Twenty Thousand Roads (2007)

Given all the drama in Gram Parsons' life (and untimely death), die-hard fans of the country-rock pioneer will relish every word of this meticulously researched and exhaustive 559-page bio. David N. Meyer covers it all in Twenty Thousand Roads, from Parsons' childhood in an alcoholic home to his formative years in Boston, New York, and L.A., his time with the Rolling Stones to his much-gossiped-about relationship with singing partner Emmylou Harris (which, Meyer concludes, was just a working one). Though Meyer answers a lot of long-burning questions, he preserves Parsons' legend as a man of mystery. A-