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Room to Dream
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Memoir & Autobiography (2018)In this memoir, David Lynch - co-creator of Twin Peaks and writer and director of groundbreaking films like Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive - opens up about a lifetime of extraordinary creativity, the friendships he has made along the way and the struggles he has faced - sometimes successful, sometimes not - to bring his projects to fruition.
Part-memoir, part-biography, Room to Dream interweaves Lynch's own reflections on his life with the story of those times, as told by Kristine McKenna, drawing from extensive and explosive interviews with ninety of Lynch's friends, family members, actors, agents, musicians and collaborators. Lynch responds to each recollection and reveals the inner story of the life behind the art.
Part-memoir, part-biography, Room to Dream interweaves Lynch's own reflections on his life with the story of those times, as told by Kristine McKenna, drawing from extensive and explosive interviews with ninety of Lynch's friends, family members, actors, agents, musicians and collaborators. Lynch responds to each recollection and reveals the inner story of the life behind the art.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published June 19, 2018
About the author
David Lynch
147 books1,405 followersBorn in precisely the kind of small-town American setting so familiar from his films, David Lynch spent his childhood being shunted from one state to another as his research scientist father kept getting relocated. He attended various art schools, married, and fathered future director Jennifer Chambers Lynch shortly after he turned 21. That experience, plus attending art school in a particularly violent and run-down area of Philadelphia, inspired ERASERHEAD(1977), a film that he began in the early 1970s (after a couple of shorts) and which he would work on obsessively for five years. The final film was initially judged to be almost unreleasable, but thanks to the efforts of distributor Ben Barenholtz, it secured a cult following and enabled Lynch went on to make such cult films as THE ELEPHANT MAN, DUNE, BLUE VELVET, WILD AT HEART, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, LOST HIGHWAY, and the television series TWIN PEAKS. Lynch is also a renowned painter and author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 748 reviews
March 24, 2024
I’ve always admired Lynch’s work, I remember being awed, surprised, and sometimes shocked by his early films: The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart. And his somewhat surreal television series Twin Peaks was so different to anything else I’d seen (perhaps anyone had seen) before. But I’d lost track of where his career had taken him since, so I saw this book as a welcome opportunity to learn more about the man and catch up on what he’d been up to before and since I’d briefly tuned into him.
It’s a biography but, unsurprisingly, structured unconventionally. In alternating sections, his story is told by a writer, Kristine McKenna, and Lynch himself, who adds some colour to the same time period through a series of reflections and anecdotes. I purchased an audio copy, and it’s narrated by the authors. McKenna’s sections are a little dry in places but very informative – she’d interviewed over one hundred of Lynch’s friends, family, and acquaintances to compile her material. Her voice is somewhat lacking in personality, but I did warm to her as I made my way through the book, and some humour started to peep through. Lynch, on the other hand, has a voice that is both soft and sincere, his slowly lilting diction immediately making me feel at home with him; I liked him immediately, just based on how he spoke!
A few things come across very clearly:
- Lynch is a born artist, a painter, photographer, film director, script writer, and songwriter. And no doubt a few more I’ve neglected to list.
- He’s a worker. No, he’s actually a workaholic.
- He likes people, and people really like him. But he’s not good at balancing his work and home life – he’s worked his way through quite a few wives.
- He’s into transcendental meditation in a very big way.
I was really sad to finish this one, I could happily have listened to Lynch, in particular, for endless hours. If you are interested in filmmaking or if you just enjoy biographies, I’d suggest this is a book you should not miss.
It’s a biography but, unsurprisingly, structured unconventionally. In alternating sections, his story is told by a writer, Kristine McKenna, and Lynch himself, who adds some colour to the same time period through a series of reflections and anecdotes. I purchased an audio copy, and it’s narrated by the authors. McKenna’s sections are a little dry in places but very informative – she’d interviewed over one hundred of Lynch’s friends, family, and acquaintances to compile her material. Her voice is somewhat lacking in personality, but I did warm to her as I made my way through the book, and some humour started to peep through. Lynch, on the other hand, has a voice that is both soft and sincere, his slowly lilting diction immediately making me feel at home with him; I liked him immediately, just based on how he spoke!
A few things come across very clearly:
- Lynch is a born artist, a painter, photographer, film director, script writer, and songwriter. And no doubt a few more I’ve neglected to list.
- He’s a worker. No, he’s actually a workaholic.
- He likes people, and people really like him. But he’s not good at balancing his work and home life – he’s worked his way through quite a few wives.
- He’s into transcendental meditation in a very big way.
I was really sad to finish this one, I could happily have listened to Lynch, in particular, for endless hours. If you are interested in filmmaking or if you just enjoy biographies, I’d suggest this is a book you should not miss.
July 5, 2018
“When I picture Boise in my mind, I see euphoric 1950s
chrome optimism”, David Lynch said.
When he was 14, his family moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Though Lynch flourished as a high school student in Alexandria...leaving Boise is when the music stopped...
but the 1950’s never really ever went away for David....
girls in bobby sox and saddle shoes, classic rock ‘n’ roll, smoking cigarettes, BBQ’s - most: the *mood* of the time.... the innocence & goodness....and the dark forces pulsing beneath it.
The neighborhood where ‘Blue Velvet’ was shot looks much like his old neighborhood in Boise.
God - I’ll never forget watching that film.
I can’t express how much I enjoyed this book - reflecting memories into my own-David Lynch-entertainment-history...
( my daughter, Ali, and I watched Mulholland Drive together at ‘least’ 5 times)....
While Twin Peaks got David to the very center of television and popular culture, he didn’t want to be in the center.
I understand that!!!!
“He was most ‘happy’ within the world he created for himself”.
Damn, I adore this man!
Gobbling up details about David’s personal/work/and spiritual life...from many people who were interviewed to David sharing himself, was simply heartwarming delicious.
A biography/memoir combination ... which I thought worked perfectly.
NOTE: if you google David Lynch ‘paintings’... you’ll be amazed of how much he has done - subconscious surreal bizarre paintings!!!!
Fascinating!!!
chrome optimism”, David Lynch said.
When he was 14, his family moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Though Lynch flourished as a high school student in Alexandria...leaving Boise is when the music stopped...
but the 1950’s never really ever went away for David....
girls in bobby sox and saddle shoes, classic rock ‘n’ roll, smoking cigarettes, BBQ’s - most: the *mood* of the time.... the innocence & goodness....and the dark forces pulsing beneath it.
The neighborhood where ‘Blue Velvet’ was shot looks much like his old neighborhood in Boise.
God - I’ll never forget watching that film.
I can’t express how much I enjoyed this book - reflecting memories into my own-David Lynch-entertainment-history...
( my daughter, Ali, and I watched Mulholland Drive together at ‘least’ 5 times)....
While Twin Peaks got David to the very center of television and popular culture, he didn’t want to be in the center.
I understand that!!!!
“He was most ‘happy’ within the world he created for himself”.
Damn, I adore this man!
Gobbling up details about David’s personal/work/and spiritual life...from many people who were interviewed to David sharing himself, was simply heartwarming delicious.
A biography/memoir combination ... which I thought worked perfectly.
NOTE: if you google David Lynch ‘paintings’... you’ll be amazed of how much he has done - subconscious surreal bizarre paintings!!!!
Fascinating!!!
October 7, 2018
Room To Dream
This is a very enjoyable biography told with a dual perspective that I found very readable and descriptive. I’m not quite sure how it got lost in my TBR pile, as I should have read it much sooner and wish I had now, as much as I’ve liked it. Filled with quirky stories about David Lynch as he grows up discovers what he’s about, moving from different places and the effects they had on him. When and how he got interested in art, and his near-obsession with art and painting that was such a part of his life for quite a while. Then the all-important point when David’s focus shifted from painting to making films. It also shares about his personal life too, his family and friends and many girlfriends until he marries and starts a family of his own. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, authors David Lynch & Kristine McKenna, and the publisher for my fair review.
The Author:
David Lynch advanced to the front ranks of international cinema in 1977 with the release of his first film, the startlingly original Eraserhead. Since then, Lynch has been nominated for two Best Director Academy Awards for The Elephant Man and Blue Velvet, was awarded the Palme d’Or for Wild at Heart, swept the country with Twin Peaks mania in 1990 when his groundbreaking television series premiered on ABC, and has established himself as an artist of tremendous range and wit. He is the author of a previous book, Catching the Big Fish, on Transcendental Meditation.
Kristine McKenna is a widely published critic and journalist who wrote for the Los Angeles Times from 1976 through 1998 and has been a close friend and interviewer of David Lynch since 1979. Her profiles and criticism have appeared in Artforum, The New York Times, ARTnews, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. Her books include The Ferus Gallery: A Place to Begin and two collections of interviews.
Random House 534 pages
Pub: June 19th, 2018
My BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
This is a very enjoyable biography told with a dual perspective that I found very readable and descriptive. I’m not quite sure how it got lost in my TBR pile, as I should have read it much sooner and wish I had now, as much as I’ve liked it. Filled with quirky stories about David Lynch as he grows up discovers what he’s about, moving from different places and the effects they had on him. When and how he got interested in art, and his near-obsession with art and painting that was such a part of his life for quite a while. Then the all-important point when David’s focus shifted from painting to making films. It also shares about his personal life too, his family and friends and many girlfriends until he marries and starts a family of his own. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, authors David Lynch & Kristine McKenna, and the publisher for my fair review.
The Author:
David Lynch advanced to the front ranks of international cinema in 1977 with the release of his first film, the startlingly original Eraserhead. Since then, Lynch has been nominated for two Best Director Academy Awards for The Elephant Man and Blue Velvet, was awarded the Palme d’Or for Wild at Heart, swept the country with Twin Peaks mania in 1990 when his groundbreaking television series premiered on ABC, and has established himself as an artist of tremendous range and wit. He is the author of a previous book, Catching the Big Fish, on Transcendental Meditation.
Kristine McKenna is a widely published critic and journalist who wrote for the Los Angeles Times from 1976 through 1998 and has been a close friend and interviewer of David Lynch since 1979. Her profiles and criticism have appeared in Artforum, The New York Times, ARTnews, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. Her books include The Ferus Gallery: A Place to Begin and two collections of interviews.
Random House 534 pages
Pub: June 19th, 2018
My BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
February 10, 2023
Many books have been written about Lynch and his work. If you ask me, he is the most interesting filmmaker still alive for a number of reasons. I will always sing the praises of Kurosawa, Kubrick, Jarmusch, Gilliam and the dozen or so other directors I purposefully rewatch, but Lynch is a revolutionary artist, even as he brought his raw nightmares and flawed dreams to the cinematic world. If you don't like Lynch films, it might help to watch them again, and to read what many fans have excavated from his multi-layered imagery, which can come off as pretentious nonsense to the uninitiated.
Are you still wondering about that awful-looking stuffed robin at the end of Blue Velvet, or the way certain characters disappear into thin air on screen for no apparent reason, or the dancing midget, or the girl in the radiator, or the life-size bunnies, or the 1001 other anomalies? You are not alone. The hallmarks of Lynch's work are so memorable because they are so ridiculous. He talks about a few of those quirks in this book, but not all of them.
