Remarkable, one of the best books by a musician to come around in quite a while ... There’s not an essay in My Own Devices that’s less than fascinating ... Dessa is a rock star of a writer ... funny, heartbreaking and brilliantly written, and very possibly the best memoir by a musician since Patti Smith’s Just Kids.
Walks a line between art and science ...If you’ve listened to Dessa's music, you can imagine how rich with imagery and packed with wit her writing is ... My Own Devices is more than just a collection of essays — it’s an invitation to consider another perspective. Maybe we won’t want to insure our own hearts or map the trails of our exes in our brains. But Dessa’s words are an articulation of the universal — the discoveries, the achievements and the heartaches, of course.
The book reads like listening to her internal monologue or good friends chatting over a drink, as the reading tempo varies, subjects ebb and flow, and very personal experiences are shared. Plus, her spattering of dry humor and clever brand of wit balance the serious with laughs ... Being open, honest and badass has struck a chord with fans in her music. Now, Dessa does the same for readers within My Own Devices.
Continuously goes back to the theme of her difficult love without it feeling repetitive, like a friend too self-aware to be annoying ... more universal than most performer bios and more lyrical than many celebrity essay collections, as sharp and witty as the best magazine pieces.
Shows that her facility with language and revelation extends beyond music ...her writing should command interest even from readers who know nothing of her work with the Doomtree collective and her solo releases ... An above-average memoir that itself serves as the musician’s next career chapter.
