It's actually a good book, but of course that is a matter of opinion. Make no mistake about it (pun intended), Dave Bidini has great love and respect for Lightfoot. He wasn't able to make contact with him, so - with his publisher's blessing - he wrote the book without talking to the "lead character", and wove that into the fabric of the book. If you are looking for a full biography of Lightfoot, this isn't it. Yes, there is "fiction", but Bidini always lets you know when he is weaving tales. For biogaphical information, he uses material published previously, and some of it is about Lightfoot's personal life - always a tricky subject. And he interviewed people who know Lightfoot, or crossed paths with him in the music business (like Dan Hill, quoted in the excerpt above). But, for fans like us, who have read the other accounts and understand the sources quoted (like ex-wives and ex-girlfriends), it's easy to put those accounts in perspective. Frankly, I laughed out loud at many of the stories, and marveled at the artistry Bidini exhibited in weaving 3 stories into one good book. I read it in 3 days, and for me that's pretty amazing, as I normally have no time for reading. I couldn't put it down.
I fear that Lightfoot won't like it, but frankly it doesn't say much about his personal life that wasn't said previously, and the love and admiration of Bidini, himself a gifted musician, shine through every page.
Regarding the classification as "autobiography", that isn't what it means. The classification is for books that are either biographies or autobiographies.
PS: My full review is posted at my web site here:
Writing Gordon Lightfoot Review.