Rock The Books

Regardless of the fact that I just love Howlin' Wolf and his music, this is one of the most well written and interesting biographies I have ever read. What I like most about it is that in addition to getting the story of his life, you also get a lot of the history of what was going on at that point in time and around Howlin' Wolf and the Chicago blues scene. It is very well researched. This is more than a biography, it is a major history of the blues. It's "must reading" for any serious blues fan or musicologist.

Seeing this book was one of the reasons I set about the task of writing Revelation Blind Willie Johnson The Biography in an attempt to emulate this great tribute to a great man, this is surely the definitive work on the life of Howlin' Wolf, a must read to anyone interested in the man and his music!
Revelation Blind Willie Johnson The Biography.

Interesting. Provides an insight into the character of Chester Burnett, especially enjoyable since less seems to be known about him than other bluesmen.

This book is without doubt, an excellent, well-researched and detailed account of the life of Howlin' Wolf. The life of the blues pioneer was one of hardship, sadness, and overcoming adversity, and the authors do a good job of conveying what the Wolf dealt with.

From his hardscrabble upbringing, an abusive and hypocritical father, and mother lost in psychological and religious madness, and just obstacle after obstacle, the Wolf endured, but sometimes I feel never achieved the full happiness he wanted. There's no doubt he loved his family, cared for his bandmates and did his best, but you could tell the sadness that the blues often heals might not have been enough.

There's a good examination here of Wolf's music, his influences and how he managed a signature sound as well as a performance style that blew nearly all the others away. All the same, Wolf was very protective of that sound, demanding of his mates and making sure they did it the way he wanted it done. Sometimes he was overbearing and arrogant, as witnessed by the defection of Hubert Sumlin to the Muddy Waters band. But Hubert later did return, and many would come in and out over the years.

The rift between Waters and Wolf is noted here; was there ever really one, beyond the professional rivalry? It does appear that Wolf saw Waters as a company man, in terms of his relationship with the Chess brothers. Wolf was very careful about his money, making sure the brothers paid him what he was due, while Waters was content to allow the brothers to get him a new car or a home now and then, perhaps a bit too trustful.

But in the end, it does seem they cared about each other and made up any differences near the end of their lives.

I do think there's a certain God-worship by the authors of Wolf. Too much in some places I think, where a writer makes the subject the greatest thing ever, and all others are chaff. Just the same, this is a sometimes funny, often sad look at a great musician, writer and performer, who influenced those who followed, such as the Rolling Stones.

When I hear "Smokestack Lightning" now, I don't hear it quite the way I once did. It has a more sorrowful quality now than ever. RIP, Wolf...you deserve it.

Two years ago, I reviewed Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box in this very hallowed cyberspace, wonderin' aloud (as Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull would have it) when in the world would someone please write the definitive bio of Wolf and his massive (reportedly 6' 3" and 300 pounds) persona? Well, folks, wonder no longer. Within the past year, James Segrest and Mark Hoffman have written said biography. In fact, I first purchased and eagerly devoured this tome a year ago; it was only upon rereading it that I decided it was time for review. Sam Phillips once reportedly said that Wolf was the greatest talent he had ever discovered. (For perspective, remember that Mr Phillips helped discover such "nobodies" as Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the King himself, Mr. Elvis Presley. To say that Wolf was his greatest discovery was quite a statement, doncher know.) We see the early Wolf, cast out by his own mother because his music was "too sinful", and beaten repeatedly by his father, drive a plow on a Mississippi plantatation, until one day, (reads like a fairy tale, don't it?) first Charlie Patton, then Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) come along to teach Chester Arthur Burnett the rudiments of guitar and harp, respectively. We see Wolf through the glory years of Chess, making his classic records, and giving his incredible performances (including reportedly sliding down the length of a fire curtain when he was 57 YEARS OLD, no less!), through the good and bad times with his multitalented bandmates (including a VERY young James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin, his nonpareli guitarist), through the unbelievable records (some of which were originals; others, such as "Sittin' On Top of the World", "Pony Blues" and "Built for Comfort", he received from artists like Charlie Patton and Willie Dixon); and finally, through the later, sick years (when he recorded London Howlin' Wolf Sessions, six years before his death, he was reportedly so ill, he could only complete one song per day). Hoffman and Segrest's excellent prose leaves you spellbound and wishing you could rush right out and purchase some of his music. TA DAAA!!!! The wait is over. When you are done reading this review, why not just do another search and pull up Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box and send yourself 71 of the Howlin'est, Wolfingest tunes as an early Christmas present???? WHY NOT????? So don't delay, order both Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf and Howlin' Wolf: The Chess Box today, even as we speak. Trust me it's the kind of music (and writing) that will put hair on your chest and make you want to howl all night long!!!!!

