Well, it's a lot better than the second volume (how's that for damning with faint praise?). The slapdash editing and factual howlers that made Vol 2 so disappointing have been reined in; there's still some boneheaded errors, but not more than you'd expect in a project of this scope. (It's still not up to Vol 1's high standards, though.) I do have some caveats. While many of the reviewers are intelligent, thoughtful and have interesting insights on the music of the Dead in these years, there's also far too many reviews from wide-eyed fanboys who want us to know all about their adventures on the way to the show, how many veggie burritos they bought at the show, how many mikes they did at the show, the visions they had in the toilet during the interval at the show ... everything but the MUSIC! Some pruning, or wholesale rejection, would have been in order. Secondly, poor old Bob Weir comes in for some heavy-handed vitriol (again). Okay, so he did tend to trot out 'Throwing Stones' every third show for a while. Okay, 'Victim' was pretty unlistenable when it first appeared. Okay, so 'Corinna' isn't my favourite song either. That doesn't mean he should be permanently confined to the ninth circle of hell, as too many reviewers here avow. Other members of the band don't come in for this kind of sneering -- even Mickey Hart, whose erratic late 1980s sludge-beat drumming ruined many a song -- so why Weir? So, all in all, this is an important book for Dead Heads, but read with a grain of salt and don't expect anything even near the vicinity of definitive.

If you went to or collect shows from late '80s to early '90s, this book is for you. Much of the work here is similiar to the previous books, although if you have a preference for '70s era, you will be dissappointed. I found the commentaries quite enlighting, yet not as majical as the commentaries found in the prior books. Perhaps the shows were better? There are many reasons to buy this book, for the tapes, but what I found fascinating was the way they give Garcia the thumbs up for his efforts during the last painful days of his life.

I can't add much to what's already been said in reviews to Volumes I and II. I LOVE THESE BOOKS. If you are any kind of Dead fan you will too. I have a special attachment to Vol II as it covers the period during which I saw the bulk of my shows; the newer fans will delight in seeing their shows reviewed. It is fascinating to read about the Dead's final years.

Lennon had a true wit and a fondness for word play. It is difficult to read too much of this convoluted cruelty at one sitting, but it makes good browsing, and the pictures by the author are superb. It is also fascinating for the insight it cannot help but occasionally give us into the workings of Lennon's mind, and his opinions of his own life at the time.

Lennons two books, first published in the mid 1960's, at the time of the Beatles hayday should be read as part of the whole Beatlemania phenomena. Lennon was trapped in the Beatles, a world he both loved and hated, and one of the ways to express his artistic flair outside of the music was to write books. His books were sharply satirical and humorous, exhibiting an understanding of the world as Lennon saw it. Lennon's writings were primarily influenced by Peter Sellers and the Goons (predecessors of Monty Python), and the stories are sadly hysterical, carrying the same rapier wit and deep universal insight that Lennon expressed a few years later on the lyrics of Sgt. Pepper and the White Album. These 2 volumes really give an insight into the mind of Lennon, the callous and cynical but deeply philosopical and genious-inspired works of a major, influential artist of the 1960's. Lennon wrote and played music in the top supergroup of the 1960's, appeared in films, created obscure artwork, made political and religious statements and wrote classic books. These are those books. Read and reflect on the genius of John Lennon.

I first read, or tried to read, "In His Own Write" when I was 14, at boarding school in England. Tears rolled down my cheeks! It was impossible to read the stories out loud to any hapless listener without collapsing into hysteria. The book was already out of print then, 1973. An instant collector's item! Greatly coveted! Years later I came across paperbacks of both books, sadly, in the wake of JL's tragic death. They took pride of place in my library. I lost them, or somebody stole them, a few years ago and I miss them more than any other book that's similarly walked from my home, now in the USA. I cannot recommend these works highly enough to anyone who appreciates offbeat humour. 5 stars really aren't enough for material SO brilliant and SO unique. The man and his work were, quite simply, pure genius.

A unique collection of rock-and-roll focused stories captures the rock lifestyle through an unusual literary perspective. Sectioned off into tales about "Glory Days," Keepin' the Faith," You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "Welcome to the Jungle," and "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay." Not focused on the superstar phenomenon, but really exploring the cultural significance of life on the road through fiction, and surprisingly, rarely (if at all) mentions drugs.

Twenty-two very hit or miss stories grouped around the theme of rock and roll. The first five, grouped under the "Glory Days" theme of "evoking the past" are all pretty sound and worth reading, as are the four stories about the relationship between musicians and fans/lovers in the "Keepin' the Faith" section. The four stories in the "You've Really Got a Hold On Me" are grouped around the idea of intertwining music and love/lust, but this is a rather loose connection and doesn't quite work. The T.C. Boyle story here is a total throwaway, but Lewis Shiner's "Sticks" and Linda Sexton's "Shine" are both excellent. The four stories of "Welcome to the Jungle" make for the weakest section, as the editors were apparently looking for "wild" writing. I would skip them all except Roberta Smoodin's "Ursus Major" (about a bear in a band). The editors write that the "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay" section "applauds the durability of the music"--I'm not sure what that means. The five stories here are all very strong, especially Geoffrey Becker's "Bluestown" and Kevin Downs' "Like A Lead Balloon" which is probably my favorite in the anthology.

