I just read that Woody Guthrie's mother was a pyromaniac.

[jdj]

I'm so bowled over by this I just can't get over it. She set his Dad on fire, which she eventually got put away for in a mental institution. His fourteen year old sister died of 3rd degree burns all over her torso, legend has it the sister set herself on fire while she and the mom were arguing, but I don't buy it given the mother's history. They couldn't find Woody's infant brother George one day, and he was eventually found wrapped in newspapers in the oven.

I'ts amazing to me someone can come from such a past and still contribute such great things to society. (oh, this is all from his bio I am reading).

[MO_Dem]

1. Is it Joe Klein's book?

It is a good one!

[jdj]

2. I can't remember, I don't have it in front of me.

I can't remember the name either. (old age, I guess).

but this is just horrible. the sadness that family went through.

I have also found interesting the parts about his Dad running for public office and all the election fraud that went on, kind of makes me wonder why so many people want to believe that there wasn't any in 04. It's clear from this book it's always been going on.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Woody's mother suffered from Huntington's Chorea, a neurological condition

which had its manifestations in uncontrollable movements and mental instability. Her need to set fires was part of her disease. The same hereditary condition would sap the life out of Woody and kill him. Arlo recently had a genetics test and found that he doesn't carry the gene.

[MrScorpio]

4. Is that true?

I heard she was a hottie