Follow the simple step by step directions for a beautiful "rock garden."

Whether you are simply curious about rock painting, or have a desire to paint flowers on rocks, this book is for you. It is well written by a world class rock artist and teacher and in addition to offering know-how, it is an encouraging book that shows the way to get involved in this fascinating and not too expensive art form.

Great seller! Excellent product, fast shipment. Will do business with seller any time.

This book was as I expected it to be.. the demonstrations were clear and instructons easy.. I ordered it because of an episode on the Carol Duvall show in which the author painted a beautiful bouquet on a simple smooth rock ..I have ordered other books of the same nature from Amazon before and have been equally satisfied.

It was such a pleasure to receive Lin's book about painting flowers on rocks. I have several of her other books which has brought us lots of hours of fun and fantasy. We appreciate her talents and her sharing her ideas with others like us. Her flower painted rocks are perfect for places like cemeteries that don't allow fresh flowers. It helps bring beauty to our loved ones graves without the work and worry of live plantings. The rocks require "no watering!" Thanks Lin for all your creative ideas.

Not only do you get insights and tidbits that you never could have imagined, but they also get linked together in an informative and fun way. Pete Frame does an excellent job of giving informative and anecdotal stories in a graphical manner that makes understanding the era of music much easier. A must read for any true classic rock fan. A personal favorite.

Pete Frame's obsessive large-format (they HAVE to be or you'd go blind reading them) rock family trees are a feast of rock minutia and an elegant formal statement. If you're of a certain age (harrumph), and remember pouring through the record bins in the 60s and 70s, you'll know lots of these names and albums, and your elderly brain will bask for awhile in the nostalgic glow of... rock and roll reminiscence.

As a reference work, as an aesthetic achievement, as a hell of a good way to waste some time, this can't be beat.

Back in the pre-Internet days many of us gleaned info from record albums, and searched out new music by musicians and producers on liner notes because we had little else to guide us.

In the early 80's Pete Frame was a beacon of light, fleshing out band histories, changes and spinoffs and adding context to the evolution of many great music scenes. At that time few decent books covered anything but specific band histories, and Frame's rtees made for hours of fun reading and paths to explore to expand musical boundaries. His work is as relevant and vital now as it ever was

The only thing that came close to being as valuable a resource was Terry Hounsome's Rock Record which indexed bands and musicians but offered little more that than and basic discography info.

Pete Frame invented a new art form and it shows when you look at how many others copy his style on the web today or just outright steal his work for band reference web sites. It's a shame his various books have been hard to find over the years and that there hasn't a fully comprehensive collection of Frame's work. This suggests it is but I think still misses some stuff that can be complemented by other books - and as far as I know Frame is still churning out new ones, though probably at a much slower pace. So this is as good as it gets as far as an overview of Frame's work, and it's very good.

This book is well worth the price and will offer hours of info and and fun trivia to any music fan interested in just about any realm of rock music in the last few decades.

