Doug's insight and study of The Door's will prove to be of interest to any Door's fan. His book will give you the facts of the group, no disinformation or creative story-telling here. I have already had the pleasure of reading some of his other books and I can tell you that he is an author that will tell it like it is and give you an insight you have yet to see in any aspect he is writing about. He plunges to the depth of the soul of the subject and comes back up again to leave you thinking of how this applies to your own life. I would reccomend anything that he writes as time well spent.

I can't believe, I REFUSE to believe, that this book is not in print. Out of all the Doors rehashed drunken Jim tales and bad poetry insights (with a few notable exceptions), this was the best Doors book around. This is where Jim's poetry, prose, attitude and expression developed, improved and kicked rear in the whole world: HIS MUSIC. The lyrics are the best writing of Morrison hands down. I'll take Moonlight Drive or The End or Indian Summer or End Of The Night over anything in that Lords and the New Creatures book anyday! Bring this one back, publishers! NOW!

I found that Danny does have the right words to some of the often misquoted lyrics. I guess its alright that Sugarman writes the book since he was such a devoted fan to Jim. I would have liked it more if it contained some rarer color pictures but remains an indispensable document since lyrics were never printed in the CDS or albums.

Originally a scrappbook compiled by a boy that hung around the Doors office, Jim recommended it become a book. Good idea. A solid, complete book filled with the best photographs with articles, interviews, and Morrison's best quotes scattered throughout, it is a bargain at the retail price.

This is the must have, don't miss, cannot live without book about the greatest rock and roll band ever, The Doors. This book tells the story through what was printed in the media, not from the memories of others. It is a different perspective on The Doors story that hadn't been printed before. The newspaper and magazine stories selected were conscise, to the point, and very appropriate. It was laid out to tell the story through articles from their first performance in 1966 until Jim's death in 1971. The photos in the book are excellent, some never seen before, and others old favorites. It includes everything that a Doors fan would have collected if possible in the '60's, and this is exactly what Sugerman has done. An absolute must for any fan of the Doors, any music fan, any sixties fan, or any history buff. This is the most original and truthful look at the Doors from a man who was there. Danny Sugerman's work is great and can be enjoyed many times. The best book on the best band, don't miss it! By Micheal J. Groetken Bloomington, Illinois

I liked the Doors a little less after reading this book.

This book inadvertantly reveals how merely lucky Jim Morisson was. He was certainly a charismatic singer and performer, blessed with good looks. But a great poet? At UCLA, he discovered Kurt Weill and other college-boys' idols, was smart enough to put it all together into rock n roll songs.

After reading this biography, and paying more attention to Morisson's lyrics, it seems that the Doors' success may be due just as much to Ray Manzarek's original organ sounds as to Morisson's poetry. A decent lyricist who had Ray to work out the music, Morisson perhaps relied more on his considerable bad-boy sex appeal than on any poetic genius. At times, author gives Morrison so much praise, it is embarrassing.

There is plenty of detail about Morisson's boyhood, and by ignoring the author's superlatives (which is fairly easy), reader learns about the life of a selfish man who happened to be a dynamic performer.

Probably a "must" for Doors fans, or anyone very interested in the LA music scene of the sixties.

I first read this book in 1984 and I have re-read it several times in the intervening years. The story of how it came to be published is quite well-known. Jerry Hopkins is a journalist who interviewed Jim Morrison on several occasions during his lifetime. After Morrison dies, Hopkins began work on a biography. Following several unsuccessful years of attempting to get the completed biography published, Jerry Hopkins meets Danny Sugerman. Sugerman was a teenage admirer of The Doors and eventually wrangled an office job out of a sympathetic Morrison (a more complete story of Sugerman is told in his autobiography "Wonderland Avenue"). In any event, Sugerman adds his perspective and personal anecdotes to the story and, helped by the resurgence of interest in the music of The Doors, the book is eventually published in 1981.

I think the argument that the book is hero-worship is only partially true. Certainly Danny Sugerman had feelings for Morrison that were akin to idolatry and that comes across in the book. On the other hand, Jerry Hopkins was a working journalist and his professionalism and research is also evident. While reading the book it is in most instances possible to determine what was written by Hopkins and what was penned by Sugerman. I suppose this incongruity might be irksome to some but the narrative does flow and does not detract from the overall story of the life of Jim Morrison.

