The Rainman’s Third Cure

An Irregular Education

By: Peter Coyote

Narrated by: Peter Coyote

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

"The rainman gave me two cures

And he said, "Just jump right in."

The one was Texas Medicine

And the other was railroad gin.

And like a fool I mixed them

And they strangled up my mind

Now people just get uglier

And I have no sense of time."

(Bob Dylan, "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again)

The guiding metaphor in Peter Coyote's new spiritual biography is drawn from a line in an early Bob Dylan song. For Coyote, the twin forces Dylan identifies as Texas Medicine and railroad gin represent the competing forces of the transcendental, inclusive, and ecstatic world of love with the competitive, status-seeking world of wealth and power. The Rainman's Third Cure is the tale of a young man caught between these apparently antipodal options and the journey that leads him from the privileged halls of power to Greenwich Village jazz bars to jail to the White House, lessons from a man who literally held the power of life and death over others, to government service and international success on stage and screen.

Expanding his frame beyond the wild ride through the 1960s counterculture that occupied so much of his lauded debut memoir, Sleeping Where I Fall, Coyote provides listeners intimate portraits of mentors that shaped him - a violent, intimidating father; a be-bop bass player who teaches him that life can be improvised; a Mafia consigliere who demonstrates to him that men can be bought and manipulated; an ex-game warden who initiates him into the laws of nature; a gay dancer in Martha Graham's company who introduces him to Mexico and marijuana; beat poet Gary Snyder, who introduces him to Zen practice; and finally famed fashion designer Nino Cerruti, who made the high-stakes world of haut-monde Europe available to him.

©2015 Peter Coyote (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Eight Hours with Peter

I have now spent eight mostly great hours with a voice I could listen to for dozens more. I've heard Peter Coyote reading other audible books many years ago. His voice is soothing and his pronunciation elegant and impeccable. I was intrigued by Peter's life story so bought this book. His tale of family strife, early unappreciated affluence, rebellion, triumph, life errors and life discovery is delivered with sincere humility and some wonder. There were a few aspects of development that were incomplete, such as a reference to receiving "ho hum" reception in certain movie roles in later years that were never fully discussed. There was also such elaboration on the Polanski project that I expected to hear of its finalization and reception but nothing was said. And the final remarks on Buddhism felt to me as if they were read from a text rather than expressed from the heart as had been so enjoyable for me to feel and experience for the remainder of the book. Highly recommend this one.

And I thought he was Just an actor...

Peter Coyote has been an individual familiar to me through his many film and voice over experiences. I have always felt he was a deep and thoughtful person, but after listening to this book I now understand he is much more. Mr Coyote is in every sense of the word a teacher, perhaps even more, a Shaman...listen and learn.

Great accompaniment to follow Sleeping Where I Fall

Peter’s dulcet, golden voice of wisdom narrating his own captivating stories makes for an excellent audiobook. Sleeping Where I Fall is easily one of my favorite books of all time, and The Rainman’s Third Cure perfectly dives deeper past the Hell’s Angels and communes into the soul of his story as a Buddhist, philosopher, and man of great wisdom from an amazing life lived.

This Coyote Creature is My Mentor

I cannot get enough of this man!!

His compassion, honest, no-nonsense flow in his communicative style, and his vulnerable willingness to commit to his audience renders Peter Coyote utterly, immediately irresistible to me. I’ve been a student of this man for decades now.
May he know a happiness and sanity that equals the height and breadth of the wave of gifts he has given us.

Held my attention

I got this book as part of a 2 for 1 credit deal and wasn’t sure what to expect. The spiritual journey was what intrigued me not to mention the cool title. It’s an intimate journey from childhood to zenhood for the author and the last hour is really insightful. Raw and honest.

Not as good as the first, but still fantastic

Coyote is a masterful writer. He creates worlds and takes you there. He is a brilliant reader. Hope he does more.