This is a hybrid memoir biography. A combo of Lynch talking about his life and the people he worked with and knew discussing his work and their relationship with him. Lynch has four kids and was married four times. He began making short films and progressed to the big time after Elephant Man. His start was rocky. He moved around constantly, went to AFI, and it took 5 years to complete Eraserhead. Living expenses were always an issue, funding was an even bigger impediment. But Lynch had a way of getting his vision onto the screen despite all the obstacles. He was a paper boy well into adulthood and had odd jobs, spent 2 hours a night sitting in a coffee shop for a chunk of his life and at one point was sleeping 18 hours per day. He settled into a rhythm of productivity after discovering Transcendental Meditation and produced hundreds of abstract paintings and experimental short films for his membership website.
He believes that through meditation, humans can unlock happiness and improvement in every aspect of life by submerging themselves in the sea of consciousness. His book Catching the Big Fish is a condensation of his talks, which relate to the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of whom Lynch was a protege. Lynch went on to found a TM foundation for world peace, which he stresses is not a religion but a mindset. The final component of this system is the belief that one can reach ultimate enlightenment through meditation and so awaken from the eternal wheel of reincarnation. Unsurprisingly, many of these concepts subtly make their way into his work.
Dune was a major disappointment to him and I think most people, but it remains a watchable film with great music and some startling visuals. Think about the fact that he made Dune to get out of the offer of directing Return of the Jedi. Thank the lord for that.
We get to hear his journey through every film he made in this book along with his artistic insights, his struggles and triumphs. He is constantly touted by the co-authors as a genuine, likable, relatable, down-to-earth genius who respects and loves everyone. He was also an absentee father and husband, so devoted to his projects that his personal life was a shambles, with lengthy respites when he wasn't shooting when he actually lived a balanced life.
Having watched all of his features and all seasons of Twin Peaks, I consider myself a fan. I am most fascinated by his artistic methodologies and the obsession with coding imagery and abstraction he employs, the organic vision he translates to moving pictures, which coalesces into emotional and moving scenes with unpredictable dialogue and striking visual composition. You get the super dark, visceral absurdist Eraserhead. A trip from beginning to end. Then the moody Elephantman - which is just a good film. Enough standard fare to fulfill most peoples' storytelling expectations. Then the impeccable and disturbing Blue Velvet (the best entry point into his work)—the beginning of the dichotomies. Lynch films often contain some of the best and worst acting, purposefully awkward scenes, and a glacially slow pace. Think of each frame as a painting, one containing many layers, and you will begin to appreciate the dedication he puts into the directing art.
After that, the wild and questionable Wild at Heart, famous for the Nick Cage freak-out trend. The film was actually a lot more bloody, brutal, and vicious before they produced the final cut. It's really pushing the envelope as is, and somehow won the Palm D'Or at Cannes. A highly unconventional road movie, to say the least. Then the twisted and riveting Lost Highway, a noir experiment that holds up really well to rewatchings.
Then began the near religious experience of Twin Peaks season 1, the hot mess WTF of season 2, and the convoluted visual labyrinth of subtext of season 3. The third season was filmed 25 years after the second and couldn't be more different in tone and atmosphere. Yet the whole series coheres and contains an impressive array of character development and an incredible synthesis of visually compelling ideas. You will never forget Twin Peaks, and it remains one of the most influential shows of all time. To fully appreciate the easter eggs and hidden meanings, watch the videos uploaded by Twin Perfect on Youtube: Over 6 hours of footage interpreting the mysteries in Lynch's magnum opus.
In between you get the Disney G-rated perfectly moving Straight Story, easy to recommend to anyone who appreciates a quiet, simple film. Finally the masterpiece of Mulholland Dr. — the pinnacle of his artistry and a powerful, timeless classic.
And lastly there is the uncalled-for trashterpiece of Inland Empire. I have yet to read the hundreds of pages of fan interpretation on this mystically weird 3-hour shaky-cam film, but it combines Lynchian archetypes into a melange of horripilating interwoven stories reminiscent of Mulholland, but without the pleasing cinematography. It is profoundly upsetting and possibly evil, but you can be the judge. I may revise my summation after thorough research but I believe it contains utterly revolting and unnecessary scenes alongside some breathtaking feats of acting and obvious subconscious associations I've yet to comprehend.
Apart from that the assorted shorts I have never really cared about and his multiple books of visual art. Studying Lynch's life, methods, and production is a worthy endeavor in my estimation. Not only is the pursuit entertaining and rich, it is addictive and easy to discuss with others. I have yet to try his two other short television series, which no one talks about: Motel Room and On the Air. But I look forward to reading the Twin Peaks books, watching the deleted scenes, and rewatching Fire Walk with Me, which I didn't like the first time.
To be fair, this book must be rented or bought in audiobook form to gain the full value. David Lynch's voice is perfectly attuned to his wacky brand of madness and hearing him talk is enough to hook anybody. You must also be well-versed in his films to get the most out of this memoir. If you are a devotee or a mildly enthused fan I highly recommend this book and consider it the most fascinating autobiography I have ever read.
Are you still wondering about that awful-looking stuffed robin at the end of Blue Velvet, or the way certain characters disappear into thin air on screen for no apparent reason, or the dancing midget, or the girl in the radiator, or the life-size bunnies, or the 1001 other anomalies? You are not alone. The hallmarks of Lynch's work are so memorable because they are so ridiculous. He talks about a few of those quirks in this book, but not all of them.
This is a hybrid memoir biography. A combo of Lynch talking about his life and the people he worked with and knew discussing his work and their relationship with him. Lynch has four kids and was married four times. He began making short films and progressed to the big time after Elephant Man. His start was rocky. He moved around constantly, went to AFI, and it took 5 years to complete Eraserhead. Living expenses were always an issue, funding was an even bigger impediment. But Lynch had a way of getting his vision onto the screen despite all the obstacles. He was a paper boy well into adulthood and had odd jobs, spent 2 hours a night sitting in a coffee shop for a chunk of his life and at one point was sleeping 18 hours per day. He settled into a rhythm of productivity after discovering Transcendental Meditation and produced hundreds of abstract paintings and experimental short films for his membership website.
He believes that through meditation, humans can unlock happiness and improvement in every aspect of life by submerging themselves in the sea of consciousness. His book Catching the Big Fish is a condensation of his talks, which relate to the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of whom Lynch was a protege. Lynch went on to found a TM foundation for world peace, which he stresses is not a religion but a mindset. The final component of this system is the belief that one can reach ultimate enlightenment through meditation and so awaken from the eternal wheel of reincarnation. Unsurprisingly, many of these concepts subtly make their way into his work.
Dune was a major disappointment to him and I think most people, but it remains a watchable film with great music and some startling visuals. Think about the fact that he made Dune to get out of the offer of directing Return of the Jedi. Thank the lord for that.
We get to hear his journey through every film he made in this book along with his artistic insights, his struggles and triumphs. He is constantly touted by the co-authors as a genuine, likable, relatable, down-to-earth genius who respects and loves everyone. He was also an absentee father and husband, so devoted to his projects that his personal life was a shambles, with lengthy respites when he wasn't shooting when he actually lived a balanced life.
Having watched all of his features and all seasons of Twin Peaks, I consider myself a fan. I am most fascinated by his artistic methodologies and the obsession with coding imagery and abstraction he employs, the organic vision he translates to moving pictures, which coalesces into emotional and moving scenes with unpredictable dialogue and striking visual composition. You get the super dark, visceral absurdist Eraserhead. A trip from beginning to end. Then the moody Elephantman - which is just a good film. Enough standard fare to fulfill most peoples' storytelling expectations. Then the impeccable and disturbing Blue Velvet (the best entry point into his work)—the beginning of the dichotomies. Lynch films often contain some of the best and worst acting, purposefully awkward scenes, and a glacially slow pace. Think of each frame as a painting, one containing many layers, and you will begin to appreciate the dedication he puts into the directing art.
After that, the wild and questionable Wild at Heart, famous for the Nick Cage freak-out trend. The film was actually a lot more bloody, brutal, and vicious before they produced the final cut. It's really pushing the envelope as is, and somehow won the Palm D'Or at Cannes. A highly unconventional road movie, to say the least. Then the twisted and riveting Lost Highway, a noir experiment that holds up really well to rewatchings.
Then began the near religious experience of Twin Peaks season 1, the hot mess WTF of season 2, and the convoluted visual labyrinth of subtext of season 3. The third season was filmed 25 years after the second and couldn't be more different in tone and atmosphere. Yet the whole series coheres and contains an impressive array of character development and an incredible synthesis of visually compelling ideas. You will never forget Twin Peaks, and it remains one of the most influential shows of all time. To fully appreciate the easter eggs and hidden meanings, watch the videos uploaded by Twin Perfect on Youtube: Over 6 hours of footage interpreting the mysteries in Lynch's magnum opus.
In between you get the Disney G-rated perfectly moving Straight Story, easy to recommend to anyone who appreciates a quiet, simple film. Finally the masterpiece of Mulholland Dr. — the pinnacle of his artistry and a powerful, timeless classic.
And lastly there is the uncalled-for trashterpiece of Inland Empire. I have yet to read the hundreds of pages of fan interpretation on this mystically weird 3-hour shaky-cam film, but it combines Lynchian archetypes into a melange of horripilating interwoven stories reminiscent of Mulholland, but without the pleasing cinematography. It is profoundly upsetting and possibly evil, but you can be the judge. I may revise my summation after thorough research but I believe it contains utterly revolting and unnecessary scenes alongside some breathtaking feats of acting and obvious subconscious associations I've yet to comprehend.
Apart from that the assorted shorts I have never really cared about and his multiple books of visual art. Studying Lynch's life, methods, and production is a worthy endeavor in my estimation. Not only is the pursuit entertaining and rich, it is addictive and easy to discuss with others. I have yet to try his two other short television series, which no one talks about: Motel Room and On the Air. But I look forward to reading the Twin Peaks books, watching the deleted scenes, and rewatching Fire Walk with Me, which I didn't like the first time.
To be fair, this book must be rented or bought in audiobook form to gain the full value. David Lynch's voice is perfectly attuned to his wacky brand of madness and hearing him talk is enough to hook anybody. You must also be well-versed in his films to get the most out of this memoir. If you are a devotee or a mildly enthused fan I highly recommend this book and consider it the most fascinating autobiography I have ever read.
August 27, 2021
What makes for a good biography? I have been pondering that question since reading the utterly beguiling ‘Room to Dream’. Interestingly, Kristine McKenna’s name on the author page is accompanied by that of David Lynch himself, which makes one wonder if this doesn’t stray into autobiographical territory rather. It does. But in a very ‘Lynchian’ sense, as McKenna allows Lynch to comment on each chapter she has written, in a free-form, often contradictory and totally dreamy kind of way that adds anecdotes and layers of hidden depths to her carefully reconstructed facts.
That sensibility is evident right from the evocative cover, featuring a picture of a very young Lynch sitting quite formally on a step and looking off to the side at something that has grabbed his attention. In fact, Lynch the auteur has spent his entire career looking to the side, wondering what lies behind the billowing curtains of both his mind and our collective subconscious.
