A fitting epitaph to a great man
This is a moving and wonderful collection of songs, the last work of such a fine talent. I've played this umpteen times and it's worth every penny. Sensational recordings, and if you liked the American sessions with Rick Rubin, you'll love this.

Fantastic. Worth buying just to hear "The L&M Don't Stop Here Anymore."

THE MOST INCREDIBLE BOX-SET I HAVE EVER BOUGHT!
One thing you need to do is buy this box-set and the next thing you need to do is listen to it and be absolutely astound with the lyrics and just how great this collection this is. You will NOT be disappointed. I guarantee it!

a must for johnny cash fans.
i personally believe that you should have everything that johnny cash recorded with rick rubin. together they made stunning americana music that is a pinnacle of the genre. this box set is very, very wonderful. i would suggest that you first get the 5 individual volumes of mr cash's "american recordings," then pick this up as icing on the cake. the only reason that i don't think this to be quite 5 star worthy is that disc 4 is an all gospel set titled "my mother's hymn book," which, while still a very good listen, is not quite up to par with the other cash/rubin work. also, disc 5 is simply a collection of tracks from the previous american recordings releases and is completely pointless here, as all true cash fans will already have these. anyway, the voice of mr cash is an amazing instrument to hear, truly spine-tingling on many of the songs collected here, and i highly, highly recommend that you pick this massive gathering of performances up.

great purchase
I received the boxed CD set quickly and in great condition. I'm very satisfied with this purchase.

More than a boxed set
Several other reviewers went into great detail on each CD in this set, and I see no need to duplicate their comments, so I'll keep it as brief as possible.

I assume, if you're reading these reviews, you're familiar with Cash's albums on the American label and are interested in hearing more. If that's the case, definitely buy this set - it is very much worth the money. Other than the final "best of American" CD (which seems pointless, as others have mentioned), every CD in this set is simply outstanding. This is not a box set of rejects and b-sides, but a collection of songs that could have been award-winners on their own. It really is hard to believe some of these songs didn't make the cut when they put the original American albums together. It's even hard to recognize some of the covers, because they all sound like Cash originals. His passion, distinctiveness, and talent are evident on just about every song.

Beyond the beauty of Cash as an artist, these discs stand out because of the incredible sound. They are very clean, clear, and pure-sounding.

For any fan of Cash - long time listener or newcomer - this is a set well worth the price. It contains a little bit of something reminiscent of every stage of his career. Simply great.