Globalization necessitates a new reading of the human story, argues historian Robbie Robertson in this thought-provoking study. Its origins, he suggests, lie in the interconnections that slowly enveloped humans since the earliest of times. But things changed dramatically 500 years ago when humanity's interconnections assumed global proportions for the first time and produced what the author sees as three consecutive waves of globalization that have radically transformed human societies and their economic activities. Managing these revolutionary changes has proved difficult. Globalization is destabilizing. The first wave after 1500 destroyed over 90 per cent of North and South America's peoples and contributed to war and revolution in Europe. It also generated an industrial revolution that shaped the second wave in the 19th century. But in the ensuing rush to monopolize the wealth and power globalization promised, classes, nations and empires escalated their rivalries. Consequently the second wave also faltered and collapsed into depression and war. Now the same fate could face us again if we ignore the social and historical lessons globalization presents us with. A globalized humanity, says Robertson, has to develop a new consciousness of itself in order to effect global solutions based on an inclusive rather than exclusive reading of history.

Robbie Robertson's singular contributions to popular music have made him one of the most beloved songwriters and guitarists of his time. With songs like 'The Weight', 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and 'Up on Cripple Creek', he and his partners in the Band fashioned a music that has endured for decades, influencing countless musicians. In this captivating memoir, written over five years of reflection, Robbie employs his unique storyteller's voice to weave together the journey that led him to some of the most pivotal events in music history. He recounts the adventures of his half-Jewish, half-Mohawk upbringing on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and on the gritty streets of Toronto; his odyssey at sixteen to the Mississippi Delta, the fountainhead of American music; the wild, early years on the road with rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks; his unexpected ties to the Cosa Nostra underworld; the gripping trial-by-fire of 'going electric' with Bob Dylan on his 1966 world tour and their ensuing celebrated collaborations; the formation of the Band and the forging of their unique sound, culminating with history's most famous farewell concert, brought to life for all time in Martin Scorsese's great movie The Last Waltz. This is the story of a time and place - the moment when rock 'n' roll became life, when legends like Buddy Holly and Bo Diddley crisscrossed the circuit of clubs and roadhouses from Texas to Toronto, when the Beatles, Hendrix, the Stones and Warhol moved through the same streets and hotel rooms. It's the story of exciting change as the world tumbled through the '60s and early '70s and a generation came of age, built on music, love and freedom. Above all, it's the moving story of the profound friendship among five young men who together created a new kind of popular music. Testimony is Robbie Robertson's story, lyrical and true, as only he could tell it.

Globalization necessitates a new reading of the human story, argues historian Robbie Robertson in this thought-provoking study. Its origins, he suggests, lie in the interconnections that slowly enveloped humans since the earliest of times. But things changed dramatically 500 years ago when humanity's interconnections assumed global proportions for the first time and produced what the author sees as three consecutive waves of globalization that have radically transformed human societies and their economic activities. Managing these revolutionary changes has proved difficult. Globalization is destabilizing. The first wave after 1500 destroyed over 90 per cent of North and South America's peoples and contributed to war and revolution in Europe. It also generated an industrial revolution that shaped the second wave in the 19th century. But in the ensuing rush to monopolize the wealth and power globalization promised, classes, nations and empires escalated their rivalries. Consequently the second wave also faltered and collapsed into depression and war. Now the same fate could face us again if we ignore the social and historical lessons globalization presents us with. A globalized humanity, says Robertson, has to develop a new consciousness of itself in order to effect global solutions based on an inclusive rather than exclusive reading of history.