Hi, I`ve been listening to Music for a long time now and went through a lot of different styles and moods.
Two months ago my girlfriend bought me this book and I am most pleased to research again and again through all the small and big events that marked the best era of Rockmusic.
Through Pete I`ve learned that the picture on the front cover of Airplanes Surrealistic Pillow was taken at the Matrix. Way to go!!
I just don`t know if, by mentioning that Zeppelin never released a single, Pete was refering only to the UK ..? Because in the States the monsterpiece Whole Lotta Love came out as a single in Nov. 69. But I`m just a reader!
Thank you Pete!!!

When you start getting really serious about music, listening to it stops being enough: you need to learn about the band, the members, the changes, the bios, the history behind it all... Pete Frame, in the course of some 15 years compiled this magnificently complex printed documentary that includes the family trees and evolution of most every rock band you can think of dated before 1993 (too bad this was the last edition of this book, which now also happens to be out of print!)

The beauty about the book is that it ties together bands that had a relatively close evolution, such as the case of Roxy Music and King Crimson, for example, who "touched" each other's paths when former Crimson's bass/voice John Wetton landed on Roxy Music #5's album, alongside Phil Manzanera, Bryan Ferry and the crew (the # refers to the nomenclature Frame uses to list the different incarnations of a band). In short, if you can get your hands on a used copy of the book (which is the only way to go about it these days), by all means do so: you will be provided with hours and hours of discovery of musical facts!

any thing by pink floyd gets 5 stars, an A+, and ten on ten. an absolute must for anyone who wants to know what music looks like.

I recommend this book to all P.F. lovers, I collect all of there stuff from books, dvd's, cd's and whatever else is available, this book tells of all whose been involved with P.F. since they've been around, real interesting. Shine On!!

At first I thought I wouldn't like it because it was definitely an encyclopia and I was expecting more of a book (regardless of its name) but the more I delved into it, the more I appreciated it. I bought another Pink Floyd book at the same time so it helped as a reference to that, too. My only complaint is how small the print is. Again I understand it is an encyclopia and know it would be thicker or bigger but think it would be worth it to have larger print. But it is very interesting to the Floyd fanatic like me. It has a lot more information than I expected.

This book is great. Things I never new before. Try it, you won't be dissapointed

This is THE most detailed and expansive resource for Pink Floyd info. That said, it's a true encyclopedia. Don't buy it expecting to read through it, because although its really cool to know specifically what guitar David played in WYWH, you'll find yourself skipping over the page to the next section.

Recommended.

These people are amazing. I have never heard such incredible music in my life. I listen to their music for hours everyday. Their concert performances are astonishing, even those who are not fans (yet) listen and watch in awe. When Till Lindemann sings, I become so mezmerized, and added to this powerful voice is the beautiful music played by the five talents, creating a melody wonderful enough to make a person high. The book is a way to get a glimpse into the lives of these masterminds.

Even though I expected more text on this book, I think it's really good, some of the pictures are masterpieces, especially the ones in black and white. I recommend it to all Rammstein fans. It's well worth.

Im not much a reader, exept for the master mind of horror,
Stephen King and his brilliantly written work. When my book finally came in, I was so filled with joy that I went in my room and started reading the wonderful book which Rammstein graced the cover of. There was wonderful pictures and they six german master-minds of teutonic shock-rock are quit interesting to read about. I must admit, no other band has ever brought me the thrill of being a obssesive fan like Rammstein has. Those 160 pages filled with the deranged Berlin natives are the best 160 pages I read since the hilarious, Gertrude Besserwisser's "Sheisse!". If your a Rammstein fan like me, get Rammsteins book because as long as you have to wait for it to arrive, you'll be ten times as happier to get the honor to hold it in your hands and read it over and over and over . . .
Plus you get to see pics. of the wonderfull mad-men, Till,Christpoh,Flake,Oliver,Paul and not to forget the wonderful,
Richard Kruspe. These guys are great. Yeah, I know that my review makes me look like a Rammstein lovin' ..., but I urge you to buy it as soon as you can, like RIGHT NOW!!!!!

