The life of the Man in Black revealed by his lyrics and by rare photographs and ephemera, in a lavishly illustrated edition authorized by the Cash estate. This is the first time Johnny Cash’s fifty years of songwriting have been collected anywhere; this book includes the lyrics to 125 songs and the stories behind them. These pages take readers from Cash's early life and first successes through periods of personal challenge, activism, and faith. The result is a profound understanding of Johnny Cash as a man and an artist, as well as the American story he helped shape. Released for the twentieth anniversary of the legendary musician’s passing, it will be a landmark in music publishing.