All the hand lettering in this book is by Lynch himself, who is an incredibly gifted artist in a range of media, including lithographs and even furniture making. If you watch his wonderful weather reports on his YouTube channel, you will see he is reporting from the workshop on his LA compound (part of which was used as a location for ‘Lost Highway’ [1997]). McKenna also reports that said workshop lacks a toilet, but instead of going through to the main house, Lynch has a small sink that he pees in when he is working, presumably so as not to distract the Muse.
Whether or not you find the latter fact gross or charming will, I think, largely determine your reaction to Lynch the filmmaker. My first exposure to Lynch was ‘Dune’ (1984), which made a huge impression on me as a 15-year-old. As far as I can recall, ‘Blue Velvet’ (1986) was released in South Africa with a 2-21 age restriction, which meant I only got to watch it on VHS cassette tape. I have been following Lynch’s work sporadically ever since, and ended up watching all 18 hours of ‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ twice.
Lynch has been notoriously reticent to comment on his experience making and filming ‘Dune’, but there is an entire chapter on that much-maligned movie in this book. While not an entirely successful adaptation, mainly due to how much material it tries to compress into a couple of hours, I still think it holds up as one of the most iconoclastic SF movies ever made, definitely on par with ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Alien’, ‘Blade Runner’ and, of course, ‘Star Wars’. There wasn’t, and simply hasn’t, been anything as deliberately opaque, baroque and grotesquely weird ever since.
Lynch famously met George Lucas to discuss directing ‘Return of the Jedi’, which he turned down. Lord, we probably would have ended up with Ewok orgies if Lynch had gone anywhere near the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. Despite the disaster that was ‘Dune’, producer Dino De Laurentiis was good to his word and allowed Lynch to make ‘Blue Velvet’, selected by the American Film Institute in 2008 as one of the greatest mystery films ever made.
McKenna makes a crucial observation about Lynch’s reputation in the wake of the ‘Wild at Heart’ controversy when that thoroughly demented road-rage-trip movie won the Palme d’Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival: “Suddenly you could describe something as ‘Lynchian’ and people knew what you meant. This level of success has its pros and cons, of course. When you permeate popular culture completely it responds by absorbing you, then assuming it knows you, then assuming it has rights where you’re concerned.”
Despite loathing the spotlight and always operating on the outskirts of what we perceive to be the ‘Hollywood film industry’, Lynch has consistently remained ahead of his time. Fans expecting a quirkily weird ‘Twin Peaks’ movie experience were traumatised when ‘Fire Walk With Me’ (1992) turned out to be a shot of 100% Lynch straight to the limbic system.
‘INLAND EMPIRE’ (2006) was filmed entirely on a Sony DSR-PD150 camera: “The transition to digital was happening, people weren’t interested in cinema, and the art houses were dying like the plague. Eventually there will be no theatres and the majority of people will see films on their computers or on their phones.”
“I want the crudest camera and I wanna do something that any seventeen-year-old sitting in Phoenix with their grandparents can do with a camcorder. Why can’t I just grab a camera and see what that looks like? What is digital? How can we take it further? How are we blending these new and old technologies?”
As star Laura Dern said about Lynch’s intent with the movie: “If you’re in it for the result then you can’t experiment, but if you’re there to redefine art you can do anything.” Oh, and the release of ‘INLAND EMPIRE’ coincided with the launch of the David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee. See, far ahead of the curve.
Lynch has always been interested in doppelgängers, or most famously the tulpas of ‘Twin Peaks’, which in psychological terms implies an acknowledgement of binary oppositions like good and evil and black and white. Maybe Lynch himself is some saint incarnate, because many actors and artists who have worked with him have commented on his innate energy, positivity and spirituality. He cites the launch of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace in 2005 as one of his most enduring achievements:
”If we humans – or even a few of us – work together on this, we can speed through this transition and the goals will be a living reality. Enlightenment for the people and real peace on earth. Real peace is not just the absence of war, but the absence of all negativity. Everyone wins.”
If it seems a complete contradiction that one of cinema’s greatest auteurs, responsible for some of the most bizarre imagery ever projected onto a film or television screen, is a lifelong practitioner of Transcendental Meditation [not to mention being ‘catnip to women’, after four marriages and who knows how many affairs], and just a real nice, down-to-earth, ‘peachy keen’ kind of guy … well. Welcome to the world of David Lynch, where there is always room to love, to create, and to dream.
That sensibility is evident right from the evocative cover, featuring a picture of a very young Lynch sitting quite formally on a step and looking off to the side at something that has grabbed his attention. In fact, Lynch the auteur has spent his entire career looking to the side, wondering what lies behind the billowing curtains of both his mind and our collective subconscious.
All the hand lettering in this book is by Lynch himself, who is an incredibly gifted artist in a range of media, including lithographs and even furniture making. If you watch his wonderful weather reports on his YouTube channel, you will see he is reporting from the workshop on his LA compound (part of which was used as a location for ‘Lost Highway’ [1997]). McKenna also reports that said workshop lacks a toilet, but instead of going through to the main house, Lynch has a small sink that he pees in when he is working, presumably so as not to distract the Muse.
Whether or not you find the latter fact gross or charming will, I think, largely determine your reaction to Lynch the filmmaker. My first exposure to Lynch was ‘Dune’ (1984), which made a huge impression on me as a 15-year-old. As far as I can recall, ‘Blue Velvet’ (1986) was released in South Africa with a 2-21 age restriction, which meant I only got to watch it on VHS cassette tape. I have been following Lynch’s work sporadically ever since, and ended up watching all 18 hours of ‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ twice.
Lynch has been notoriously reticent to comment on his experience making and filming ‘Dune’, but there is an entire chapter on that much-maligned movie in this book. While not an entirely successful adaptation, mainly due to how much material it tries to compress into a couple of hours, I still think it holds up as one of the most iconoclastic SF movies ever made, definitely on par with ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Alien’, ‘Blade Runner’ and, of course, ‘Star Wars’. There wasn’t, and simply hasn’t, been anything as deliberately opaque, baroque and grotesquely weird ever since.
Lynch famously met George Lucas to discuss directing ‘Return of the Jedi’, which he turned down. Lord, we probably would have ended up with Ewok orgies if Lynch had gone anywhere near the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. Despite the disaster that was ‘Dune’, producer Dino De Laurentiis was good to his word and allowed Lynch to make ‘Blue Velvet’, selected by the American Film Institute in 2008 as one of the greatest mystery films ever made.
McKenna makes a crucial observation about Lynch’s reputation in the wake of the ‘Wild at Heart’ controversy when that thoroughly demented road-rage-trip movie won the Palme d’Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival: “Suddenly you could describe something as ‘Lynchian’ and people knew what you meant. This level of success has its pros and cons, of course. When you permeate popular culture completely it responds by absorbing you, then assuming it knows you, then assuming it has rights where you’re concerned.”
Despite loathing the spotlight and always operating on the outskirts of what we perceive to be the ‘Hollywood film industry’, Lynch has consistently remained ahead of his time. Fans expecting a quirkily weird ‘Twin Peaks’ movie experience were traumatised when ‘Fire Walk With Me’ (1992) turned out to be a shot of 100% Lynch straight to the limbic system.
‘INLAND EMPIRE’ (2006) was filmed entirely on a Sony DSR-PD150 camera: “The transition to digital was happening, people weren’t interested in cinema, and the art houses were dying like the plague. Eventually there will be no theatres and the majority of people will see films on their computers or on their phones.”
“I want the crudest camera and I wanna do something that any seventeen-year-old sitting in Phoenix with their grandparents can do with a camcorder. Why can’t I just grab a camera and see what that looks like? What is digital? How can we take it further? How are we blending these new and old technologies?”
As star Laura Dern said about Lynch’s intent with the movie: “If you’re in it for the result then you can’t experiment, but if you’re there to redefine art you can do anything.” Oh, and the release of ‘INLAND EMPIRE’ coincided with the launch of the David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee. See, far ahead of the curve.
Lynch has always been interested in doppelgängers, or most famously the tulpas of ‘Twin Peaks’, which in psychological terms implies an acknowledgement of binary oppositions like good and evil and black and white. Maybe Lynch himself is some saint incarnate, because many actors and artists who have worked with him have commented on his innate energy, positivity and spirituality. He cites the launch of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace in 2005 as one of his most enduring achievements:
”If we humans – or even a few of us – work together on this, we can speed through this transition and the goals will be a living reality. Enlightenment for the people and real peace on earth. Real peace is not just the absence of war, but the absence of all negativity. Everyone wins.”
If it seems a complete contradiction that one of cinema’s greatest auteurs, responsible for some of the most bizarre imagery ever projected onto a film or television screen, is a lifelong practitioner of Transcendental Meditation [not to mention being ‘catnip to women’, after four marriages and who knows how many affairs], and just a real nice, down-to-earth, ‘peachy keen’ kind of guy … well. Welcome to the world of David Lynch, where there is always room to love, to create, and to dream.
July 5, 2018
“Nobody is neutral on the subject of Lynch.”
Truer words have never been written!
Do you ever watch INLAND EMPIRE two or three times in a row and feel like you don’t understand the world anymore? Yeah, me neither… Then, reading this book, you’ll come across Noriko Miyakawa’s words - “The parts of the film you don’t understand point to places in yourself that need examining” - and feel you need to do some more soul searching, because nowhere in here is this bad boy explained. Simply that “it’s deep in interesting ways, and it goes into different places and has different textures that hook together. You enter the film in one place and you come out in another,” which is what I always loved about David Lynch when asked to talk about his films: abstract AF…
I loved the behind the scenes of Twin Peaks: The Return and it saddens me there won’t be any more episodes! Oh, well…
“If I look at any page of this book, I think, Man, that’s just the tip of the iceberg; there’s so much more, so many more stories. You could do an entire book on a single day and still not capture everything. It’s impossible to really tell the story of somebody’s life, and the most we can hope to convey here is a very abstract “Rosebud.” Ultimately, each life is a mystery until we each solve the mystery, and that’s where we are all headed whether we know it or not.”
Truer words have never been written!
Do you ever watch INLAND EMPIRE two or three times in a row and feel like you don’t understand the world anymore? Yeah, me neither… Then, reading this book, you’ll come across Noriko Miyakawa’s words - “The parts of the film you don’t understand point to places in yourself that need examining” - and feel you need to do some more soul searching, because nowhere in here is this bad boy explained. Simply that “it’s deep in interesting ways, and it goes into different places and has different textures that hook together. You enter the film in one place and you come out in another,” which is what I always loved about David Lynch when asked to talk about his films: abstract AF…
I loved the behind the scenes of Twin Peaks: The Return and it saddens me there won’t be any more episodes! Oh, well…
“If I look at any page of this book, I think, Man, that’s just the tip of the iceberg; there’s so much more, so many more stories. You could do an entire book on a single day and still not capture everything. It’s impossible to really tell the story of somebody’s life, and the most we can hope to convey here is a very abstract “Rosebud.” Ultimately, each life is a mystery until we each solve the mystery, and that’s where we are all headed whether we know it or not.”