In the almost 20 years that have elapsed since I first read No One Here Gets Out Alive I have read everything I could get my hands on that in any way concerned Jim Morrison and The Doors. I have yet to read a more definitive account or one which largely contradicted anything contained in this book. That's not to say that there aren't other good books or interesting perspectives, only that this is the wellspring of Jim Morrison-related literature.

This book is of obvious interest to any one who likes the music of The Doors and/or finds Jim Morrison fascinating. I fall into both categories. However, Jim Morrison was not a particularly admirable fellow. He did experiment with drugs, he often treated his friends badly, he was fairly promiscuous (even carelessly impregnating a girlfriend and then shirking responsibility), etc. Of course Morrison did have many good characteristics as well. His love of reading, sense of humor and displays of genuine affection are intermingled with his faults. I believe this book does a generally good job of portraying a reasonable facsimile of Jim Morrison.

For me this book sparked an even greater interest in Morrison and The Doors which continues to this day. At the same time, this book also provides a good antidote to hero-worship. As a cautionary note to those who choose to view Jim Morrison through rose-colored glasses, I suggest that you don't read the Hopkins/Sugerman biography. Those that do choose to read the biography carefully will have, as James Joyce wrote, "discovered to their vast discomfiture that their idol had feet of clay, after placing him upon a pedestal."

Well I must say that after watching the movie The Doors with Val Kilmer as the legendary Jim Morrison I got interseted in the Doors. THis may be a bit unusual for a 15 year old boy but I was intrigued by the man- Jim Morrison. I was even more intrigued and curious when I started buying the rock groups records and found it hard to find any info on this mysterious man. Then I found NO ONE HERE GETS OUT ALIVE by JERRY HOPKINS and I must say I now know all I needed to Know about this legendary figurehead. This book takes the reader from Jims boyhood antics on the holidaying ski slopes thru to his troublede youth, his first girl friends, his first LSD outings and most importantly his life as a poet and a rock star. The book details his trouble with the law and his alcohol problems. Some of the less controversial people in his life are also described excellently- Pamela his lifelong girlfriend, Patricia his mysterios witch lover and his band mates and most importantly his relationships with these people. The book finishes with sadly- the most cntroversial part of his life- his 'death' in Paris in 1971. The facts are outlined well and the reader can make his/her own mind up about weather he really died how he was described to have. Also included is a discography and some rare photos. All you wanted to know about the poet of a generation can be found here. The man, The myth, The Legend- Jim Morrison. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. The only downer is the saddness and pitty I garruntee you will feel reading of Jims self Destructive demise

This not just a book of collection. This tells the story behind each album and each song of the Doors, what songs made up the A and B sides of a single, each of Jim's books, not to mention lists of most popular books, music and movies of each year the Doors were together from 1965-1971. I use this as a reference book for everything from doors stuff to reading lists! It's always at my fingertips. If you wanna know the story behind Jim's poetry/songs... get this book!

I would highly recomend that any fan of Guns N'Roses do not buy this book. It is a complete waste of money. The book is boring and pointless. The author just rambles on and on, until you don't even know what he is saying anymore. If you are wanting a good book about Guns N'Roses, this is definately not it.

The author of this book gets carried away to say the least. He strays far from actual facts and delves into his crazy theories and parallels of Axl and Slash (forget about the other members in the group) and some ancient figures. It got quite tedious at some points and was not interesting at all. Buy another GnR book!

What makes this book interesting is that its not just about the band, their music and off stage exploits, which is what most rock biographies are all about. Rather, this book is about defining the sociological and psychological impact of Rock N' Roll on modern American culture and the role that Guns N' Roses have played in shaping and defining such cultural perceptions. In this book, Sugarman compares the music and exploits of Guns N' Roses to everything from mythology to philosophy to psychology to modern historical events to convey this thesis. The truth is, what I really liked about this book, is that after finishing it, I felt that I not only learned about Guns N' Roses, but more so about the cultural importance of rock n' roll and the impact that it's had in shaping the modern American cultural landscape of the late 20th century.

Therefore, if you're interested in really learning about why G N' R is such an important band and your interest in music extends beyond what you hear on a CD, than I strongly recommend this book.

A word of caution...I have to say that this is not your typical sex, drugs and rock n' roll biography. If you're looking for a book that's just about the drunken exploits of Axl and the band,you'd best look else where. Not that this book does not cover off on these subjects, its just that there is much more to this book than that.