But thats besides the point.

Boy, did I ever love reading through this truly excellent compilation of common promotional and rare personal photographs in this well-worth-the-50 Deutschmarks book about the greatest German rock group of the modern, or any age, in my opinion. But hey, no offense to the Scorpions, or even Kraftwerk, it's just that Rammstein is definetly my favorite. Being of German heritage, I greatly appreciate the material included. There are many great-looking photos, ranging from on the set of their videos, to live in concert, to them on Holiday in Greece and Mexico. But that's not all. From each member of the group (except for Oliver the bassist, for some odd reason) there are personal recollections. What detail, and what exiting lives these guys have led! They speak about meeting, recording, performing live, and sometimes their personal lives as well (i.e. wives and children). And I love it! Back to being part-German, yes, that's just where I was to buy this item, last December, in Heillbronn. Right in the middle of the Weinachsfest und Markt (Christmas festival and market), boy, was that ever a fun time! Anyway, I really enjoy this book. Herzeleid, Sehnsucht, and Mutter are masterpieces of rock music, and man, these guys put on a hell of an action-packed show! But only from what I've read and seen in this book and on the Live Aus Berlin DVD, unfortunatly, I've never actually attended a live show. But that doesn't mean I still can't! I hope to do so one day, yes, indeed! Bottom line here, get this book! The Six Teutonic Titans of Metal will be in your gratitude. Auf Wiedersehen, jetzt, meine Damen und Herren!!!!

When i got this book... ooh, was i excited! this is extremely wonderful and gave me a better insight to how RAMMSTEIN works. Schneider's writing in this is a bit silly and has no real subject (what an awesome guy), but at least it's better than Olli.. who wrote nothing at ALL! LOL. Richard and Paul's descriptions are very interesting about the early days (petrol floor.. haha), and Till and Flake... well, they're just themselves...with sexy results! The pictures are great. i was gazing at one of them in south america so long that i noticed- Paul and i wear the same boots! Such sexy results have we! GET THIS BOOK, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT!...

Do you like adventure books? If you do here's a book. Bone is a great book. Phoney Bone and his cousin Smiley Bone have a Rat creature cub. They go up to the Mountains and try to let it go. But they run into two other Rat creaatures. Will they make it away? Read to find out. Recommended for all cartoon lovers.

We have been patiently awaiting the release of what appears to be another printing of this book. My 8 year old really doesn't like to read...except for the Bone Series. I haven't read them yet but my 12 year old likes them also. I'm just happy to find something he will willingly read. Thank you Jeff Smith!

I have the other four Bone books and they are all in color and have Bone volume_ in the title. Is this book in the same series and in color or do I just have newer or older versions of these graphic novels. I love these books and i just want to know the answer to this question so I don't make a bad buy off Amazon.

Thanks...

"Rock Jaw: Master Of The Eastern Border" is the fifth volume in the nine volume Bone series, which makes it the halfway point. Once again Jeff Smith has done an excellent job of blending humor, mystery and fantasy to create a great tale of adventure

This volume is one great chase sequence, following Fone and Smiley in their adventure where they try to return Bartleby (The Rat Cub) to his people. Along the way they meet the two outcast Rat Creatures, Rock Jaw, an unusual group of orphans, the possum kids, and Kingdok and his Rat Creature followers. Smith is ingenious in mixing in dialogue that advances the overall adventure, with the action of the chase. We learn more about Thorn, the history of the area, and other aspects of the story, even though Thorn, Rose, Lucius, and Phoney don't appear at all.

bone rocks its funny romantique and there's a new adventures adventure in evty onE

Flipping through this book, lingering over the
pictures... what a wonderful way to spend
some moments of your life. It's like looking
through an old family album; tender,
endearing-- elicits lots of happy memories.
Helps the wait 'til the next tour! :)

I have just read the reviews and actually started crying. My intention with this little book was to share with those who loved Bruce what it was like to be on the Darkness Tour. I did not do this for money. I never made a dime on this book. I did it so that there could be a manifestation of a time that will never come again except in our memories. I hope it is a time that you can share more closely with a younger generation who did not have the opportunity to witness what was truthfully the spirit of rock and roll. Thank you to all who shared your appreciation of my work.