By culling the best of a pop-driven genre, editors Janice Eidus and John Kastan have succeeded in putting together a collection of stories that work like good songs. --Thaddeus Rutkowski, author of Roughhouse

This book is, as has been already stated by the other reviews, concise and to the point. The part that really interested me is the disassembly of each track and each album, not so much giving an interpretation (which is inevitable sometimes) but rather information about the song, and the situation from which the album was birthed. I take this book everywhere I go because of its small size and an easy reference if I'm listening to a song and want to know more about it (even if, at times, it is a biased account). The author and I don't always agree but he often provides a thoughtful, and sometimes unexpected, platform to approach this mans' art.
The story and legacy sections are quick and have been stewed together with quirky trivia that could drive you into obsessive fandom. It gets through his life at a brisk pace and the pictures provided are fun to look at and are reproduced at a high quality, keeping in tune with the rest of the book. This book is an excellent purchase that every Neil fan should have stuffed into their glove compartment on those long, song-driven road trips.

This small book (small in size and only 138 pages, by the way, not 152) is apparently part of a series called "Kill Your Idols". Divided into three sections, ("The Story" fills only 51 pages; "The Music" 71 pages and it finishes with "The Legacy") it provides a neat encapsulation of Young's life and recorded output. Petridis' mini-reviews of Young's albums are fair and sensible. Accuracy is good, although there are errors in the small photo section.

To someone like me who buys every Young bio, there is, unsurprisingly, nothing new here. It would serve as a good primer, however, for someone trying to find out if the one singing "Heart Of Gold" and the one cooking up a storm playing with Pearl Jam on TV really are the same guy!

This is a concise book, but I mean that as a compliment - it does an excellent job of covering the key aspects of Young's life and career, without getting lost in the writerly junk that weighs down so many bios ("It was a bright and sunny day when Johnny entered the studio . . ." - ugh). The arcane details about the recordings are mostly covered in a separate annotated and critical discography - itself very readable, with many interesting insights and surprises. A nice approach that I'd love to see used in other music bios. Definitely recommended for Neil fans.

FWIW, it's also a very sharp-looking book. A nice job all-around.

No, the title's not a spelling error. The two star rating was for the pictures, which were impressive, not the book! This book had the potential to be a great source of information for all Elton Fans, but just turned out to be a feast of second-hand facts, gathered from 'various sources'. There is not one piece of original information in here. eg. In a section called 'Fascinating facts' there is this; 'Elton filmed 2 television commercials for diet coke'. Now, people who buy books about Elton John want to know about him and his music, not things like that.

The worst things by far though are the careless errors. This book cannot have been proof read. Here is an excerpt from the 'Just the Sats and Facts section';

Sports; tennis and soccer. In 1971 Elton was the vice-president of the Watford Hornets. [Not the 'Watford Hornets'. The team is Watford. Its nickname is 'The Hornets'.]From 1976 to 1990 he owned the team and his cousin Roy Dwight was a national star.[Brace yourself, because I am not making this up. This is exactly how the book was written. Here goes...] In 1971 Elton became the vice-president of the Watford Hornets [!]. He owned the team from 1976-1990...

Now, maybe Mary-Anne Cassata finds this information exciting but is it really necessary to write it twice within the same paragraph? The punctuation is also terrible.

However many errors there are, though, the author deserves credit for the amount of effort that went in to this work. She obviously worked hard collecting information and pictures.

So, everybody out there thinking of buying this book, here are a few words of advice; STICK TO PHILIP NORMAN!!!!

Another great piece by author Mary Anne Cassata. I have been reading her Elton and Bernie Taupin stories for two decades in national music magazines, and she is considered a reliable source for her hard-to-get information. I especially enjoyed the rare photographs and interview material, as well as the lengthy chapter on Bernie. As an Elton fan, I delighted in this scrapbook and I flip through it often. It's a fun, easy read and it's informative as well. Bravo!

I recently bought the Elton John Scrapbook by Mary Anne Cassata. I have been a loyal fan since the early Seventies and this book is everything a fan could ever want in one BIG scrapbook setting; loads of color pics (many rare), fascinating bits of information, extensive album reviews, memorabilia, trivia, concert highlights and even an extensive chapter on Bernie Taupin. The Elton John Scrapbook is absolutely a delightful and a respectable tribute to Elton and his fans (SEE the East End Lights, Fan Survey and Collecting Elton John chapters). Finally, an Elton John book that is not another rehash biography, but a celebration of the man, his music, his life and his fans. Bravo Miss Cassata!

