On April 30, 1966, just two days after the publication of his first and only novel,
Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me
, Richard Fariña was killed in a motorcycle accident near Carmel, California. He was only 29. Consequently, he never got to experience the success of his book or the widespread acclaim that labeled him as one of the most distinctive and genuine voices of his generation.
Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone
, first published in 1969, expands upon Fariña's novel in both scope and unflinching honesty. Not only does this collection of short stories, poems, essays, and song lyrics further exhibit his talent as a writer, but it also serves as an autobiography of sorts, recounting his involvement with the revolutionary scenes in Cuba and Ireland, the expatriate communities in London and Paris, and the burgeoning folk rock scene in the United States.