October 7, 2018
“I’m gonna tell you a story.” Those are the first words David Keith Lynch says in this audio edition of his biography/memoir hybrid. And over the course of 13 CDs, that’s what he does—story after story, charting the shape of his life from childhood to the present. I don’t often listen to audiobooks (I find it much harder to focus on spoken words than on printed words), but when I learned that the audio version of Lynch’s book is read (in part) by Lynch himself, I thought that would probably be the best way to experience it. And though I have mixed feelings about the book, I still believe that listening to Lynch read it is far better than just reading the words on the page.
Room to Dream is an odd book in its structure: Kristine McKenna writes biographical chapters about Lynch, and after each chapter, Lynch then writes his own response or reflection on that period of his life. Because of that format, Lynch himself isn’t a contributor to McKenna’s chapters (though she draws on interviews with just about everyone who has ever known or worked with Lynch), but what he says rarely contradicts or corrects McKenna’s sketches.
I loved the first half of this book. Hearing Lynch tell stories about growing up in the 1950s and 60s in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Virginia, is delightful. He has a fantastic memory, and he’s a great storyteller. He had a stable, loving family, a lot of good friends, and survived quite a few adventures. What became clear from listening to Lynch talk about his youth is that he has long had the ability to see both the shiny surface of life and the unsettling darkness underneath. The interesting thing is that his awareness of lingering darkness doesn’t at all take away from his pure pleasure in the shiny surface. He seems to be able to keep hold of all of that, and it drives him to joy rather than despair.
I didn’t know a lot about Lynch’s early film career, so it was interesting to learn how Eraserhead transpired, and how he was then launched (by Mel Brooks, of all people) into Hollywood with The Elephant Man and then Dune. McKenna and Lynch also give a lot of behind-the-scenes information about Blue Velvet, including how Lynch first met Angelo Badalamenti, which would become one of the great director–composer collaborations.
Making Blue Velvet is about the halfway point in this book, and I felt like after that, McKenna might as well have said, “And then Lynch made some more movies and stuff.” Because it’s somewhere around this part of the book that the narrative becomes very monotonous, going over minute details of movie-making but not giving us so much of the interesting stories. Lynch seems somewhat uninterested in talking very much about Twin Peaks (or maybe he feels he’s already told all those stories; which is probably true, and I already know a lot of those stories anyway).
At first, as the book was growing more dull, I thought, “Maybe he just doesn’t feel as much like talking about things that happened more recently. Maybe they’re too close to have become great stories yet.” But as the book continued, I saw another possibility. I think that as Lynch has isolated himself more and more from “real life” and has arranged an everyday existence that is totally under his control, free of any demands on him that he hasn’t himself voluntarily accepted, he has lost the kind of life that makes great stories. I think the full realization of “the art life” that he has long pursued has drained him of the stories that initially brought him here. It’s sad and ironic. I almost feel bad for him by the end of the book—this “perfectly artistic” man who at the end of his life is living in a small outbuilding with blackout curtains permanently covering the windows, sleeping by himself on a twin bed, urinating in the sink, and having all meals delivered to him so he doesn’t have to do anything but “focus on his art.”
The reason I don’t actually feel sad for him is that he has made some choices that I don’t respect at all. In his pursuit of the art life and, ironically, “finding the transcendent within” and world peace through transcendental meditation, he has left behind three wives and one partner, and his current wife is not very connected to him anymore (when she wanted to have children, he told her, “Why do you want children? Am I not enough for you? Well, if you want a child, then that’s up to you, but don’t expect me to be very involved with any of it.” She had a child and, true to his word, he disappeared into his work and pulled far away from the family.). His exes seem extraordinarily gracious toward him (and since all of them after the first one were the woman he left the previous one for, they certainly had some idea what they were getting into), but that doesn’t change the fact—unstated in the book, of course—that Lynch is a self-centered, immature person.
Given all of this, I find it really sad to listen to Lynch’s multiple earnest pleas to all his listeners to “just get with the program” and start meditating because that’s the only way we’re going to end suffering and have world peace. My idea of non-suffering and peace does not involve breaking so many relationships and leaving hurt people in my trail. All of us make mistakes, of course, so I’m not demanding perfection of Lynch. But I would like to have seen some hint of sorrow, remorse, apology. In the current cultural climate, some remark like “You know, what I did to that woman was terrible, and I wish I would have made different choices” would be very appropriate. But there is none of that evident in this book. What does Lynch have to say to us in films when he has so broken away from real human community?
As those poor choices add up, Lynch’s boyish charm begins to wear thin on me. I’m baffled by the way he can go from something terrible (“So I knew that I wanted to end our marriage”) to one of his trademark flippant responses (“But I was really in love with [the next woman], and it was so byootiful. It was just inncrredible.”). To me, the relentless pursuit of the “beautiful,” the pleasure in each situation as it happens, seemed rather thoughtless and shallow, perhaps even an escape from having to confront the difficulties of life.
I also find his initial justification for transcendental meditation completely bizarre. As a teen, Lynch left his Christian church upbringing because he was frustrated with the hypocrisy he saw in the church. Later on, he discovers meditation, and with boyish glee proclaims that transcendental meditation is the real deal, because “get this, what it teaches us it that we should treat other people the way we’d like to be treated ourselves!” ?? He seems entirely unaware that what he’s just said is the words of Jesus (from Matthew 7:12), which Christians regard as “the golden rule.” I find Lynch to be a really odd spokesperson for meditation.
When I was younger, I thought much more highly of Lynch and saw him as an intriguing, visionary auteur. This book has been a splash of cold water on that youthful idealism. It’s sad in a way, but probably for the best. I will always hold Twin Peaks close to my heart, and there are other Lynch projects I also enjoy a lot. But I can’t say that I’m a “David Lynch fan” in general. I’d like to have seen more thoughtfulness, intellectual growth, and a well-lived life. What I’ve seen instead is a very inwardly focused artist who has removed himself further and further from what makes not an “art life” but a “good life.” I pray that he will find the true healing and community that will bring him out of his “art life” and back into the world.
Room to Dream is an odd book in its structure: Kristine McKenna writes biographical chapters about Lynch, and after each chapter, Lynch then writes his own response or reflection on that period of his life. Because of that format, Lynch himself isn’t a contributor to McKenna’s chapters (though she draws on interviews with just about everyone who has ever known or worked with Lynch), but what he says rarely contradicts or corrects McKenna’s sketches.
I loved the first half of this book. Hearing Lynch tell stories about growing up in the 1950s and 60s in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Virginia, is delightful. He has a fantastic memory, and he’s a great storyteller. He had a stable, loving family, a lot of good friends, and survived quite a few adventures. What became clear from listening to Lynch talk about his youth is that he has long had the ability to see both the shiny surface of life and the unsettling darkness underneath. The interesting thing is that his awareness of lingering darkness doesn’t at all take away from his pure pleasure in the shiny surface. He seems to be able to keep hold of all of that, and it drives him to joy rather than despair.
I didn’t know a lot about Lynch’s early film career, so it was interesting to learn how Eraserhead transpired, and how he was then launched (by Mel Brooks, of all people) into Hollywood with The Elephant Man and then Dune. McKenna and Lynch also give a lot of behind-the-scenes information about Blue Velvet, including how Lynch first met Angelo Badalamenti, which would become one of the great director–composer collaborations.
Making Blue Velvet is about the halfway point in this book, and I felt like after that, McKenna might as well have said, “And then Lynch made some more movies and stuff.” Because it’s somewhere around this part of the book that the narrative becomes very monotonous, going over minute details of movie-making but not giving us so much of the interesting stories. Lynch seems somewhat uninterested in talking very much about Twin Peaks (or maybe he feels he’s already told all those stories; which is probably true, and I already know a lot of those stories anyway).
At first, as the book was growing more dull, I thought, “Maybe he just doesn’t feel as much like talking about things that happened more recently. Maybe they’re too close to have become great stories yet.” But as the book continued, I saw another possibility. I think that as Lynch has isolated himself more and more from “real life” and has arranged an everyday existence that is totally under his control, free of any demands on him that he hasn’t himself voluntarily accepted, he has lost the kind of life that makes great stories. I think the full realization of “the art life” that he has long pursued has drained him of the stories that initially brought him here. It’s sad and ironic. I almost feel bad for him by the end of the book—this “perfectly artistic” man who at the end of his life is living in a small outbuilding with blackout curtains permanently covering the windows, sleeping by himself on a twin bed, urinating in the sink, and having all meals delivered to him so he doesn’t have to do anything but “focus on his art.”
The reason I don’t actually feel sad for him is that he has made some choices that I don’t respect at all. In his pursuit of the art life and, ironically, “finding the transcendent within” and world peace through transcendental meditation, he has left behind three wives and one partner, and his current wife is not very connected to him anymore (when she wanted to have children, he told her, “Why do you want children? Am I not enough for you? Well, if you want a child, then that’s up to you, but don’t expect me to be very involved with any of it.” She had a child and, true to his word, he disappeared into his work and pulled far away from the family.). His exes seem extraordinarily gracious toward him (and since all of them after the first one were the woman he left the previous one for, they certainly had some idea what they were getting into), but that doesn’t change the fact—unstated in the book, of course—that Lynch is a self-centered, immature person.
Given all of this, I find it really sad to listen to Lynch’s multiple earnest pleas to all his listeners to “just get with the program” and start meditating because that’s the only way we’re going to end suffering and have world peace. My idea of non-suffering and peace does not involve breaking so many relationships and leaving hurt people in my trail. All of us make mistakes, of course, so I’m not demanding perfection of Lynch. But I would like to have seen some hint of sorrow, remorse, apology. In the current cultural climate, some remark like “You know, what I did to that woman was terrible, and I wish I would have made different choices” would be very appropriate. But there is none of that evident in this book. What does Lynch have to say to us in films when he has so broken away from real human community?
As those poor choices add up, Lynch’s boyish charm begins to wear thin on me. I’m baffled by the way he can go from something terrible (“So I knew that I wanted to end our marriage”) to one of his trademark flippant responses (“But I was really in love with [the next woman], and it was so byootiful. It was just inncrredible.”). To me, the relentless pursuit of the “beautiful,” the pleasure in each situation as it happens, seemed rather thoughtless and shallow, perhaps even an escape from having to confront the difficulties of life.
I also find his initial justification for transcendental meditation completely bizarre. As a teen, Lynch left his Christian church upbringing because he was frustrated with the hypocrisy he saw in the church. Later on, he discovers meditation, and with boyish glee proclaims that transcendental meditation is the real deal, because “get this, what it teaches us it that we should treat other people the way we’d like to be treated ourselves!” ?? He seems entirely unaware that what he’s just said is the words of Jesus (from Matthew 7:12), which Christians regard as “the golden rule.” I find Lynch to be a really odd spokesperson for meditation.
When I was younger, I thought much more highly of Lynch and saw him as an intriguing, visionary auteur. This book has been a splash of cold water on that youthful idealism. It’s sad in a way, but probably for the best. I will always hold Twin Peaks close to my heart, and there are other Lynch projects I also enjoy a lot. But I can’t say that I’m a “David Lynch fan” in general. I’d like to have seen more thoughtfulness, intellectual growth, and a well-lived life. What I’ve seen instead is a very inwardly focused artist who has removed himself further and further from what makes not an “art life” but a “good life.” I pray that he will find the true healing and community that will bring him out of his “art life” and back into the world.
