I Am Brian Wilson
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | October 11, 2016 |
| Founder | Brian Wilson, Ben Greenman |
| Products | Autobiography |
I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir represents the second autobiographical work by American musician Brian Wilson, co-authored with journalist Ben Greenman following extensive interview sessions. This volume was designed to supplant Wilson's repudiated 1991 autobiography, Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story. Released by Da Capo Press on October 11, 2016, it appeared shortly after Mike Love published his own memoir, Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy.
Background
Initially announced in April 2013 alongside journalist Jason Fine and slated for publication in 2015 through Coronet Books, the memoir sought to explore the peaks and valleys of Wilson’s career. Nevertheless, The Guardian observed that it overlapped with the earlier 1991 autobiography, which remains contentious and predates Wilson’s revival as a solo artist in the 2000s.
By June 2015, Wilson had switched collaborators, remarking, "One guy crapped out on me, so I’m doing it with somebody else. It has to be done." Early in 2016, the project was described as having been "years in the making," with at least one co-writer replaced; Wilson estimated it to be about "three-quarters" finished with assistance from his friend Ray Lawlor. He regarded the writing process as healing: "There are a lot of memories that go along with my book. I have to take the good memories with the bad memories."
Eventually finalized with New York-based writer Ben Greenman, the memoir was crafted through numerous 40-minute telephone interviews conducted over an eight-month period. Wilson stressed the importance of accuracy, attributing his recollections to the 2015 film Love & Mercy, and insisted, "None of it's fiction, as wild as some of it seems. It's fact!"
Legitimacy
Journalist David Hepworth implied that the project was largely influenced by Wilson's wife and manager, Melinda. Earlier in 2014, former collaborator Van Dyke Parks voiced doubts about the memoir’s authenticity via Twitter, stating, "Doesn't sound 'auto' to me!" When responding to criticisms Wilson had made, Love commented: "He's not in charge of his life... His every move is orchestrated and a lot of things he's purported to say, there's not tape of it. But, I don't like to put undue pressure on him... because I know he has a lot of issues." As of November 2016, Love had not read Wilson’s memoir.
Critical response
Brad Auerbach of Forbes characterized the book as "a wonderful insight into a troubled genius ... his voice definitely comes through," highlighting how Wilson’s nonlinear storytelling mirrors his mental processes. The Wall Street Journal reviewer David Kirby pointed out Wilson's "poker-faced acceptance" and noted instances where brief anecdotes lacked further elaboration. The New York Times critic Alan Light commended its "odd, unpredictable rhythm" and offered praise for the revealing glimpses beneath Wilson’s public persona.
In comparison to Love’s memoir, Helen Brown of the Telegraph found that I Am Brian Wilson conveyed "more sadness ... and more moments of magic," emphasizing interviewer Greenman’s challenge in drawing out details from Wilson, who acknowledged memory lapses and admitted fabricating stories to "test" people.
Hepworth criticized both memoirs for their absence of self-reflection and noted Wilson’s tendency to recall every compliment he received from renowned musicians with vivid detail.