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Description
Within a ten-month period, Neil Peart lost both his 19-year-old daughter, Selena, and his wife, Jackie. Faced with overwhelming sadness and isolated from the world in his home on the lake, Peart was left without direction. This memoir tells of the sense of personal devastation that led him on a 55,000-mile journey by motorcycle across much of North America, down through Mexico to Belize, and back again. Peart chronicles his personal odyssey and includes stories of reuniting with friends and family, grieving, and reminiscing. He recorded with dazzling artistry the enormous range of his travel adventures, from the mountains to the seas, from the deserts to the Arctic ice, and the memorable people who contributed to his healing. Ghost Rider is a brilliantly written and ultimately triumphant narrative memoir from a gifted writer and the drummer and lyricist of the legendary rock band Rush. Read more
Publisher : ECW Press
Publication date : June 1, 2002
Edition : No
Language : English
Print length : 462 pages
ISBN-10 : 1550225480
ISBN-13 : 88
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 1 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #15,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #17 in Rock Band Biographies #33 in Traveler & Explorer Biographies #272 in Memoirs (Books)
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Hardcover
My impression of this book was one that encompassed an autobiography of sorts, blended with a subliminal healing quality about it. To me, Neil intends to do several things by writing this book. One, to seal up times from the past (if there is such a thing) a "letting go" if you will. Two, to give those particuarly interested in this subject, i.e. having similar loss, or to try to understand this subject having never gone through with it, an indepth journalistic step by step healing process in which may help others cope with similar tragedy. Three, a view through a small window of himself. And last but not least, motivation for those who think they have nothing left, to move forward in thier lives!!! For those who believe that Neil may have it easy because he is a "Rock Star", lets keep one thing in mind that may bring about a new perspective. Being in the band Rush has always been about working "harder for less" than others in the field they chose to be involved in. They have never had it easy, and have shown that they will push thier very limits of endurance on everything they do, even having a family life suffer as a result. Maybe then one can come to grips what it must be like making that sacrifice, then in one year's time, losing the two most important people in your life. If one feels that having money or fame makes that loss easier, I feel they are naive and selfish, in that they must put importance on other things not as important as family. I agree with Neil when he states that although he may have money, resources and time to deal with such a tragedy, that it doesn't feel any better than one without such things. This makes sense to me and was one of the most important points that I took from this read. I would like to add that if one keeps in mind that Neil wrote this book (in my opinion) for the reasons of the afformentioned, it turns out to be very well written, and informative even for whom are not fans of his artistry. For those who are fans, it gives a greatly anticipated look into Neil as a person, and as an inspiration. Although I was deeply saddened ( I cried in the first 10 pages or so of reading this) I was equally anxious to read anything that Neil would put down on paper. To me he is one of the best role models one could have in the current "limelight" and im sure I will one day pick this book up again, and read it with the same excitement I had the first time. I want to add here that although I was excited to read this book, that the seriousness of the subject and the tragedy that Neil incurred is first and foremost the most important issue here. I found this book to be a roller coaster of sorts of emotion, of all emotion, he is charming and intelligent, not to mention downright funny!!! I can certainly relate to his humor and morals and find that most people will be charmed by such. I believe that the topic of death or loss is a very sensitive one, and that Neil has attempted (and succeeded) in bringing to words the very real impact that it has on ones life, and has done it better than any other author I have read on this subject to date. For those looking for insight into the band Rush, you shouldn't view this as an opportunity as such, although there are several references to the band and his lyrics, they are there to serve the books theme, and tie in well with it. I am also impressed that this is Neils second book to date, and for being such a "rookie", I am highly impressed at his skill. And last but not least I want to remind a reader that although I seem elated to have purchased and read this book, that it remains a very saddening subject not akin to most people, but one that everyone should do thier best to understand, thank you Neil for your courage and hardwork, and least of all your inspiration.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2003 by C. Garrard