July 7, 2018
In depth analysis of David Lynch and his creative processes. Each section is composed of two parts, one a biography, the other, a memoir illuminating the former. I've always been curious as to why someone who hit it out of the park with Eraserhead and Elephant Man was such a poor choice for Dune, but with subsequent work illustrating his influences more strategically, he redeemed himself. His small town upbringing is twisted on its ear (literally) with Blue Velvet, and his memory of going hunting with his father through nighttime Idaho, where all was black illuminated by headlights, shows up repeatedly most notably in the opening sequences of Lost Highway and Mulhulland Drive. He continues to find new ways of expressing himself, even in a cartoon titled "Angriest Dog in the World," and in producing his own coffee to go with superior pie. A true original.
June 30, 2018
I adore David Lynch; he is without doubt my favourite film maker and probably my biggest idol so it’s not surprising that I loved this book. David comes across as charming, unusual and creative and this is conveyed in the book really well and you get some wonderful insight in to his unique mind.
I liked the style of the book as well, Kristine McKenna produced a biography based on interviews with over 100 people and after each section David adds to this and expands the facts further with a personal touch.
Despite all the compliments I probably wouldn’t recommend this to someone unfamiliar with Lynch as this book feels like it was produced for fans not for those new to him and his work. If you are a fan I'd say that this is a must read and I'd give it my highest recommendation.
I liked the style of the book as well, Kristine McKenna produced a biography based on interviews with over 100 people and after each section David adds to this and expands the facts further with a personal touch.
Despite all the compliments I probably wouldn’t recommend this to someone unfamiliar with Lynch as this book feels like it was produced for fans not for those new to him and his work. If you are a fan I'd say that this is a must read and I'd give it my highest recommendation.
August 16, 2018
Wonderful book about a national treasure. Since Eraserhead I've been a fan of Lynch but not a fanatic, so there's tons of stuff I didn't know about. The format is great. While reading it I've been re-watching everything in order. Except for the parts of season two of Twin Peaks in which he wasn't involved or couldn't redeem, all of Lynch's film and tv work seems better with age and not only do repeat viewings always offer new insights and feels, watching it all chronologically showcases the incredible synergy of his oevre. I've also watched as many of the shorts as I could find, as they're new to me. "The Cowboy and The Frenchman" -- wow!!! Reading and watching and reading and watching again, it's been a joyful experience.
I especially loved the parts about his process as a director and what the actors had to say about him. And about his art studies, mentored by a man named Bushnell. (!!!!) I had no idea how much he creates, not just paintings and drawings and sound but also furniture and sculpture and all kinds of things. The statue that so intrigues Dougie, Lynch made it. Helloooooooooooo! He's so gifted and so wonderfully weird. The book is filled with nuggets of his eccentricity, And his personal life, full of tics and odd habits and always women, he's so irresistible.
Read it! In a million years I never would have guessed that Naomi Watts and Laura Harring were actually wearing the rabbit suits. They did it for David! People who work with Lynch love him and will give him whatever he wants creatively, and it's so clear why that is when you read the book. This close-up reveals that David Lynch himself is, to use one of his expressions, "beyond the beyond."
I especially loved the parts about his process as a director and what the actors had to say about him. And about his art studies, mentored by a man named Bushnell. (!!!!) I had no idea how much he creates, not just paintings and drawings and sound but also furniture and sculpture and all kinds of things. The statue that so intrigues Dougie, Lynch made it. Helloooooooooooo! He's so gifted and so wonderfully weird. The book is filled with nuggets of his eccentricity, And his personal life, full of tics and odd habits and always women, he's so irresistible.
Read it! In a million years I never would have guessed that Naomi Watts and Laura Harring were actually wearing the rabbit suits. They did it for David! People who work with Lynch love him and will give him whatever he wants creatively, and it's so clear why that is when you read the book. This close-up reveals that David Lynch himself is, to use one of his expressions, "beyond the beyond."
July 24, 2018
Repetitive and somewhat boring, though there are great anecdotes sprinkled throughout. I think the problem is Lynch has never really changed since he was a kid, which is a good thing because Lynch as he is is great, but it makes for a rather boring and repetitive memoir/biography - everybody from childhood friends to Hollywoodians saying the same things about him - and since Lynch is not very self-reflective or self-analytical, his portions also tread the same ground, with variations, over and over.
June 28, 2020
Написати про цю книгу можна багато, але її настрій я все одно не зможу передати. Тому просто наведу цитату Девіда Лінча, і ви все самі зрозумієте.
«Варто мені глянути на будь-яку сторінку цієї книжки, і я думаю: Господи, це ж тільки верхівка айсберґа, насправді всього значно більше, є ще стільки нерозказаних історій. Можна написати цілу книжку про один-єдиний день, але однаково не охопити всього. Неможливо насправді розповісти про чиєсь життя, і тут ми щонайбільше можемо промовити дуже абстрактну фразу: «Трояндовий пуп'янок». Зрештою, кожне життя є таємницею, і саме до розкриття цієї таємниці ми всі прямуємо - байдуже, знаємо ми про це чи ні.»
«Кімнату снів» раджу не тільки фанатам Лінча (я його фанаткою не є; ну ок, на початку книги не була), а й митцям, які шукають свій шлях у мистецтві. Раджу книжку всім тим, хто намагається краще зрозуміти творчих людей. Тим, хто цікавиться кінематографом і тим, хто любить читати про досвід відомих особистостей.
Неймовірно красиве видання від «Видавництва Жупанського» ще більше заохочує до читання. Ці чорно-білі фото, білесенький папір та великий чорний шрифт 😍. Все так у стилі Лінча!
«Варто мені глянути на будь-яку сторінку цієї книжки, і я думаю: Господи, це ж тільки верхівка айсберґа, насправді всього значно більше, є ще стільки нерозказаних історій. Можна написати цілу книжку про один-єдиний день, але однаково не охопити всього. Неможливо насправді розповісти про чиєсь життя, і тут ми щонайбільше можемо промовити дуже абстрактну фразу: «Трояндовий пуп'янок». Зрештою, кожне життя є таємницею, і саме до розкриття цієї таємниці ми всі прямуємо - байдуже, знаємо ми про це чи ні.»
«Кімнату снів» раджу не тільки фанатам Лінча (я його фанаткою не є; ну ок, на початку книги не була), а й митцям, які шукають свій шлях у мистецтві. Раджу книжку всім тим, хто намагається краще зрозуміти творчих людей. Тим, хто цікавиться кінематографом і тим, хто любить читати про досвід відомих особистостей.
Неймовірно красиве видання від «Видавництва Жупанського» ще більше заохочує до читання. Ці чорно-білі фото, білесенький папір та великий чорний шрифт 😍. Все так у стилі Лінча!
April 23, 2021
Lovely!
Loved reading Lynch's parts the most—read like he's talking directly to you, and I heard it in his voice <3
Twin Peaks: The Return is the best piece of art made in my lifetime. And is a sign of what happens if you are a genius and devote yourself to art for decades. Pretty sure Jodorowsky's Dune would've turned out the same :) Like, you have to make an incredible TV series, then let its world percolate for years and years afterwards... Laura Palmer says "I'll see you in 25 years" 25 years ago... What the fuck is Lynch tapped into, honestly!? It's something else. How did he turn Mulholland Drive, which was supposed to be a TV series, into a self-contained feature film that shows no signs of having ever been anything else!?
Seems like he was at times a bit of a dick to women and I don't want to say "such is the art life", I think we're beyond that—but genius or not, he is just a complex, fleshy little human. The forces of love and addiction and grief and... IDK, gravity, they're bigger than anyone. If you're lucky enough to have a constitution that can resist these forces throughout your life, you're just that: lucky.
Loved reading Lynch's parts the most—read like he's talking directly to you, and I heard it in his voice <3
Twin Peaks: The Return is the best piece of art made in my lifetime. And is a sign of what happens if you are a genius and devote yourself to art for decades. Pretty sure Jodorowsky's Dune would've turned out the same :) Like, you have to make an incredible TV series, then let its world percolate for years and years afterwards... Laura Palmer says "I'll see you in 25 years" 25 years ago... What the fuck is Lynch tapped into, honestly!? It's something else. How did he turn Mulholland Drive, which was supposed to be a TV series, into a self-contained feature film that shows no signs of having ever been anything else!?
Seems like he was at times a bit of a dick to women and I don't want to say "such is the art life", I think we're beyond that—but genius or not, he is just a complex, fleshy little human. The forces of love and addiction and grief and... IDK, gravity, they're bigger than anyone. If you're lucky enough to have a constitution that can resist these forces throughout your life, you're just that: lucky.
July 24, 2018
After reading this, I still don’t know how he made the baby from Eraserhead.
Seriously though, any of the real questions I had were left unanswered. The criticisms about gender within Lynch’s movies were never addressed, though the treatment of his wives was quite telling in a parallel way.
This wasn’t an inspiring memoir/biography for me, and the memories that were shared were less than interesting.
Seriously though, any of the real questions I had were left unanswered. The criticisms about gender within Lynch’s movies were never addressed, though the treatment of his wives was quite telling in a parallel way.
This wasn’t an inspiring memoir/biography for me, and the memories that were shared were less than interesting.
July 6, 2020
"Майже неможливо дістатися вершини без допомоги інших Аюдей, і зараз я розумію, наскільки мені пощастило."
довге читання шестиста сторінок. довге і смачне.
кімната снів - це передовсім розповідь про митця і митця.
крістін маккена викладає хронологія подій та коментарі людей, що брали участь.
а поітм сам Девід розповідає нам як це все було з його погляду. що він відчував, як думав.
ти не уявляєш як Лінч бачить усю картину цілком і доводить це до пуття для інших.
в тексті часто зустрічається щось типу: мені здавалося що це буде повне лайно, але коли я побачив на екрані, не міг повірити що це так.
про Лінча говорять інші як дуже позитивну, добру та уважну людину.
Він займається медитацією та робить свій Фонд. Девід Лінч - любить бути вдома і творити, але разом з тим він доволі товариський. Радо приймає до себе незнайомців.
довге читання шестиста сторінок. довге і смачне.
кімната снів - це передовсім розповідь про митця і митця.
крістін маккена викладає хронологія подій та коментарі людей, що брали участь.
а поітм сам Девід розповідає нам як це все було з його погляду. що він відчував, як думав.
ти не уявляєш як Лінч бачить усю картину цілком і доводить це до пуття для інших.
в тексті часто зустрічається щось типу: мені здавалося що це буде повне лайно, але коли я побачив на екрані, не міг повірити що це так.
про Лінча говорять інші як дуже позитивну, добру та уважну людину.
Він займається медитацією та робить свій Фонд. Девід Лінч - любить бути вдома і творити, але разом з тим він доволі товариський. Радо приймає до себе незнайомців.
June 9, 2020
Pure delight <3
June 13, 2021
Iako sam oduvek bila skeptična po pitanju biografija, Soba za snove je knjiga koju sam jedva dočekala da pročitam. I malo je reći da sam oduševljena. Pod ogromnim sam utiskom i veoma inspirisana ovim čovekom.