Lynn Goldsmith's Springsteen Access All Areas is a photodiary of his 1978 Darkness On The Edge Of Town tour. The photos are all in black and white and they perfectly capture the spirit of Bruce Springsteen. Ms. Goldsmith was Mr. Springsteen's girlfriend at the time and she uses that cache to give us glimpses of the man and his band that other photographers may never have been able to get. For those of you old enough to remember or even attend a show at the tour, this book will bring you back to that time and for those of us who were too young to know, it provides us with a look at an artist establishing himself as an icon.

Awesome - if you've ever been confused as to the reason that Springsteen fans are so...um..commited to their hero, this book will answer all your questions. Quite simply, the greatest portfolio of Concert and backstage photos I've ever seen.

Look in the faces of the people in the crowd - you'll see the connections between performer and audience that remains right up to this day. Fabulous. Buy this book.

This is a beautiful little book which captures perfectly a moment of music history.

Springsteen's 78 tour is widely regarded as one of the seminal moments of his career. Coming of the back of Born to Run, the settled courtcase with his ex-managers and the Darkness album, Springsteen undertook a triumphant tour accross America, playing 1,000 to 5,000 seater concert halls.

This tour was a pure celebration of rock n'roll and Lynn Goldsmith's unrivalled access (she was Bruce's girlfriend at the time) allowed her to record it for posterity.

The concert shots capture the excitement of the shows perfectly, the sweat pouring off the performers, Bruce's mock collapse, the interaction with the audience. I've seen bootleg videos and heard many tapes from the tour but I have to say that Lynn Goldsmith's book captures the excitment of being in the crowd at one of those concerts better than any medium I have seen.

But this is more than a collection of superb concert photos, it also captures the quieter moments backstage both pre and post show (including the infamous Bruce shower shot!) Shots of the band eating breakfast, Bruce writing etc.

This book is pricey but will definately appeal to all Bruce fans and admirers of outstanding photojournalism.

I bought this book after discovering (from a google search) that George Tabb and I share many of the same life experiences - we both attended Leon High School in the late 70's, rode the same school bus (the "Nairobi Express" as George's brother called it), and were both "Rocky Horror" devotees @ the same theater on North Monroe st.

Like George, I also first saw the Ramones live when I was 16(in Atlanta) and later sat transfixed (and alone) through 5 screenings of "Rock and Roll High School" at the Tallahassee Mall and... we both attended the same Ramones show in Gainesville, FL in 1980.

I even wrecked my parents car at the same intersection as he did!

Surfing Armageddon contains so many untruths, distortions, and just plain hogwash that I have to go through them in a list.

1. I assume the sale price of his Fathers house in Greenwich, CT in 1977 was 1.4 million and not 14.1 as printed. 14.1 million for a single family house in Greenwich is high even by 2008's standards and would have been unheard of in 1977. Dunnellen Hall, which is now the most expensive property on the market in Greenwich @125 million (followed by Old Mill Farm @ 39.5), sold in 1976 for 3 million.

2. Tallahassee is within driving distance of, but not part of, the Redneck Riviera as Tabb frequently refers to it. This would be comparable to calling Yonkers "The Hamptons".

3. There were many Jewish students attending Leon High in 1978/79 including members of the football team. There were three synagogues in Tallahassee at that time and the idea that a Jewish kid would have caused such an uproar (or that a group of athletes chanting JEW JEW JEW would force him to pull his pants down to reveal the oddity of a circumcised penis) is preposterous.

And I can personally vouch for the fact that 99% of the boys in the locker room, whether Jewish or not, were circumcised. If anyone stood out it would be the one kid with foreskin!

