Neil leaves behind another cloud of vapor trails, the putrid kind.

I have been a Neil Peart admirer for a quarter century. I have purchased (and read) all his books, own all of his music with Rush, Burning for Buddy and Max Webster and I even own both of his drumming videos. I am a drummer as well, and for the most part, I can play along with Mr. Peart, lick for lick. I love his lyrical as well as "prose" writing style. With regard to "Roadshow: Landscape With Drums: A Concert Tour by Motorcycle" I am still enamored with his flowing, descriptive, intelligent almost effortless story telling. The anecdotes, opinions and assorted hi jinks are a delight to revel in. But for the life of me I can't figure out why I should have this book or any of his other products. If I buy them and don't like what I've purchased, I've wasted my hard earned money. If I do like his work, then I'm a fan, at which point I seem to lose respectability in Mr. Peart's eyes. I hope, Neil, you will reflect on the following: The life you have; the renown, respect, admiration, financial independence, ability to create and do what you purport to love, the ease with which you find yourself at the ready "with a well packed suit case on your way to some place strange and beautiful" has been given to you by us - your fans!! All-n-all a good (not great) read.

You naysayers are pitiful. Don't you realize that Neil Peart is no mere mortal? He can fly and shoots laser beams out of his eyeballs in an ongoing effort to thwart the bad guys. And yet, the biased right-wing liberal media ignores this heroism! Neil IS Batman! But wait, maybe I can see the points you make...HOW DARE that pompous rock-star feel threatened when a complete stranger is waiting in the dark for him on his private bus. Sign his album covers? Hell, the LEAST he could do would be to offer him dinner!!! How dare Mr. Neil "I'm So Cool 'Cuz I Write Lyrics & Drum, Too" Peart honestly share his true thoughts on the exhaustion of a word tour! He is a rat fink. BRING BACK RUTSEY!!!

I'm laughing in both amusement and astonishment at those who think Neil Peart should keep his opinions to himself. Have you not heard a single word of any of his Rush lyrics? Did you not already know that this is a man who does not care what anyone thinks of him, and who understands that stating your opinions without fear and without the phony mask of political correctness is the mark of a real man?

I've also known for years that should I ever see or encounter Neil Peart in public, I will simply ignore him. That is his wish. (And I don't understand the whole fanatical fan thing anyway. I love seeing Rush live, but really don't have any wish to meet them personally. What on earth would we talk about?) Why demand any more of him when he has worked for his fans for 30 years? I also know how fans can be. Few people understand it, and I'm not even anything approaching a celebrity. I'm just an author, who became a bestseller only a few months ago, and already I can see how bizarre my fans act when meeting me at speaking engagements or book signings. I also learned very quickly not to answer emails from fans for the same reasons (they suddenly assume you're best friends for life if I answer personally). So, I cannot blame Neil for wanting to avoid them, as I'm sure they're 1,000x more fanatical toward him than mine are toward me. After all, I'm just a business book author, but he's a rock star.

The same goes with touring. I despise travel; therefore I understand. I love speaking but the travel part is almost enough to make me pull the plug on it. My sister is a professional dancer who loves what she does, but hates touring with all of her heart and soul. It's tough. It's not fun. Why fault NP for simply stating what is true?

And ... let's not even get started on religion. I'm amazed that anyone who would be offended by any criticism of religion could even be a Rush fan in the first place. Many Rush lyrics are outwardly anti-religion; why be surprised when you hear the same opinions stated in this book? I expected it, therefore no surprises. Only crooked politicians state one opinion one day, then hide it another. I'd be disappointed if NP wasn't consistent in his opinions. And as for the "faith overpowers reason" and NP's response of "not *my* reason," that's a basic principle of Ayn Rand, who inspired much of his lyrics. Again, why the surprise?

Neil, thank you for the years of inspiration, oh, and for getting me curious to read Ayn Rand, in whom I found all of the principles I have already been living by. I really don't understand all of the outrage and negative reviews, but heck, who is John Galt?