Kicking and Dreaming

A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll

By: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson

Narrated by: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson

Two sisters. Two voices. One Heart.

The mystery of "Magic Man". The wicked riff of "Barracuda". The sadness and beauty of "Alone". The raw energy of "Crazy On You". These songs, and so many more, are part of the fabric of American music. Heart, fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson, has given fans everywhere classic, raw, and pure badass rock and roll for more than three decades. As the only sisters in rock who write their own music and play their own instruments, Ann and Nancy have always stood apart - certainly from their male counterparts but also from their female peers. By refusing to let themselves and their music be defined by their gender, and by never allowing their sexuality to overshadow their talent, the Wilson sisters have made their mark, and in the process paved the way for many of today's female artists.

In Kicking and Dreaming, Ann and Nancy, with the help of critically acclaimed and best-selling music biographer Charles R. Cross, recount a journey that has taken them from a gypsy-like life as the children of a globe-trotting Marine to the frozen back roads of Vancouver, where they got their start as a band, to the pinnacle of success - and sometimes excess. In these pages, readers will learn the truth about the relationship that inspired "Magic Man" and "Crazy On You", the turmoil of inter-band romances gone awry, the reality of life on the road as single women and then as mothers of small children, and the thrill of performing and in some cases partying with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, Van Halen, Def Leppard, and other rock legends. It has not always been an easy path. Ann struggled with and triumphed over a childhood stutter, body image, and alcoholism; Nancy suffered the pain and disappointment of fertility issues and a failed marriage but ultimately found love again and happiness as a mom. Through it all, the sisters drew from the strength of a family bond that trumps everything else, as told in this intimate, honest, and uniquely female take on the rock and roll life.

Throughout their career, Ann and Nancy have never found an answer to the question they are most frequently asked: "What is it like to be a woman in rock and roll?" Kicking and Dreaming puts that question to bed, once and for all.

©2012 Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

a walk down memory lane

Any additional comments?

Insights into some of the richest musical eras from the inside of one of my favorite rock bands. it was a treat to hear the Wilson sisters in their own voices sharing their music, motivations, and reminding us of the fabulous catalog of their work and some of the challenges they faced and overcame.

GREAT book about one of the greatest bands EVER!!!

Heart is one of the only bands that has been a life long "super favorite" of mine. Thier music has been a HUGE part of my life from childhood until now at 47 years old. Thier songs bring cherished memories flooding back into my mind of my childhood, teens, early adulthood, and adult life. I am also a member of MILLIONS of young men who had a mad crish on Nancy during my teens. I never saw them as a groundbreaking band because of the two sisters. I only saw a premier, ass kicking rock and roll band that rivaled ALL other great rock bands of the 70's, 80's, 90's, and the current century. They are more than deserving of all award,s accolades, and thier RIGHTFUL place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the other historic rock bands. Anns voice has ALWAYS been the unmistakeable pure thunder behind Heart and Nancys voice has at the same time been the elegant, soft counterbalance. Combined they create a heavenly harmony that is unequaled in music. Nancys guitar prowess is just another element that rocketed Heart to American legend status and kept them there for half a century. I challenge anyone to find another rock band with even similar accomplishments and legendary status!!! My only criticism with the audiobook is the constant reintroduction of each commentator throughout the book. After the first chapter that is totally unnecessary and truthfully speaking gets annoying and detracts from the overall experience. Otherwise it is fantastic.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

What a life these ladies of Rock have lead. Great story. loved hearing it through both Ann and Nancy's viewpoint. They were truly blessed to have head the parents they had.
Phenomenal life as musicians, Mother's, Creator's of music, and influencing others in the in industry

LOVED this deep dive into Heart and their songs

Very cool to hear the deep history of the Wilson Sisters' upbringing; how their early years impacted everything they worked for and how they lived their later lives. Though not brand new (recorded in 2012), the exceptional story telling of their lives and how they always had the music inside of them, and a strong desire to share it with others makes for a wonderful listen. Several times along the way I had to pause the audio book to go listen to the song they were talking about. Barracuda is NOT a positive sign; listen closely - Ann was PISSED! Both sisters talk thruout the audiobook, as well as several other key figures in the story of Heart. I've been a fan of Heart from their 1st Dreamboat Annie LP, and really enjoyed this audiobook.

Good Retrospective

It was great to hear their story in their own voices. Ann and Nancy are female trail blazing hard rock pioneers.

Excellent...Thank You!!

I thought this was an excellent audio book especially that the narrators were all the original people. Even Mike and Roger Fisher have appearances. The book ends around 2011, which unfortunately does not cover their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction or their Kennedy Center performance in honor of Led Zeppelin. I bet they could write a small book on those two events alone. Perhaps they could update the book with a newer edition to include those historical moments?

Straight On For You

I enjoyed this outing by Ann and Nancy more than I thought I would.
I was afraid with their vast history that it would be lacking in order to get it all in but they did a really good job of touching on all aspects.
Really enjoyed listening to them talk about their parents and how that relationship developed over the years.
Always means more when the parties involved read the book so that makes it that much more entertaining.
If you want to know the story of Heart, here it is.

Fucking loved this story!!

If you were alive to see Heart in the 70s or 80s you will absolutely love this book. What an amazing journey, what courage what talent!! what a career!! amazing women, amazing songwriters and musicians, the bond between sisters and mothers and daughters and friends is so beautiful. Real women, with real issues and the strength to persevere ...and beautifully narrated by Ann and Nancy Wilson. ❤️

WOW!

The best rock n roll autobiography I've ever experienced ... Hearing this come from their own mouths just bumps this into the stratosphere

Super cool.

I liked that it is read by them. Emotion in their voices. I grew up with them!

Micah McFarlane