This is a great collection of Neil Diamond's best, with "Sweet Caroline", "Cracklin' Rosie", and "He ain't Heavy" (my personal favorites). With so many collection cd's of his music available, it's a tough decision to make. I love every song on the album, never skip a track, and am completely satisfied. Diamond is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the 20th century, and any great music collection should have a sampling of his best. 20 Golden Greats is the perfect choice.

I found this Canadian compilation while I was travelling through the Canadian Rockies in a rented car. I put it in the CD player and didn't take it out for the thousands of miles we drove to Ontario. It sent my wife insane but I was and have been ever since delighted with it.

Those who are familiar with Neil's music will probably choose a compliation based on thier musical preferences. For me, while it does contain some of the more 'popular' tracks like 'Sweet Caroline', the inclusion of 'coldwater morning' and 'Mr Bojangles' here sets it apart from other 'hits' packages. 'Coldwater Morning' is a Neil Diamond classic; beautiful and haunting as his best music is. 'Canta Libre', 'Stones' and other well known tracks make this set priceless. The 3 live tracks, so earnestly disparaged in another review, fail to detract from the overall impact of the set. 'Solitary man (live)' would probably be no ones' preferred recording of this track but the sound recording is nonetheless clear and crisp.

Furthermore, assuming such things mean anything to anyone, the arrangement of songs is insightful and rewarding. The mood and tone of the songs flow seamlessly into each other.' I am...I said' should really never be anywhere but at the end of a disc. It lends the collection a perfect sense of closure.

There is not a weak track track in the collection. Purchasing this CD was a seminal moment in my understanding of and developing admiration for this man's music. If you want a disc to start with or even something to throw in and leave in the car then seriously consider this.

If not, you might also consider looking at the 'UK Import' with 20 tracks. The balance here is better, however, in my opinion.

I wish I had been warned that tracks 8,9 and 10 were recorded live in concert. Ugh, I hate that! So consider yourselves warned!