Format: Paperback
Peart, N. (2002). Ghost Rider: Travels on the healing road. ECW Press. Neil Peart was a drummer, percussionist, and lyricist of the rock band Rush. He was also a traveler and writer. August 20, 1998, standing in his Quebec home, Peart begins with breakfast accompanied by a heavy rain. Following breakfast, Peart took off for Haines Alaska riding his BMW R1100-RS motorcycle. Ghost Rider refers to a post card depicting a cloud trailing off the peak of a mountain representing which upon viewing he acknowledged his feelings of alienation, disintegration, and disengagement. One year prior, his daughter had died in a car accident, then his wife died from cancer. He reflected, "I had tried the Hermit mode, now it was time to try the Gypsy mode." Filled with reflective prose, travelogue, and letters to friends - this book describes his 4 months, 28,750 miles of travels across Canada, the western United States, Baja, Mexico, and Belize. Resultant from his grief, Peart observed his lack of "enthusiasm, of getting fired up about doing a particular thing. . . . it used to be so easy and automatic to summon that dedication." While traveling alone, Peart said "I often found myself tracing, and even searching out, the ghostly footsteps of deceased writers" such as Hemingway, Jack London, Mark Twain, Ezra Pound, Edward Abbey, Sinclair Lewis, Wallace Stegner, Willa Cather, Mary Austin, Ernie Pyle, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, B. Travern, and Malcolm Lowry. He liberally quotes from books he read along the way and Rush lyrics. Somehow, the journey created a healing space, "it wasn't the looking that mattered, it was the moving." There were times reading this when Peart's grief was palpable. He made a good point about the healing power of movement in the midst of raw pain, adding a sense that you're really not standing still in the face of loss. A beautiful memoir, and a terrific travelogue. Books referenced by Peart Aldo Leopold's Sand Country Almanac Alex Shoumatoff African Madness B. Traven Treasure in the Sierra Madre Barry Lopez Desert Notes/River Notes Birds of Mexico Black Sun Bruce Chatwin In Patagonia Charles Frazier Cold Mountain Clement Salvadori - Motorcycle Adventures in Baja Comac McCarthy The Orchard Keeper David Guterson Snow Falling on Cedars David James Duncan The Brothers K David James Duncan The River Why David Malouf Remembering Babylon Desert Anarchist Desert | The Anarchist Library Douglas How Night of the Caribou Edward Abbey Best of Edward Abbey Edward Abbey The Brave Cowboy Edward Abbey Desert Solitaire Edward Abbey The Monkey Wrench Gang Ernest Hemingway Islands in the Stream Ernest Hemingway The Sun Also Rises George Eliot The Mill on the Floss Graham Greene The Lawless Roads Herman Melville Moby Dick Hunter S. Thompson Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Hunter S. Thompson Hell Angels Ian Frazier Great Plains Jack London Son of the Wolf Jack London Martin Eden Jack London The Call of the Wild Jack London The Sea Wolf Jack London The Very Richness of That Past Jack London White Fang Jerome K. Jerome Three Men in a Boat John Steinbeck The Grapes of Wrath Jonny Bealby For a Pagan Song Jonny Bealby Running with the Moon Joseph Conrad Keith Moon biography Lesley Choyce The Republic of Nothing Leslie Choyce World Enough Marc Reisner Cadillac Desert Mark Twain Roughing It Maya Angelous I know Why the Caged Bird Sings Melissa Holbrook Pierson The Perfect Vehicle Nadine Gordimer The Conservationist Nelson Algre Nigel Pennick The Pagan Book of Days Patrick O'Flaherty Peter Wild A Desert Reader Plants and Trees of Baja California Saul Bellow Henderson the Rain King Saul Bellow Herzog Saul Bellow The Adventures of Augie March Stephen Gould Wonderful Life TC Boyle Tim Cahill Road Fever Tim O'Brien Tomcat in Love Truman Capote In Cold Blood Wallace Stegner Beyond the Hundredth Meridian Wallace Stegner The Spectator Bird Wallace Stegner Wolf Willow
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2025 Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2025 by Alicia Crumpton
Format: Paperback