4. The Killearn section of Tallahassee is a wealthy neighborhood populated by Doctors, Lawyers, Professors and high-ranking State Officials. Tabb's account of encountering barefoot, redneck children spouting off about niggers, jews, and jesus on the sidewalks of this manicured , country club enclave is highly improbable.

Tallahassee is very progressive politically and has voted Democratic in every national election since 1992. Tallahassee was also the first U.S. State Capitol to elect a Black Mayor - James Ford in 1972, 76, and 82 - who was followed by Penny Shaw-Herman (a JEWESS!)

5. Mad Dog contractors are a progressive, green oriented (since 1974), company of (basically) hippies who started a business as an outgrowth of their work with the Miccosukee Land Co-op and are now one of the leading contractors in Leon County. HIPPIES - NOT REDNECKS!

6. Tabb states that 11th grade in Tallahassee is like 6th grade any where else in the country. Because of the presence of three large universities in town, Tallahassee schools have always been top-rated. In fact, in 2006, Leon High was rated 109th in the U.S. by Newsweek Magazine's highly regarded "1000 Best Public High Schools in America" with Tallahassee's 3 other high schools coming in at 115, 153, and 157.

Maybe if he had left Greenwich High (which does not make Newsweek's List) a little earlier he would have learned the history of the Ku Klux Klan and where babies came from before starting college- (we had already covered those subjects in Middle School).

7. I was at Rocky Horror almost every weekend of it's first year's run on N. Monroe st. and never saw anyone who could be called the "Sal Piro" of Tallahassee.

8. I attended FSU so I can only say that his college dorm mate's being involved with the klan and keeping a klan robe in his dorm closet (as well as his racist remarks and violent behavior in the dorm) would have sparked a campus-wide protest and would have certainly resulted in his expulsion had it happened 100 miles away at the other large state university.

I'm just assuming that some of the characters in the book are composites of people Tabb COULD have met in Florida - but I doubt that this really was a student at U of F.

p.s. George - do some homework on the klan - who and what they were in 1980 in central FL. The Southern Law Poverty Center is a great starting place...

Finally, despite everything I've mentioned, and the fact that Tabb stoops to the use of a "Magical Negro" to free him from his conflicted family life in the last chapter of the book, by the end I had developed an affection for this lonely, searching , virgin and actually enjoyed the book.

Like all great writers, you don't have to have read GT's first book "Playing Right Field: A Jew Grows In Greenwich" to "get" his follow up of "Surfing Armageddon: A Memoir". You will, most likely, want to...but it ain't a requirement.

Taking up pretty much where the first book ended, "S.A." is the continued saga of noted punkrock writer/performer George Tabb...a view into the trials and tribulations that helped make him the man he is today. And the title is prophetic as well, as George continues with his personal showdown between good and evil to this very day...but that is a story for another blog.

This a book filled with sex (or the lack thereof), drugs and redemption thru Rock and Roll...those teenaged rites of passage that can either make you or break you.

A rollercoaster of a read, don't be surprised if you find tears of laughter rolling down your face one minute...and those of empathy the next...as GT takes you along for the ride on the inroads of his teen years. You'll meet his siblings...as well as his pals and his adversaries...an abusive father and wicked stepmother...his misaligned mother and stepfather...a brief but unforgetable image of his grandmother Rosie...and includes a roomie whose pater familia is Grand Wizard of the KKK...a cast of characters that you just couldn't make up if you tried.

Be that as it may...it's easy to identify with our young hero, George. Whether you were a geek or a freak...a rich kid or poor...boy OR grrl..."Surfing Armageddon" is a brutely honest mirror reflecting back all the pain and pleasure we hold back inside.

A GREAT read that leaves you wanting more...

but I don't think Amazon would allow me to use it in a review.