Linč je po svemu sudeći imao predivno detinjstvo. Njegovi nestašluci stvarno su zapanjujući, ili je moje detinjstvo bilo malo dosadnije. Ili su dečaci prosto takvi. U svakom slučaju, bio je presmešan i pravi mali divljak! Dopao mi se način na koji njegovi prijatelji, bivše žene, rođaci, ma zapravo svi pričaju o njemu i deluje mi kao da je bilo veoma teško naljutiti se takvom blesonji. Ili ne udovoljiti mu kad se zanese, makar od njih tražio da uđu u rupu u zemlji zbog jedne scene, ili da menjaju ceo scenario zato što želi da u kadru mili buba po podu. U svakom slučaju, ono što se od njega može naučiti o odnosu sa ljudima stvarno je nešto što nema cenu. Još jedna zanimljiva činjenica je da Dejvid nikada nije prestajao da stvara - što je meni zaprepašćujuće i kako on kaže:
Ja osećam ogromnu zahvalnost što je ova knjiga došla do mene u takvom trenutku mog života kad može da utiče na mene. Osećala sam kao da Linč sedi ispred mene i priča o svemu, a ja samo upijam kao sunđer. Hvala, V. Tvoji pokloni su najbolji. 🤍
Mr. David, the one and only, you forever #hotstuff.
Linč je po svemu sudeći imao predivno detinjstvo. Njegovi nestašluci stvarno su zapanjujući, ili je moje detinjstvo bilo malo dosadnije. Ili su dečaci prosto takvi. U svakom slučaju, bio je presmešan i pravi mali divljak! Dopao mi se način na koji njegovi prijatelji, bivše žene, rođaci, ma zapravo svi pričaju o njemu i deluje mi kao da je bilo veoma teško naljutiti se takvom blesonji. Ili ne udovoljiti mu kad se zanese, makar od njih tražio da uđu u rupu u zemlji zbog jedne scene, ili da menjaju ceo scenario zato što želi da u kadru mili buba po podu. U svakom slučaju, ono što se od njega može naučiti o odnosu sa ljudima stvarno je nešto što nema cenu. Još jedna zanimljiva činjenica je da Dejvid nikada nije prestajao da stvara - što je meni zaprepašćujuće i kako on kaže:
"Dopadalo mi se, a i nije mi se dopadalo. ... Bio sam otpušten sa svakog posla koji sam ikada imao."A da biste bili otpušteni morate prvo tražiti i naći sve te poslove, što njemu nikada nije bilo teško.
"Dejvid veoma detaljiše po produkciji i garderobi i sećam ga se kako oprema set dok se pripremamo da snimimo neku scenu. Otišao je u ćošak sobe i postavio nešto tamo - zrna kafe, mislim - koje kamera i publika nikada neće videti, ali Dejvid ima svoj proces i njemu je bilo potrebno da to bude tamo." ... "Njegova nevinost se manifestovala kao kompletan entuzijazam - on je mogao da gleda u par patika i da se sasvim oduševi.."Baš me briga što je glupo da to spominjem, ali čovek je najbolji znak u horoskopu i to naprosto objašnjava sve, haha. Smatram da će ljudi koji ga vole itekako uživati u knjizi i dobiti mnogo više od obične biografije. A ništa manje se neće zabaviti ni oni koji prvi put čuju za njega.
Ja osećam ogromnu zahvalnost što je ova knjiga došla do mene u takvom trenutku mog života kad može da utiče na mene. Osećala sam kao da Linč sedi ispred mene i priča o svemu, a ja samo upijam kao sunđer. Hvala, V. Tvoji pokloni su najbolji. 🤍
Mr. David, the one and only, you forever #hotstuff.
September 12, 2021
Note: this review is for the audiobook, read by Kristine McKenna and David Lynch. It seems to differ somewhat, perhaps dramatically, from the print version.
Kristine McKenna is just the right person to act as David Lynch's interlocutor and authorized biographer. She is a brilliant interviewer of artists, and if you are not familiar with her marvelous collection of interviews entitled The Book of Changes, I highly recommend you check it out. It's a veritable who's who of the deepest and greatest artists of our day, such as Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Werner Herzog, Nick Cave, James Brown, and, of course, David Lynch. As I once commented on her volume of interviews Talk to Her, the fact that she interviewed both Jacques Derrida and Johnny Rotten tells you a great deal about her.
She is also an art critic with decades of experience on the LA scene, and understands the deep roots of his craft in a way that prevents her from making the cardinal sin in misinterpreting Lynch's work as though it can be decoded or resolved into a set of literal meanings. Rather, it has to be judged by the effects that it has on the viewer.
With respect to effect, this is precisely where Lynch has an uncanny mastery, where he is capable of controlling mood and producing emotional effects that are as powerful as they are inexplicable. Take the scene behind the diner in Mulholland Drive after a bit character describes to his friend a nightmare he'd had the night before. As someone in this book points out, the scene is in the middle of LA during broad daylight, but it is immensely terrifying. But WHY is it so terrifying - what accounts for this effect? To paraphrase Wild at Heart, the way Lynch's head works is God's own private mystery.
I don't know if this is true for the print version, but the audiobook at least is divided into two chapters per period of Lynch's life. In the first, McKenna gives a fairly conventional biographical and critical account of the various stages of Lynch's life, often organized by film. In the second, Lynch provides an off-the-cuff, anecdotal account of the same period.
In theory the idea was to frame the book in terms of a core duality of subjective and objective treatment in a way that would reproduce one of the core concerns of Lynch's art, which often explores and deconstructs that same duality. In practice it often does not really function in that way, but as is so often the case with Lynch, there is in fact a curious question of effect that lingers, where you are confronted by many pressing questions about the book's subject by virtue of this inside/outside account.
To me the most salient example of this is with respect to spiritual insight. If you are a Lynch fan, you probably know that he is an enthusiastic advocate for the Transcendental Meditation(tm) technique of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and has zealously promoted this approach for many years. Indeed, he interrupts his reflection in this book several times to offer a pitch for the practice, which is, in his account, the only way we're going to turn this ship around and stop making a mess of the world.
It astonishes me that someone with his depth of character after decades of engagement with this tradition could still sound like the most zealous new recruit, fully abuzz with naive enthusiasm for this tradition, still convinced that this one technique with its dubious historical credentials is the right thing for all people in all places. He uses the term "Vedic" without giving much sense that he understands what the word means, and sounds in all seriousness like he's in spiritual kindergarten.
But then, at the end of this book, several actors weigh in on their experience working on "Twin Peaks; The Return," and Robert Cherry gives a rousing testimonial to the spiritual depth of the show, which deals with the mysteries of eternity that somehow exist, recognizable and immediate, within each human soul. And I think this is true, I think his films have a deeper psychological and spiritual insight that just about any I could name.
So I do not know how to account for the gulf that lies between the profoundly spiritual effect of his films and his utter lack of critical or historical engagement with his own central tradition, and I think it raises interesting questions about the relationship between the work of art and the artist. I increasingly believe that to study the artist's life is to study the wax and the wick, but to study their art is to study the flame and the light.
In any case, I found this an entertaining and enlightening book that deepened my knowledge and appreciation of Lynch and his work. At times I was disappointed by the reverential tone in which McKenna held her subject, and in which so many of the people around him seem to speak of him, and I think you have to read between the lines a bit to fully appreciate some of the other contradictions of its subject.
Kristine McKenna is just the right person to act as David Lynch's interlocutor and authorized biographer. She is a brilliant interviewer of artists, and if you are not familiar with her marvelous collection of interviews entitled The Book of Changes, I highly recommend you check it out. It's a veritable who's who of the deepest and greatest artists of our day, such as Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Werner Herzog, Nick Cave, James Brown, and, of course, David Lynch. As I once commented on her volume of interviews Talk to Her, the fact that she interviewed both Jacques Derrida and Johnny Rotten tells you a great deal about her.
She is also an art critic with decades of experience on the LA scene, and understands the deep roots of his craft in a way that prevents her from making the cardinal sin in misinterpreting Lynch's work as though it can be decoded or resolved into a set of literal meanings. Rather, it has to be judged by the effects that it has on the viewer.
With respect to effect, this is precisely where Lynch has an uncanny mastery, where he is capable of controlling mood and producing emotional effects that are as powerful as they are inexplicable. Take the scene behind the diner in Mulholland Drive after a bit character describes to his friend a nightmare he'd had the night before. As someone in this book points out, the scene is in the middle of LA during broad daylight, but it is immensely terrifying. But WHY is it so terrifying - what accounts for this effect? To paraphrase Wild at Heart, the way Lynch's head works is God's own private mystery.
I don't know if this is true for the print version, but the audiobook at least is divided into two chapters per period of Lynch's life. In the first, McKenna gives a fairly conventional biographical and critical account of the various stages of Lynch's life, often organized by film. In the second, Lynch provides an off-the-cuff, anecdotal account of the same period.
In theory the idea was to frame the book in terms of a core duality of subjective and objective treatment in a way that would reproduce one of the core concerns of Lynch's art, which often explores and deconstructs that same duality. In practice it often does not really function in that way, but as is so often the case with Lynch, there is in fact a curious question of effect that lingers, where you are confronted by many pressing questions about the book's subject by virtue of this inside/outside account.
To me the most salient example of this is with respect to spiritual insight. If you are a Lynch fan, you probably know that he is an enthusiastic advocate for the Transcendental Meditation(tm) technique of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and has zealously promoted this approach for many years. Indeed, he interrupts his reflection in this book several times to offer a pitch for the practice, which is, in his account, the only way we're going to turn this ship around and stop making a mess of the world.
It astonishes me that someone with his depth of character after decades of engagement with this tradition could still sound like the most zealous new recruit, fully abuzz with naive enthusiasm for this tradition, still convinced that this one technique with its dubious historical credentials is the right thing for all people in all places. He uses the term "Vedic" without giving much sense that he understands what the word means, and sounds in all seriousness like he's in spiritual kindergarten.
But then, at the end of this book, several actors weigh in on their experience working on "Twin Peaks; The Return," and Robert Cherry gives a rousing testimonial to the spiritual depth of the show, which deals with the mysteries of eternity that somehow exist, recognizable and immediate, within each human soul. And I think this is true, I think his films have a deeper psychological and spiritual insight that just about any I could name.
So I do not know how to account for the gulf that lies between the profoundly spiritual effect of his films and his utter lack of critical or historical engagement with his own central tradition, and I think it raises interesting questions about the relationship between the work of art and the artist. I increasingly believe that to study the artist's life is to study the wax and the wick, but to study their art is to study the flame and the light.
In any case, I found this an entertaining and enlightening book that deepened my knowledge and appreciation of Lynch and his work. At times I was disappointed by the reverential tone in which McKenna held her subject, and in which so many of the people around him seem to speak of him, and I think you have to read between the lines a bit to fully appreciate some of the other contradictions of its subject.
July 9, 2018
It's a hagiography, but surely you need no convincing. Despite the often gushing biography narrative, there are some doozy anecdotes. Marlon Brando drives round hungry but there's only a tomato and a banana in the fridge: not to worry, Marlon tucks in. (Bit of salt on the tomato, sorted.) There's something called a 'Chair Pull', the description of which is unmissable. He kisses Elizabeth Taylor but doesn't want to marry her. He collects dental implements.