As a faithful fan of the Canadian rock-trio Rush since 1976, I had read about the heart breaking double tragedy in drummer Neil Peart's personal life: first the death of his daughter in a car accident, followed by that of his wife to cancer eight months later. Driving home from a recent Rush concert, I felt it was time to delve into Peart's writings, beginning appropriately with _Ghost Rider: Travels of the Healing Road_. Constantly surrounded at home by memories of his beloved wife and daughter, while consumed in his misery, loss and anguish, Peart, an empty shell of a man with no will to continue living realized he would die from the ravages of depression, if he did not keep moving "Book One" recounts Peart's motorcycle journey of healing through some of North America's most remote, rugged and majestically beautiful National Parks. Like many of his literary heroes, Peart set off with a writer's eye and journal in hand. When not riding, Peart hiked forest trails, rowed on mountain lakes, anything to keep moving. Peart finds wonder in nature, its beauty, and is a knowledgeable bird watcher. Along the way, he investigates local used book stores, museums and the stomping grounds of some his favorite American authors. Peart often digresses and recounts the history of a little known piece of Americana and the people who laid claim to a piece of it. Although a self-professed "saddle tramp," Peart eats at the top of the food chain, and his efforts to satisfy his Champaign tastes (described in minute detail) on beer menus is sometimes comical. It soon becomes apparent that, despite his grieving heart, Peart is a loner, by nature, comfortable in his solitude. Yet, Peart the loner battles loneliness, especially at meal times or in crowded familial settings. Happy to sit alone in a darkened corner, he eats and vents to his journal about overweight tourists with "mullet" hair cuts, name tag wearing conventioneers, or "Califoricators." When he goes as far as to label people "low lifes," however, Mr. Peart apparently has forgotten that this social strata could easily buy Rush CDs and concert tickets too. Always polite (after all Peart is Canadian), he does not warm up to people easily, nor does he choose friends readily. When he does form friendships, they tend to be lifelong: his band mates, his wife's relations, and his best friend and riding pal Brutus. After hearing that Brutus was incarcerated for illegal dealings in medicinal-herbal trade, Peart discovers a renewed purpose in the form of describing it through letters to Brutus in jail. "Book Two" finds Peart in a winter hiatus at home, after a brief but unsuccessful relationship with a woman in California. Here, motorcycle treks are replaced by snowshoes and cross-country skies as Peart re-explores his snow covered winter soulscape, and intimates the process of his healing through more letters to colleagues and friends. Although at times repetitive, Peart's letters are often more personal and revealing; less formal, and more soul bearing than his narrative. Skimming over these letters, one risks missing some of Peart's most insightful self-analysis. Yet, several of the letters to Brutus containing nothing more than adolescent banter and coded insider jokes certainly should have been chopped. It is said that wisdom is attained through pain. Neil Peart, through grief, and in spite of himself, has gained a wisdom some of us may never hope to grasp. The ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu wrote: "Know yourself, then know others, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Peart not only possesses the self-honesty to know himself, his human foibles, and character defects, but also came to identify the ghosts and demons that taunt a grieving soul on a daily basis. The more tangible aspects of the book contain a few flaws, though. Travel narratives offer unique challenges to a writer. Anyone who has attempted to put pen to paper soon realizes that everything surrounding them is called something. Peart's numerous descriptions of flora and fauna, and efforts to research afford the reader the joy of watching a writer in the process of developing his craft. Redundancy is another challenge. Keeping thousands of miles of roads, highways, rivers, valleys, mountains, forests, and Best Western Hotels fresh on every page is a daunting task indeed. The combination of Peart's narrative, journal entries, and too many letters to Brutus, needless to say, created overlap that unfortunately escaped an editor's keen eye. It seems Peart is enamored with the Shift-I keys. Peart's more than generous sprinkling of italicized words, is quite distracting. After a few hundred pages, Peart's final chapters and epilog take a steep nose dive. One can almost hear Peart's publisher saying, "I need that manuscript tomorrow!" Though bound handsomely the book contains some needless flair. Each new chapter shows an artsy black and white photograph of Peart's riderless BMW motorcycle, pointed down a different stretch of scenic, yet lonely North American highway. Peart hints at having taken hundreds of photos on his journey, yet not one (other than the chapter photos mentioned above) appears in the book. A photo section offering views into Peart's family life before, and during his healing journey would have been a joy. Likewise, Journal passages headed with a facsimile of Peart's handwriting, only offers more needless attempts at flair. For map lovers, the absence of a simple rudimentary map outlining Peart's route will surely disappoint. At the risk of appearing fragmented, this book offers much to a varied audience. Lack of smoother flow and tighter ending is perhaps more the fault of a keen editor than the author's. Yet the joy of watching Neil Peart grow both emotionally and literally makes Ghosts a must read, whether you are a Rush fan or not.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2008 by Gregory Canellis