Surfing Armageddon: A Memoir is a, well, a memoir. It follows young Tabb from Connecticut confines to a re-envisioned Tara in Tallahassee, and ultimately toward salvation at the University of Florida. Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n Roll ensue. Also a job and a car and more than one obsession can be found along the way.

But let me back up a bit.

I've heard most of these stories over the years in some form or other, usually shorter. But it was nice to read them in chronological order, putting some sense to them. Well, maybe not sense but perspective at least...

This book reads more like a novel than his previous effort. I feel that with Surfing Armageddon, George has finally found his voice outside newspaper and magazine essays - and it is as funny and clever as ever.

Whether or not you know, or know of, George, this peek into his life will please most voyeurs.


Personally, I'm looking forward to the third installment, post-virginity to 9/11 and beyond.

Surfing Armageddon is easily George Tabb's best work so far,and if you've read his columns and last book,you know that's saying alot. It's got everything the reader expects from his stories and more. As George gets older, his style of writing somehow makes you feel like you're getting into your late teens along with him. The stories become more similar to your own experiences i.e. too much masturbating, only caring about losing your virginity, almost dying after smoking a joint laced with enough chemicals to give you the strangest hallucination imaginable, falling in love with the easter bunny at the mall, having a wanna be slave master father who you catch practing cracking the whip in a full white southern suit in the middle of the night, and so on. The book slowly becomes more dramatic towards the end that provides the most shocking and satisfying conclusion that one could ask for.

No one can tell a story like Mr. Tabb. If you've read his first book, Playing Right Field, or any of his MRR columns, you know that.

George's journey through first experiences with sex, drugs, punk rock and Rocky Horror are both hilarious and heart wrenching. The ups, the downs, the good, the bad - George makes it feel like you're experiencing it all right beside him. From his first leather jacket, to losing his virginity and back again... it is impossible to put down. The end leaves you with tears in your eyes, a smile on your face, and an intense curiosity about what happens next. This book, along with Playing Right Field, has skyrocketed to the top of my list of favorite reads, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

This is a well written and well illustrated guide for someone new to visiting Joshua Tree National Park. The dozen or so routes we did in this book were all challenging and enjoyable. There are thousands of routes in the Park, but this is a swell introduction for the traditional climber. At this price I don't see why any climber visiting the park wouldn't have a copy. The photographs and maps are the best I have seen in any book.

First of all, this book is written by some really nice people. This book is void of the elitism that usally comes with a guide book to an area like this. My wife and I have been to J-tree many times but this was our first year with this book. It truely enhanced our time there. The full color pictures are great, and they took all the pictures from such logical places that if you are following a road or trail and find yourself needing direction, you look up and see exactly what is in the picture for the climb you are looking for. My wife and I found ourself laughing on one climb when we were looking off in the distance for a rock formation and spotted the tree 6' in front of us that was also about 6' in front of the camera lense in the picture! And there are climbs that real people can do! I notice in other guide books the only highly rated climbs are 5.12 and up! Get this book, you won't be dissapointed. I only wish I could meet the authers and tell them of my appreciation.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, less is more. This book is a classic example of producing a user friendly rock climbing guide to one of the premier cragging areas, by limiting the scope to climbs that most people who go to Joshua Tree actually enjoy. As the title stipulates there are no 5.12 sphincter squeesers here, just interesting traditional climbs (no bolts for the sport freaks).

Each climb is photographed in color with a graphic overlay clearly showing the route. Most of these routes are short, single pitch climbs that encompass a wide variety of problems with the emphasis on classic crack climbs. Approach info and the maximum protection requirement is noted along with a very abreviated strategy for the climb. Information on lodging and camping along with dining options are covered pretty well, though the surrounding areas offer a lot more variety than the book indicates.

If you're a beginner/intermediate climber and aspire to climb in JT, this is the guide to get.

This book is the best non comprehensive climbing guide book I have ever seen. The highlights are:

- Full color photos of the routes
- Both approach photos as well as close up route photos, making it easy to find the rock and specific route
- Full park map with relative camping and route locations listed
- Very good beta on each and every route (includes sun/shade, rack suggestions, etc), usually about a page per route not including another page for photos.

