, provides a glimpse into his distinguished life and openly shares details about his formative years. As a child of Holocaust survivors, he dedicates a whole chapter to telling his parents' stories and how their endurance influenced his own childhood. He also discusses the prejudice he faced as a Jewish kid in the 1950s and '60s. Finding a release in music, his rise from suburban rock and roll dreamer to one of the top-selling bands in history is palpably exciting. The close longtime friendships with his two bandmates, guitarist Alex Lifeson and the late drummer Neil Peart, are the most enjoyable parts of the book. VERDICT Lee makes a true personal connection with readers in this compulsively readable memoir.—Brett Rohlwing
DECEMBER 2023 - AudioFile
As one of the most distinctive vocalists in rock, Geddy Lee simply had to be the voice of his own memoir. The singer and bassist of the Canadian power trio Rush is known for his vocal range, but his delivery is surprisingly consistent here. Between stories of the band's forty-year career on the road and in the studio, Lee also shares the story of his parents, who survived the Holocaust, and the agony of watching his bandmate and friend Neil Peart die of brain cancer in 2020. Even in those powerful passages, Lee rarely lets emotion creep into his straightforward narration. He does, however, allow his sense of humor to break through, chuckling when he recounts the band's misadventures and lovingly imitating his mother's Yiddish accent. D.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2023-11-20
The thunderous bassist and vocalist for the prog rock band Rush tells all.
“It’s a common mistake to assume that when a kid (or an adult for that matter) is quiet, he must be some sort of deep thinker. In my case I’m afraid it was simply that I didn’t have much to say.” So writes Lee, born Gershon Eliezer Weinrib in 1953 to Holocaust-survivor immigrants to Canada. It turns out that he has plenty to say. Part of this mostly good-natured memoir is an account of growing up as a “nerdy Jewish kid” in the Toronto suburbs. Like other budding musicians, Lee found a turning point when Ed Sullivan aired the Beatles, though he was less impressed by the Fab Four than his sister was. Forming a band with schoolmates, he picked up the bass after drawing a literal short straw, which “was fine by me—it had fewer strings.” Eventually falling in with drummer Neil Peart and guitarist Alex Lifeson, he formed Rush, opening for the likes of Kiss before becoming a headliner act. Lee is full of good humor as he recounts his experiences on the road: “Rock Star Lesson #1: Do NOT drop psychedelics before an interview.” “Rock Star Lesson #2: Famous people can be dicks.” The author is testier when he writes about his personal politics, and he has high praise for Canada’s social safety net. “Sure, we pay more taxes than many others do,” he writes, “but I prefer to live in a world that gives a shit, even for people I don’t know.” Lee also has choice words for those who criticize his histrionic, high-pitched vocal delivery: “Don’t like the way I sing? Well then, I invite you to fuck the fuck off and move along to something more suitable to your sensitive tastes.”
A grand entertainment for fans of Rush and classic rock.