Format: Paperback
I have been familiar with Neil Peart's written work since the mid 1970's - as the lyricist for Rush. Those lyrics were a big part of what made, and kept me a fan (I use this word in the vernacular, not in the literal abbreviation for 'fanatic') of the band. Not too many rock songs can make you think about social issues, religion, or the general human condition. Of course, sometimes we're just in the mood for Long Tall Sally, but when we want something deeper, few artists can deliver (think Yes, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, etc. in addition to Rush). Mr. Peart's accomplishments as a musician are also legendary and well deserved. So, he writes books too eh? I hovered my mouse over the icon to purchase this (and other Peart books) on several occasions before finally buying it. How good will it really be? Sure he can write "songs", but writing a book is another thing altogether - if were easy I would be doing it. Finally, I decided it was worth a small monetary investment as well as a time investment (after all, if I don't like it I needn't finish it), and got myself a copy. "Ghost Rider" is not easily categorized, nor should it be. This will present a problem for some readers who like to stay within a particular genre, but if you are an adventurous reader (literally and figuratively) you might enjoy this book. * What the book is NOT about * This is not a book about Rush. It is not a book about drumming, writing songs, or being a rock star. If that is what you're looking for, you may be disappointed. If you go in knowing this however, you are in for a treat. Yes, there are references to the topics above - how could there not be... but those subjects are not in any way the center of this story. * What the book IS about * So many things. First and foremost it is a story of one man's grief. Faced with personal tragedy that many cannot personally identify with, Neil shares with the reader his many thoughts, feelings, and attitudes over a period of more than a year. The book is also about traveling. We are taken on a long motorcycle journey through much of North America (and below), through places familiar and unfamiliar, in good weather and bad, among scenes and smells that are beautifully described - even the scenes and smells that are not themselves beautiful. Whether you like a book often depends on how you 'click' with the writer's style. This is especially true of an autobiographical work such as "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road". I immediately felt very comfortable with Mr. Peart's writing style. There is a certain rhythm (pun intended) to his writing that is easy and comfortable. I found very few details that were uninteresting to me, because these details were interesting to the author, and are therefore necessary ingredients. Perhaps I liked the book more because I know who Neil Peart is, and maybe I tolerated things that other readers disliked, but when I ask myself how this book stands up without any reference to Neil Peart's "other life" - I say very good. Now that I have read one of his books, I will continue to read the others he has written, and I hope he writes more.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2010 by Justin Opinion
Format: Paperback
WOW, as a motorcycle rider, to be able to take off and ride and ride and ride....How sweet, simple and exciting! On a down side, to carry all that weight and try to some how deal and understand it!?!? I can't imagine those two different worlds but can only live vicariously through this journey a born to be a drummer went through!!!! R.I.P. Mr. Pert as you have endured some pain and hardship in your life. So much more than just an ELITE drummer!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2026 by Douglas B. Egenolf
Format: Kindle
This is a a great read - a nomadic soul searching real life journey that Neil Part went on. Sourced from his journals, he brings us along (with Brutus ;) ) his multiple motorcycle journeys across Canada and the US and we hear his thoughts, views, struggles, challenges, as he searches his soul for peace from mourning his terrible losses. It is candid and as if you are in a side car with him. Highly recommended - Neil Part was a one of a kind great person and you see why, first-hand, in Ghost Rider. I want to read his other books, now!!