Plenty of great stuff on the films, with most of the players speaking at length, and some fantastic photos.
Plenty of great stuff on the films, with most of the players speaking at length, and some fantastic photos.
October 17, 2021
An enjoyable if somewhat anodyne trawl through the life and career of the wonderful David Lynch. I listened to the audiobook which is enlivened by David Lynch adding off the cuff memories and anecdotes to the more formal chapters of the print version of the book.
4/5
An unprecedented look into the personal and creative life of the visionary auteur David Lynch, through his own words and those of his closest colleagues, friends, and family - adapted by David Lynch from the print book especially for this audio program.
In this unique hybrid of biography and memoir, David Lynch opens up for the first time about a life lived in pursuit of his singular vision, and the many heartaches and struggles he’s faced to bring his unorthodox projects to fruition. Lynch’s lyrical, intimate, and unfiltered personal reflections riff off biographical sections written by close collaborator Kristine McKenna and based on more than 100 new interviews with surprisingly candid ex-wives, family members, actors, agents, musicians, and colleagues in various fields who all have their own takes on what happened.
4/5
An unprecedented look into the personal and creative life of the visionary auteur David Lynch, through his own words and those of his closest colleagues, friends, and family - adapted by David Lynch from the print book especially for this audio program.
In this unique hybrid of biography and memoir, David Lynch opens up for the first time about a life lived in pursuit of his singular vision, and the many heartaches and struggles he’s faced to bring his unorthodox projects to fruition. Lynch’s lyrical, intimate, and unfiltered personal reflections riff off biographical sections written by close collaborator Kristine McKenna and based on more than 100 new interviews with surprisingly candid ex-wives, family members, actors, agents, musicians, and colleagues in various fields who all have their own takes on what happened.
July 24, 2018
I’ve been a big fan of David lynch since forever, seen his movies and twin peaks multiple times! There’s just so many layers in his work, and the mood you get when watching is something else!
So when this book came out, I just needed it! David is truly one of a kind,and getting the honor to learn a bit more about him and his journey was truly amazing!! ❤️
So when this book came out, I just needed it! David is truly one of a kind,and getting the honor to learn a bit more about him and his journey was truly amazing!! ❤️
Read
August 10, 2018‘A fascinating look into an endlessly imaginative and alarming man.’
Otago Daily Times
‘[A] memorable portrait of one of cinema’s great auteurs…It provides a remarkable insight into Lynch’s intense commitment to the “art life”.’
Guardian
‘Traditional and comprehensive on one side while whimsical and irreverent on the other, Room to Dream manages to have it both ways...[A]n enthusiastic, contagious tribute to creativity itself.’
Brag
‘Room to Dream is described as “part-memoir, part-biography” and this duality proves to be extraordinarily productive…This enlightening and exhaustive book should be an essential way of discovering more about [Lynch] and his world.’
Australian
‘...the blending of biography and memoir into a kind of biographical duet turns the whole project on its head, makes it different, stranger, more alive…Exactly what Lynch always does in his art.’
LA Times
‘[A] cubist portrait of the artist, body and mind on separate tracks…Room to Dream offers countless new stories, even for Lynch fanatics.’
Washington Post
‘What makes this book endearing is its chatty, calm...anti-Hollywood attitude…and matter-of-fact defiance of reality.’
San Francisco Chronicle
‘The book doesn’t give us one focused view of Lynch, but a double vision, as though two similar but not quite exact portraits of the man have been projected onto one another…There is value, joy, and beauty in staying with Lynch and his cohorts for these 500-plus pages.’
Los Angeles Times
‘Intimate and honest…McKenna’s interviewees unfailingly describe Lynch's charisma and warmth, and his methodical but instinctive dedication to craft.’
NPR
‘A strikingly multidimensional portrait of the artist…[An] incandescently detailed and complexly enlightening chronicle of a fervent, uncompromising life devoted to “pure creativity”.’
Booklist
‘Insightful, well-researched…The book abounds in great stories and terrific movie trivia that will sate Lynch fans for years to come.’
Kirkus Reviews
‘If you expected a David Lynch biography to be just like any other biography, you've never seen a David Lynch movie…Fascinating.’
New York Times
‘David Lynch’s memoir illuminates the origins of his art...the humour and eccentricity of Mr Lynch’s own reminiscences and observations are the book’s main pleasure.’
The Economist
‘Lynch is the master of the perverse, the unsettling and the plain bonkers.’
Sunday Times
‘Reassuringly unconventional…Engrossing...Lynch writes like he speaks. He's disarmingly direct, cheerfully profane and prone to bursts of giddy enthusiasm.’
Big Issue
‘Captivating...Gives the reader a panoramic insight into Lynch's impressive oeuvre, with sufficient time left to explore Lynch's childhood and coming of age.’
Irish Independent on Sunday
‘An intimate, humanising self-portrait...This wonderful new book is the most comprehensive overview of the filmmaker’s life and career to date.’
Little White Lies
‘A unique reading experience; more experimental novel than straight up biography. Which is most welcome and entirely appropriate...An endlessly fascinating work that invites multiple readings.’ Future of the Force
‘A sunny, holistic portrait of a corn-fed American dreamer who simply likes to show his nightmares to the world. Lynch emerges from these pages as principled, flighty…He’s constantly chasing the next big idea.’
Guardian
‘Lynch has stories to spare and it may be that this is the closest most of us get to spending time in his company...The book is both salve and distraction. All but essential for Lynch fans.’
Bookmunch
‘A tantalising hybrid of biography and autobiography…Film buffs will delight in this compelling and illuminating memoir...Lynch casts aside his reticence to discuss his life and films in this wildly enjoyable, massive and bracingly candid memoir.’
Shelf Awareness
‘Offers countless new stories, even for Lynch fanatics…All is told with Lynch’s considerable charm.’
Australian Financial Review
‘Journalist Kristine McKenna maps a rich biography derived from extensive interviews…[and] Lynch jumps in second. This two-pronged approach creates an accurate timeline and intimate self-portrait, but it’s what happens in the space between that’s special: a man engaging not with his own mythology, but rather his own personhood.’
VICE
‘Fascinating insights into the director’s process.’
New York Times
Otago Daily Times
‘[A] memorable portrait of one of cinema’s great auteurs…It provides a remarkable insight into Lynch’s intense commitment to the “art life”.’
Guardian
‘Traditional and comprehensive on one side while whimsical and irreverent on the other, Room to Dream manages to have it both ways...[A]n enthusiastic, contagious tribute to creativity itself.’
Brag
‘Room to Dream is described as “part-memoir, part-biography” and this duality proves to be extraordinarily productive…This enlightening and exhaustive book should be an essential way of discovering more about [Lynch] and his world.’
Australian
‘...the blending of biography and memoir into a kind of biographical duet turns the whole project on its head, makes it different, stranger, more alive…Exactly what Lynch always does in his art.’
LA Times
‘[A] cubist portrait of the artist, body and mind on separate tracks…Room to Dream offers countless new stories, even for Lynch fanatics.’
Washington Post
‘What makes this book endearing is its chatty, calm...anti-Hollywood attitude…and matter-of-fact defiance of reality.’
San Francisco Chronicle
‘The book doesn’t give us one focused view of Lynch, but a double vision, as though two similar but not quite exact portraits of the man have been projected onto one another…There is value, joy, and beauty in staying with Lynch and his cohorts for these 500-plus pages.’
Los Angeles Times
‘Intimate and honest…McKenna’s interviewees unfailingly describe Lynch's charisma and warmth, and his methodical but instinctive dedication to craft.’
NPR
‘A strikingly multidimensional portrait of the artist…[An] incandescently detailed and complexly enlightening chronicle of a fervent, uncompromising life devoted to “pure creativity”.’
Booklist
‘Insightful, well-researched…The book abounds in great stories and terrific movie trivia that will sate Lynch fans for years to come.’
Kirkus Reviews
‘If you expected a David Lynch biography to be just like any other biography, you've never seen a David Lynch movie…Fascinating.’
New York Times
‘David Lynch’s memoir illuminates the origins of his art...the humour and eccentricity of Mr Lynch’s own reminiscences and observations are the book’s main pleasure.’
The Economist
‘Lynch is the master of the perverse, the unsettling and the plain bonkers.’
Sunday Times
‘Reassuringly unconventional…Engrossing...Lynch writes like he speaks. He's disarmingly direct, cheerfully profane and prone to bursts of giddy enthusiasm.’
Big Issue
‘Captivating...Gives the reader a panoramic insight into Lynch's impressive oeuvre, with sufficient time left to explore Lynch's childhood and coming of age.’
Irish Independent on Sunday
‘An intimate, humanising self-portrait...This wonderful new book is the most comprehensive overview of the filmmaker’s life and career to date.’
Little White Lies
‘A unique reading experience; more experimental novel than straight up biography. Which is most welcome and entirely appropriate...An endlessly fascinating work that invites multiple readings.’ Future of the Force
‘A sunny, holistic portrait of a corn-fed American dreamer who simply likes to show his nightmares to the world. Lynch emerges from these pages as principled, flighty…He’s constantly chasing the next big idea.’
Guardian
‘Lynch has stories to spare and it may be that this is the closest most of us get to spending time in his company...The book is both salve and distraction. All but essential for Lynch fans.’
Bookmunch
‘A tantalising hybrid of biography and autobiography…Film buffs will delight in this compelling and illuminating memoir...Lynch casts aside his reticence to discuss his life and films in this wildly enjoyable, massive and bracingly candid memoir.’
Shelf Awareness
‘Offers countless new stories, even for Lynch fanatics…All is told with Lynch’s considerable charm.’
Australian Financial Review
‘Journalist Kristine McKenna maps a rich biography derived from extensive interviews…[and] Lynch jumps in second. This two-pronged approach creates an accurate timeline and intimate self-portrait, but it’s what happens in the space between that’s special: a man engaging not with his own mythology, but rather his own personhood.’
VICE
‘Fascinating insights into the director’s process.’
New York Times
February 23, 2024
I'm a huge David Lynch fan and this book was a real treat! The format of this book is unusual but it works well. It's a biography mixed with a memoir. Kristine McKenna's chapters employ the customary tools of biography, which include interviews with over one hundred people. David Lynch responds to McKenna's chapters with his own takes on what happened. What we get is David Lynch having a conversation with his own biography.
The book covers the life of David Lynch starting at his birth and his early years in Boise, Idaho and ending around 2017 with his Twin Peaks: The Return show. We delve deep into what happened behind the scenes of different productions and relive the highs and lows of David Lynch's career. I learned so much about what it took for Lynch to be recognized as one of the most interesting auteurs working in film industry. The book doesn't just cover Lynch's filmmaking career. We also learn about his endeavors in art and music. I found it all very interesting and the pacing of this biography/memoir was superb.
I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in David Lynch and his art. If you have an iota of interest in his career, you should find this book informative and interesting. 5 stars.