So basically if you're interested in the 5.5 to 5.9 trad routes in Joshua Tree you'll love this book, simple as that.

Wow! Great book, color detailed photos of routes, sun/shade orientation for all routes & basically all the info that one needs to have a memorable trip in Joshua Tree. Also great to have a book that has a focus on climbs under 5.10. All in all this is the most informative climbing book I have ever purchased. Would have been happy paying twice the price I paid for it.

What started as the personal journey of one man to answer some of the mysteries of life turns out to be a discovery of universal truths that are common to all. The spiritual growth of mankind is at critical point as current events (9/11/01) unfold and the more we all understand how similar our journeys are if we are able to make the connection of rocks to clouds. A truly enriching book for people of all backgrounds and interests.

This is an excellent book, not only for people who are looking for answers, but for people who believe they have them. It offers insight into the minds of some of the great thinkers of our time, but more importantly, it offers a glimpse of the importance of seeking : to find things for which we didn't even know we were seeking.

The author, William Elliot is someone you might know, the boy living next door, who went away to the University, whose parents died when he was young, someone who was raised by loving parents, that is, until they died when he was a teen. He keeps alive the values and love his parents showed him but he is searching for something. He is looking for meaning - meaning to their death and his loss. He was a psychology major at the University of Wisconsin when he conceived of interviewing the "wise and spiritual" people who are alive today. His method was deceptively simple ... he sought answers to 25 - 30 questions that might unlock the secrets to his dilemma. Questions such as, "What is the meaning or purpose of life?" "Do you believe in G-d or Ulitmate Reality?" "Why is there suffering, evil in the world? and What is its cause?" "What is important to you?" "What are the three most important problems in life?" He was dissuaded from pursuing this endeavor, to write a book about his conversation with the "wise and spiritual" people whom he interviewed. He overcame challenges and obstacles to interview the people on his list, all the while holding firmly to his goal. He met and interviewed: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ram Dass, Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuller, Jean Houston, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Rabbi Harold Kushner, psychologist Albert Ellis, psychologist B.F. Skinner, Pir Vilayat Khan, Frances Vaughn, Stephen Levine and even Mother Theresa. He interviewed a total of 21 high-profile persons deemed 'wise and spiritual' by modern standards. The author does not interpret the answers for us, instead he writes out the answers given to him by each person interviewed. In some cases, he writes an introduction prior to the interview, letting the reader know how he managed to get an appointment or interview with the "important" person or else he describes some interesting event or circumstance concerning the interview. He seldom makes a judgement about the person or what they said ... his writing style is matter-of-fact and straight forward. This style of writing makes the book a valuable and worthwile reading experience. It is as if, you, yourself, decided what questions to ask and took the time to write out the answers, sometimes, in utter amazement, that you snagged the interview with his or her eminence ... The author also made a trek to Nepal to meditate and visit one of the most spiritual climates and areas of the world. We learn of his experiences and interactions with people he met there. This book is recommended for anyone who has any interest in spirituality or has read any book by the persons whom the author interviewed. It can be said the author found the truth which he was seeking ... Erika Borsos (erikab93)

This book took the author a long time to finish and just the project itself is an inspiration. The resulting product is a wonderful heart warming book. I got this book from the library and in the end had to buy it. You should too.

I used this book for a study session with 10 other people (common everyday Christians). Most felt that the language was a little bit above their understanding, and many had to really "work" at trying to understand what was being said. Over all I thought that the book gave a very good overview of perspectives that most Christians don't want to engage. Elliott was interesting, and I think that the average person would get lost in most of the interviews because of the language barriers if they weren't familiar with many terms and different religions and or spiritual sources used in this book. It was a little long and I am not sure if anything was resolved, but, we never though we would find the answer in this book. I just hope Mr. Elliott grew from and through it.