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Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2025 by The Review
Format: Hardcover
For many years I had heard that Neil Peart had written some books but I never got around to checking any of them out until just recently. I like Rush, I have liked Rush for decades and am always impressed with the talent and virtuosity of all three musicians and, though I knew Neil Peart was the writer of most of the lyrics, I had also heard he was a very good writer. So when something recently got me thinking about Rush, Mr. Peart's books came to mind again and on a whim I bought two of them, one of which was 'Ghost Rider'. The inspiration for his journey, based on truly tragic events in his life, is one I do not wish on anyone. I, too, am a passionate motorcycle rider, although without the means to journey as Mr. Peart did, and still does. But that aside, his passion for riding, for being in motion, his thoughts about riding and thoughts while riding, his interest and enjoyment in seeing and "discovering" new or mostly forgotten places were as though he were drawing thoughts from my own mind. I could totally relate to his mindset of "just moving forward" and how he feels when riding and it has inspired me to work towards being able to take longer journeys of discovery or, at the very least, journeys composed mostly of the simplicity of moving forward, regardless of direction and without defined, absolute goals. This is a really good book, it's well written, entertaining, sad at points, but also with some bits that made me laugh out loud, too. It's a book I genuinely looked forward to picking up again each time, particularly after a long day, and it was a whole lot more enjoyable than watching television. And though sadness and tragedy inspired the four-month trek, and made clear the journey had become "The Healing Road", it never dampened Mr. Peart's appetite for reading, and the list of books one could compile from reading "Ghost Rider" is quite long, and I'm interested in doing just that: compile the titles into a list and head to my local library to see if some, or all, of those books are available. So it's a book that can inspire the reader in a number of ways, all the while painting vivid, entertaining pictures of the Canadian, American, and Mexican landscapes while fueling one's passion and desire for riding even more, and the need to go forth and discover.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2013 by SteveW
Format: Kindle
Rush fans know Neil Peart as an extremely talented introvert. For decades, he didn't divulge much of his personal life, and felt (rightly) others were not entitled to it. His later writings, including this book, give a great window into a brilliant intellect that is in the throes of almost unimaginable grief and sadness. If that sounds like a good read, it is, sort of. The book covers a long solo motorcycle journey across many countries that followed the death of his daughter, and later, his wife. Having never experienced loss like this, the best part of the book deals with this loss, his thoughts on his family, and how a network of friends support him without "being there". How do you comfort someone who is both uncomfortable sharing personal loss and uncomfortable accepting empathy and kindness? Fortunately, his friends know him well, and do what they can for him without overstepping boundaries. This delicate balancing act -- knowing he is probably suicidal, but afraid to grab him from the ledge -- gives you a lot to think about. I don't think the book was intended to be published, frankly, and the writing bounces between private letters to a friend and a wider narration of the trip. I'm sure Rush fans will enjoy this, because they have decades of context to work from. This book is one more piece in the puzzle that was Neil Peart. As a motorcyclist, I did enjoy his trip narrations, the challenges of solo adventuring, terrain, geography, and the many different places he covered. I did wonder why he chose a BMW GS for this trip, when I think he would have had less issues with a Japanese motorcycle. Broken speedometer? Please. The writing is honest, which is probably the most important thing in a book like this. It's not a big pick-me-up though. He doesn't find God (and doesn't look for Him), and just sort of keeps going with nothing other than his own existence to justify the effort. Maybe that is inspirational to some people, or feel I'm being hard on him. I'm not trying to be. This is the message of the book, and if you're looking for something else, you've been warned. Of course, Neil has passed long after this book was written, and in the mean time put his life together again, and found a new family and purpose. His later books tell some of that story, and if you want to see that develop, this book is the obvious place to start. So, 5 stars if you're a fan, 4 stars if you're a motorcyclist, 3 stars if you're coming in cold.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2023 by Kindle Customer