Townes Van Zandt (died 1997) was one of the world's greatest songwriters. He is hugely underrated - and many critics will agree that he ranks up there with Bob Dylan. There is little written about Townes. There are a few interviews (not many), a few articles (again, not many) and there is John Kruth's patchy, disorganized biography. This is the one to buy. Mr Hardy has spent considerable time over the last 10 years or so interviewing many of those closely connected with Townes. His research, also, has been very comprehensive. The book is laid out in an orderly chronological manner, with a lot of information that even avid Townes Van Zandt fan would not have known (me included). Mr Hardy has an excellent free-flowing writing style and he tells the story very well. The book (270 pages) also has good background notes on sources of comment/interviews and a comprehensive album discography. Highly recommended.