Eric Von Schmidt and Jim Rooney. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down: The Illustrated Story of the Cambridge Folk Years. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 1979. 318 pages. A second edition with new preface was published by University of Massachusetts Press. 1994. Reviewed in: Library Journal, May 1, 1979, vol. 104 no. 9, p. 1061. By Tim LaBorie.

Though not solely devoted to the Fariņas, this was for many years the only book that discussed them at length. It was co-written by blues guitarist and artist Eric von Schmidt, who was a friend of Richard and recorded an album with him in 1963, and Jim Rooney, who was in a bluegrass duet with Bill Keith, played for Bill Monroe and various other bands, and was also the manager of Club 47 during its last couple of years. The book includes many personal recollections of Richard by von Schmidt, Mimi, Maria Muldaur, and others, and includes some beautiful photos of both Richard and Mimi that you won't find in any other book. The narrative is a folkish patchwork of stories told by various people, so the parts on Richard and Mimi are interspersed among several chapters from beginning to end (since the book has no index, I've written an index of all the mentions and photos of Richard and Mimi; see below).

One review of this book complained that reading it was like looking at someone else's high school year book. There is some truth to this. The book discusses many folk artists who are not very well known today, so if you don't know a great deal about the urban folk revival, you may feel lost in some parts. For this reason, the book may not work well as an introduction to the period. If your curiosity in folk music is more casual, start with Hoot! A 25-Year History of the Greenwich Village Music Scene, which is a similar book, but concentrates on more of the well-known musicians. But Cambridge, moreso than Greenwich Village, represented the real essence of the movement, especially in its earliest, folkiest phase, before these people became famous. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down is therefore a richer oral history. The relative obscurity of the some of the musicians may confuse the casual passerby, but it makes the book all the more valuable to people who are really interested in the movement whose ethic was founded on the discovery of the unusual, the unique, the regional, the marginal and the forgotten in an age of conformity, homogenization, mass communication, and manufactured stardom.

--Douglas Cooke

INDEX A: References to Richard and/or Mimi
30	Mimi--inspired by Charles River Valley Boys
83	Mimi--experimental film by Peter Robinson
89-91	Richard & Carolyn--meet EVS at Martha's Vineyard
105	Richard--letter to EVS
111	Richard sends 1st chapter of novel to EVS
112	Richard--letter to EVS from Spain
113	Richard & Mimi--picnic in French countryside
114-117	Richard--with EVS & Dylan in London
115	Richard, EVS, Ethan Signer, and Peggy Seeger record soundtrack
116	Richard, EVS, Signer & Dylan record album at Dobell's record shop
118	Richard & Mimi--marriage in Paris
124	Humbead's Map of the World (Mimi mentioned)
222	Richard (brief reference)
224	Richard--conversation on Joan with Dylan & EVS (brief)
225	Richard meets Mimi's family
227	Richard & Mimi--wedding in Carmel
231	Richard--with EVS & Alfredo Dopico; writes notes for Eric Sings von Schmidt
232	Richard & Mimi--Big Sur Fest; back to Cambridge
239-40	Richard and Mimi have dinner with Joan, Bob, and Alfredo Dopico.
249-265	Newport Folk Festival 1965
253	Richard & Mimi--watching Butterfield Blues Band (brief)
258	Richard & Mimi (brief)
260	Richard & Mimi--Sunday afternoon "New Folks" concert
265	Richard--party at end of festival
278	Richard--novel
279	Richard--monkey demon; juggling; Al Grossman
280	Richard & Mimi--relationship with Joan; School for Non-Violence
281	Richard & Mimi--in Carmel with John Cooke
284	Richard--death of; EVS's reaction
285	Richard--Maria Muldaur's memories of
290	Mimi & Joan--approached by Mel Lyman (brief)

INDEX B: Photos of Richard and/or Mimi
page:	description:	photographer:
19	Mimi at beach with Joan, Debbie Green	unknown; courtesy of Mimi Fariņa
19	another angle of the same scene	unknown; courtesy of Mimi Fariņa
90	Richard & Carolyn at Club 47	Stephen Fenerjian
104	Richard with hat	Dan Kramer
107	Richard--letter to EVS	unknown; courtesy of EVS
111	Richard & Carolyn in Spain	John Cooke
113	Richard with Alex Campbell and others in Paris restaurant	unknown; courtesy of Mimi Fariņa
113	Mimi by the Seine in Paris	unknown; courtesy of Mimi Fariņa
115	Richard & EVS playing blues at a communist wedding	Brian Sheul
117	Richard & EVS (drawing)	EVS
118	Mimi--portrait	David Gahr
225	Mimi & Joan Sr.	John Cooke
227	Mimi & Richard--wedding in Carmel	unknown; courtesy of Mimi Fariņa
233	Richard & Byron Linardos at Club 47	unknown; courtesy of EVS
239	Mimi & Bob Dylan (probably at Newport 64)	John Cooke
256	Mimi & Richard at Newport 65, watching Butterfield Blues Band (the "Folk Mafia" pic). Also seen: EVS, Spider John Koerner, Mitch & Louise Greenhill, Owen De Long, Maria & Geoff) Muldaur	Rick Sullo
260	Richard & Mimi playing at Newport	Rick Sullo
278	Richard with sunglasses at Newport	John Cooke
279	Mimi, Joan & Richard playing at Newport	Dick Waterman
281	Mimi & Richard on the beach at Carmel, 1966	John Cooke
282	Mimi, Richard & Lush (silhouette)	Charles Frizzell
284	Mimi & Richard at autograph party, April 30, 1966	unknown, courtesy of Mimi Fariņa
285	Mimi on the beach, 1966	John Cooke

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