As if we need any more evidence that Geoffrey Giuliano is a opportunist hanger-on disguised as a "expert" - this book is strictly the work of a clerk, not an author. Collate a bunch of old, dubious interviews, insert one's own impressions, call it a book. That great effort of journalism must have taken, what, a weekend to toss together?

And isn't it nice Geoffrey Giuliano can take credit for this "monumental" work and collect royalties off it.

Some expert.

I sure did. So should any serious beatles fan. Great shots too. I keep it a reference book and go through it often.

I have been a Beatle fan for thirty years, and it is great to finally hear the Beatles own story as told in their own words. Not only are the Beatles featured, but so are their closest family and friends. It was a great read, as are all Beatle author Giuliano's works.

A collection of essays, photos, album covers, and assorted flotsam; Forming doesn't know what it wants to be. For every insightful look at the state of performance art at the dawn of the Punk Rock scene in Los Angeles, there's a glamour shot of Exene Cervenska. The apparent Queen of Punk Rock, Cervenska dominates the book in content. When other writers aren't tossing about her name, pictures of her dominate the page. Meanwhile, she and John Doe basically interview themselves for the fifth and final essay of the book.

For those who are unimpressed with X and all things Cervenska, there are still a few fun facts to know and tell provided in this book. However, Forming is not the documentation of this crucial musical/cultural "scene" that it pretends to be. (ISBN: 1889195448)

Great Document of the LA punk Glory Days! Great Pictures, Anecdotes and Attitude about this Scene of the true spirit Rock'n'Roll. Only Four Stars, because it leaves you Hungry for More. It was originally a book to accompany a Gallery show of the Scene. The Bands and characters are all here. X, Screamers, The Germs, etc. I actually have yet to find a book about LA punk that I haven't loved. Keep 'em coming!

One of my personal favorite punk books. There are great photos of the Screamers, Go-go's, Germs, Weirdos, and X, just to name a few. The old flyers will make you wish you were at those legendary shows. The time line of L.A. punk facts is very informative. This single book is more important to any punk book collection than all the hundreds of Sex Pistols' books combined. A definate must.

Geoffrey Giuliano must be suffering writers' block. Or else he just prefers to not do much heavy-lifting, because once again this so-called, self-appointed "expert" has tossed out another slap-dash collection of common old interviews.

Isn't it nice that a clerk can make such a good living?

Believe me, when they say these interviews are lost, it is no lie! I have been ready Beatles books for years and many authors just seem to cut and paste their books together with no thought of orginality, or rarity. Geoffrey Giuliano however is the exception packing this book with interviews I bet John Lennon himself has never seen.

Lennon and Yoko's lost interviews it should be more like. This is a great book with many interviews with john and yoko in their bed-in's etc. In this book it shows john's humorous side, whitty side and of course his deepness. I loved the clippings of the news in the beginnning of the book and learned things i didn't know (like yoko was to divorce john before he died. though it sounded like tabloid talk it probably was real) I love interviews with john because we get to know the real him and learn a lot about him. This was really a great book and it did have good pictures in them most of them unpublished.
A really, really GREAT interview book (besides this) I MUST recommend is The Playboy Interviews With John Lennon and Yoko Ono. That is really the best interview book out there.

This type of book needs to be updated every year....especially with the economy we are living in.

buy gems but before you spend money know what you are paying for. Excellent guide lines as to all the current new 'designer' gemstones, being introduced to the market. However, add factor for the increase in gemstones prices. When is the new edition to be printed.??

This book has a wealth of information presented in a concise manner. It contains cuts of gems , colours, sources ..etc, and does not limit itself to a particular gem. It even contains information about pearls, which I thought surprising. I only wish it was more updated, bcause I have had it for 2.5 years, and went to amazon to see if a third version was issued.

technically useful, but written in an irritative prolo-supposed-funny language, and culminates with offensive comments about "European trash" climbing sites. Must be good to promote the patriotism of the USA climbers.

This book gives a little bit of information about a lot of different topics. Therefore, you may find a tidbit here or there that adds to your knowledge. However, because the book covers so many topics, the amount of in depth detail is very limited. For this reason, rather than getting this book, I would prefer to spend my money getting more specialized books on specific climbing topics rather than trying to get a little bit about everything from this book. If this is the only advanced climbing book you are going to buy and your experienced friends can fill in the blanks, then it would be a good introductory book for you.

I am a professional climber/guide with over 25 years of experience, and I am an owner of a climbing guide service in Moab Utah. While there are many good climbing "how to" books on the market, I heartily recommend this book to all of my friends and clients over all others.
The material covered in this book is both comprehensive and easy to understand. The authors both have extensive experience climbing and teaching climbing which gives the book a credibility lacking in many other "how to" books. Also the material in Advanced Rock Climbing is extremely current and gives many techniques and suggestions you will not find anywhere else.
If you are looking for a great climbing refference book this is the one to get!