The book covers the life of David Lynch starting at his birth and his early years in Boise, Idaho and ending around 2017 with his Twin Peaks: The Return show. We delve deep into what happened behind the scenes of different productions and relive the highs and lows of David Lynch's career. I learned so much about what it took for Lynch to be recognized as one of the most interesting auteurs working in film industry. The book doesn't just cover Lynch's filmmaking career. We also learn about his endeavors in art and music. I found it all very interesting and the pacing of this biography/memoir was superb.
I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in David Lynch and his art. If you have an iota of interest in his career, you should find this book informative and interesting. 5 stars.
March 22, 2022
went through this very leisurely so that i could let the wonderful world of david lynch cast a general hue over me. it's an inspiring presentation of The Art Life; i feel moved by an angel -- lynch approaches both his black lodge sensuousness and his white lodge lust for life with the same dewy eyed boyscout perspective so that i was just charmed ad nauseam throughout. there is a significant amount of hardship and personal failure here, yet not once did i feel as if it wasn't all stretching into a grand artistic scheme underneath the obliterating sunlight of lynch and his mission. truly beautiful. realigned my own worldview, kicked me into thinking seriously about my own art, imbued the world around me with that same amanda seyfriend grin from twin peaks the return. couldn't ask for more.
January 12, 2019
As an avid devotee of Lynch's works I'm glad this was published, but unsurprisingly there is little that is revelatory or of any interest to the merely curious and as usual absolutely no interpretations are proffered. Most of it is given to chronicling how the various projects came together or failed to; in that respect learning of the failures and what-could-have-been was intriguing--I'm looking at you, Ronnie Rocket!
Some anecdotes stood out to me: in particular, the man who knowingly sacrificed their friendship and threatened to sue Lynch over Mulholland Dr. deserves a place in heaven. Lynch was sulking because one deal didn't come out right and this guy put his feet to the fire. Of course Lynch hated him for it, but lo and behold he immediately comes up with solutions and proceeds to enthusiastically finish the project. It's clear that throughout the years Lynch has been humble enough to admit when he was wrong, but that he can't do it in this case is crazy: he needed a jolt to shake off the lethargy and get out of the doldrums of self-pity and his friend thought so highly of the work itself that he was willing take a cruelly necessary measure. Mulholland Dr. is the closest thing to filmic perfection and I'll fight anybody anywhere who disagrees.
The affable nimbus around Lynch is already well-established; nevertheless, the book ensures that you hear from everybody just how great he is. It's heartwarming and all, I'm glad he's like that and for the people he's helped, but it gets pretty repetitive. But then again you can't just assert "everybody loves David" without proving it, so it goes pretty far in that direction. Occasionally McKenna's tone becomes a bit too hagiographic, but so be it, I tend to do the same when talking about his actual works. You could read only the chapters by Lynch himself and that'd be fine, but I appreciate her research and presentation overall.
Last thing: Transcendental Meditation. Oh man. Lynch says that "the worst part of France is this certain smugness, and it says so much, those smiles. I got a lot of that in the early days talking about meditation. Journalists loved to talk to me about film, but once I brought up meditation, here come those smiles." Point taken... but practitioners are guaranteed to brandish their own smile of imperturbable, magnanimous serenity (after all, they've Transcended!) and wield their indifference like a divine cudgel in the face of any critique of the vacuous doggerel of their creed. Now is neither the time nor place to go into it; I don't doubt that TM has had salubrious effects for plenty of people, but that doesn't change its ultimate falsity. To be clear: TM is bogus. I'm willing to fight about that, too. Lynch closes one chapter with the myopic mantra of the woefully out of touch:
"It hit me that the trip we're on as human beings is so beautiful and it has the happiest of happy endings. Everything is okay. There's nothing to worry about. Everything is just beautiful."
Yep, that's exactly what it says. To his infinite credit, his spirituality is one thing and his art completely another. Were the latter the mere vehicle for the former he never would have made a goddamn thing worth a goddamn. That spirituality is the evidently the fetish he needs to approach the production of art with clarity, so fine, whatever works. His enfolding of the rigorous control of the smallest details with an open-ended process and product speak for themselves. The resulting aesthetic is one that integrates the contingent as necessary while also leveling the horrific, the banal, and the sublime. That, precisely, is why his work is powerful and exemplary, regardless of what he believes. Eastern mysticism has been called unconscious dialectics, Substance without Subject. That Lynch seeks to efface himself in and through his works attests to his greatness: he's doing all the right things despite all the wrong reasons. To repeat: "The man is nothing; the work, everything." Lynch knows this and proves it with every work, Substance and Subjectivity fomenting in disquiet, irreducible and inseparable.
Some anecdotes stood out to me: in particular, the man who knowingly sacrificed their friendship and threatened to sue Lynch over Mulholland Dr. deserves a place in heaven. Lynch was sulking because one deal didn't come out right and this guy put his feet to the fire. Of course Lynch hated him for it, but lo and behold he immediately comes up with solutions and proceeds to enthusiastically finish the project. It's clear that throughout the years Lynch has been humble enough to admit when he was wrong, but that he can't do it in this case is crazy: he needed a jolt to shake off the lethargy and get out of the doldrums of self-pity and his friend thought so highly of the work itself that he was willing take a cruelly necessary measure. Mulholland Dr. is the closest thing to filmic perfection and I'll fight anybody anywhere who disagrees.
The affable nimbus around Lynch is already well-established; nevertheless, the book ensures that you hear from everybody just how great he is. It's heartwarming and all, I'm glad he's like that and for the people he's helped, but it gets pretty repetitive. But then again you can't just assert "everybody loves David" without proving it, so it goes pretty far in that direction. Occasionally McKenna's tone becomes a bit too hagiographic, but so be it, I tend to do the same when talking about his actual works. You could read only the chapters by Lynch himself and that'd be fine, but I appreciate her research and presentation overall.
Last thing: Transcendental Meditation. Oh man. Lynch says that "the worst part of France is this certain smugness, and it says so much, those smiles. I got a lot of that in the early days talking about meditation. Journalists loved to talk to me about film, but once I brought up meditation, here come those smiles." Point taken... but practitioners are guaranteed to brandish their own smile of imperturbable, magnanimous serenity (after all, they've Transcended!) and wield their indifference like a divine cudgel in the face of any critique of the vacuous doggerel of their creed. Now is neither the time nor place to go into it; I don't doubt that TM has had salubrious effects for plenty of people, but that doesn't change its ultimate falsity. To be clear: TM is bogus. I'm willing to fight about that, too. Lynch closes one chapter with the myopic mantra of the woefully out of touch:
"It hit me that the trip we're on as human beings is so beautiful and it has the happiest of happy endings. Everything is okay. There's nothing to worry about. Everything is just beautiful."
Yep, that's exactly what it says. To his infinite credit, his spirituality is one thing and his art completely another. Were the latter the mere vehicle for the former he never would have made a goddamn thing worth a goddamn. That spirituality is the evidently the fetish he needs to approach the production of art with clarity, so fine, whatever works. His enfolding of the rigorous control of the smallest details with an open-ended process and product speak for themselves. The resulting aesthetic is one that integrates the contingent as necessary while also leveling the horrific, the banal, and the sublime. That, precisely, is why his work is powerful and exemplary, regardless of what he believes. Eastern mysticism has been called unconscious dialectics, Substance without Subject. That Lynch seeks to efface himself in and through his works attests to his greatness: he's doing all the right things despite all the wrong reasons. To repeat: "The man is nothing; the work, everything." Lynch knows this and proves it with every work, Substance and Subjectivity fomenting in disquiet, irreducible and inseparable.
July 11, 2019
1. I'm a big fan of David Lynch's work, with Mulholland Dr. being one of my top 5 favorite films and Twin Peaks being one of my favorite television series.
2. He narrates more than half of the audiobook in his charming off the cuff manner.
3. This book probably contains the most essential information and stories, and luckily I hadn't read many articles or interviews about him or his productions to spoil the stories. And he does tell some amazing stories, but acknowledges he can't tell them all or even get close.
4. No, you will not get any explicit dirt on him here or a detailed How-to guide to his success. That said, there is enough here to inspire any artist and give them some insight in what works for him and would for others. There also isn't a detailed explication of theories and explanations of his films. You can get enough of that by simply googling it or watching the films and making your own interpretation.
5. I'm suddenly excited to rewatch a handful of his films to re-experience the magic.
2. He narrates more than half of the audiobook in his charming off the cuff manner.
3. This book probably contains the most essential information and stories, and luckily I hadn't read many articles or interviews about him or his productions to spoil the stories. And he does tell some amazing stories, but acknowledges he can't tell them all or even get close.
4. No, you will not get any explicit dirt on him here or a detailed How-to guide to his success. That said, there is enough here to inspire any artist and give them some insight in what works for him and would for others. There also isn't a detailed explication of theories and explanations of his films. You can get enough of that by simply googling it or watching the films and making your own interpretation.
5. I'm suddenly excited to rewatch a handful of his films to re-experience the magic.
June 18, 2018
Absolutely a must read for Lynch fans. Totally absorbing. That said, it’s kind of hard to imagine anyone without a lot of admiration for and knowledge of Lynch loving this. For everyone else, an incredible read.
Truly an original American voice which, for all kinds of reasons (discussed here in oblique and not so oblique terms) seems harder and harder to come by. Lots of insights but no definitive answers; this is a David Lynch (semi) autobiography after all.
Truly an original American voice which, for all kinds of reasons (discussed here in oblique and not so oblique terms) seems harder and harder to come by. Lots of insights but no definitive answers; this is a David Lynch (semi) autobiography after all.
December 21, 2018
‘Room to Dream’ is part biography, written by Kristine McKenna, and part David Lynch reflecting on that life . It’s a strange approach that somewhat delivers when focusing on the creative process (though much more space is given to talk about the problems with funding) , and yet falls short when focusing on the man. It is definitely worth reading for further insight into his movies, but don’t expect any explanations of those movies or startling revelations about his life.
July 8, 2018
WELCOME TO LYNCHLAND
Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about David Lynch, his life, art and films. This is a fascinating and enlightening book. It helps of course if you're familiar with his movies (and his music) but even if you're not you should get a lot out of this read. You may come out the other side of this book a different person (and I'm only half-joking about that). Worst case, only your doppelganger will come out. ;)
My love for and appreciation of his work have deepened, thanks to this reading experience. Kristine McKenna has a clear and engaging voice, and Lynch's chapters are --what else?-- Lynchian.
This is a wonderful book. I could say a lot more but this woodsman's at my door asking, "Gotta light?"
Everything you didn't know you wanted to know about David Lynch, his life, art and films. This is a fascinating and enlightening book. It helps of course if you're familiar with his movies (and his music) but even if you're not you should get a lot out of this read. You may come out the other side of this book a different person (and I'm only half-joking about that). Worst case, only your doppelganger will come out. ;)
My love for and appreciation of his work have deepened, thanks to this reading experience. Kristine McKenna has a clear and engaging voice, and Lynch's chapters are --what else?-- Lynchian.
This is a wonderful book. I could say a lot more but this woodsman's at my door asking, "Gotta light?"
February 27, 2019
I guess the story about Marlon Brando sneaking candy and sandwiches in his pockets to a preview screening of LOST HIGHWAY almost makes up for the numerous TM commercials.
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