Chasing Down the Dawn: Stories from the Road

by Jewel and Jewel Kilcher

Book Overview

AIready a legendary performer in the music industry, Jewel has been writing poetry, short stories, and prose since she was young. She's also a bestselling author, poet, and actress. Now this uniquely talented artist opens the pages of her most intimate journals to give readers, fans, and friends a glimpse of her magical, turbulent life. Drawn from life on the road during her Spirit World Tour, Jewel captures unforgettable moments from her childhood...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061051403
• ISBN13: 9780061051401
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: It Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.4" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 14 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 9 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

An Intimate and Enchanting Mosaic

My best friend Jacque, used to say, "Sleep beneath the stars and you will wake with more answers than you have questions to." ~Jewel From the first page, you enter Jewel's magical world of snow and ice in Alaska. Jewel is on a private jet, writing about her life. Jewel's "Chasing Down the Dawn" is an intimate, timeless and enchanting mosaic. Jewel creates a world where the main elements of life and the magical experiences are woven into her daily existence. Her experiences are processed through her self-analysis and then woven into words. While not organized in a chronological order, memories dance playfully with stark reality, unique vignettes give insight into the inexorable connection between Jewel's music and the way she views life. She becomes the guitar, her music is her gift, she is grounded in purpose, yet living in the stars with dreams she eventually manifests into reality. The story of her life is temporarily tragic and eternally beautiful. We read about the tragic loss of her mother as a child (the divorce), how she struggled to live in a world of men (no privacy), her childhood in Alaska and the sharp contrast between frontier life and traveling on a private jet. It is as if Jewel has lived two lives, one in the distant past and one in the dreamy future. Her vivid recollections are especially beautiful to read and there is a sacred side to her writing. She is not just experiencing her dream, she is creating each moment through conscious decisions. Jewel is a multitalented artist. She excels as a musician, poet and skilled writer and then her artistic nature also comes out in her photography. I loved the three pictures of the grain barn with the horse and rider shadows. She also shows us her honest comedic side in stories of how she "borrowed" a few items from a friend. She then concludes that stealing was a "manifestation of my lack of faith in myself." Chasing Down the Dawn gives insight into Jewel's songs and what inspired her to write "Who Will Save Your Soul?" Her songs then reveal their history in her childhood memories, ideas about love, love of horses and nature, memories of people she has loved and lost and her world travels and life experience. Throughout this book Jewel and her father are on a journey to accept each other as souls and when her father sings her a sweet sixteen lullaby the circle is complete. To me, Jewel is a magical angelic singer who was sent to our earth to remind us of the magnificent creations we are, to remind us to love and to contemplate our deeper existence. The existence of our souls, how we can change the world for the better through our lives and how we can survive this earthly and temporary solitude within a physical body subject to emotional pain and ethical conflicts. Reading Jewel's short stories, vivid recollections and songs make the world seem a little less lonely. Her writing draws us into her magical world of experience and leaves us wanting to read more. If you love Jew

Honest and Intriguing

Jewel's book is intriguing, original, well written and above all very sincere. She is definitely a good writer, especially when it comes to storytelling, but when she tries too hard she can be a little too wordy. The best parts of this book are the frank accounts of the odd things she's experienced in her life (both before and after fame). The weak links come in the form of analytical passages that don't centre around storytelling. I think this is true in her songwriting. Fortunately, those passages are relatively few and far between, and for the most part she illustrates her ideas about life beautifully through storytelling. Overall, it's an interesting read and a must-see for any Jewel fan.

Spirit - the heart of Jewel

Just like a telephone conversation would do, I felt this book communicated directly and honestly to me as the reader. Jewel's writings read like a letter from a friend, as she shares her joys and worries with honesty and passion. Colorful stories from her youth in Alaska and California effectively dim the stage lights and we see her in a simpler, clearer light. Jewel candidly talks about how her family, fame, and experiences have helped make her who she is and what it feels like to sing from her soul.

A Visionary For Our Time

Once again Jewel amazes me with her wonderful tales and poetic expressions. This new book of hers, Chasing Down The Dawn, is full of memorable stories and anecdotes from her life. The pictures of her self and her family are a kind of home photo album that bring you closer to the artist's heart. On reading this book I had the feeling that I was sitting in Jewel's living room with her and she was telling me stories about her childhood and her success as an artist. As always Jewel manages to lay bare her soul in a most entertaining way - I believe this is a book well worth any readers attention, even if they're not a total Jewel fan. There's much insight into human nature in its pages. And I feel better off for having read it.

AMAZING

Let me tell you this first. I am a huge Jewel fan. But to put it lightly i really did not care for her last book. When I went to the bookstore to purchase this book I was questioning my motives for buying it. I started to look through it before I bought it and decided it looked OK and there were some cool pictures and drawings so I decided to buy it. Well much to my surprise it is amazing. I love it. Jewel captures so much emotion in her words. She describes the memories of here childhood in Alaska with such beauty that I now want to go on vacation there. She also writes about here experiences with crazed fans and the feeling she gets before, during, and after concerts. There are even some very funny moments in the book. It is somewhat of an autobiography but more a glimpse into the mind of a very talented and deep thinking artist. A++++ I recomend this book if you are a fan of Jewel's or not. Go buy it even if you did not like the last one as I did not. You will not be let down!