Music Books

I recommend this book for everybody interested in the rock scene
of the 60`s and up !
Al Kooper has a lot to tell of the early days in rock music and is
a great writer .
A lot of good reading and dont forget:
Mr Kooper is still making really good music, listen to the newest
album Black Coffee and see what I mean...

One of the great rock musicians of all-time. This guy should definitely be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in fact he should have his own wing. Great writing throughout, this is the most entertaing rock and roll book that I've ever read. One of the finest memoirs I've ever read for that matter. I wish he would write more.

I did not want this book to end. I have been a fan of Al's since the Blood,Sweat,and Tears days and this book filled in so many unanswered questions I had. I recommend that anyone who likes him in any capacity read this book and see him live.

Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'N' Roll Survivor
Anyone who grew up with sixties Rock 'n Roll should find this funny yet
incisive retrospective highly entertaining.
Al Kooper, a man with 50 years in the music business as back-up, and a
Magna Cum Laude graduate of the School of Hard Knocks, manages to relate
his memoirs in an easygoing, good-natured and often hilarious manner. And,
despite the title and events behind it, he hardly has a bad word to say about anyone (which would seem somewhat incredible). As a bonus, he's a pretty good writer.
Here is a man who, for a half century, has been ubiquitous in the Rock business, mostly in the background but never from the sidelines, yet is largely
unknown outside of the music industry fraternity. And while it appears that credit for his enormous contribution to the medium has been difficult
to come by, he has to a large extent gained the RESPECT he so rightly deserves. Perhaps this is because he comes across as a real
person and not some untouchable Rock legend. You'll like him.
I had a great time reading this book and recommend it highly.

I first discovered Al Kooper in 1966 at a local record store in rural northern Maine. I think it was the Jaquar (or was it a Jazzmaster) Steve Katz was holding on the album cover which drew me to it. Whatever...but, it was the crazy schizo guitar of Danny Kalb and keyboards of Al Kooper which really impacted on me. Later, I recognized this guy "Al Kooper's" name on Dylan albums, his face on the debut album of the first Jazz rock band (with horns, no less)and then his work with guitar virtuoso Mike Bloomfield. Decades later I actually met Mr. Kooper briefly (not that he would remember me)at the Redding Roadhouse in Connecticut and was releived that he was a gracious nice guy, more tolerant than most with fans. Enough about my experiences.

Al Kooper is a musician's musician. His experience spans the history of good popular music from the late '50s to the present. It is intriging to figuratively be a "fly on the wall" as Al relates his experiences with the Blues Project, Dylan, BS&T, Bloomfield, Skynrd, Jimmy Vivino, the Beatles, Stones...shall I go on? His wit, objectivity about himself and down to earth perspective on events which (although many of us see in mythic proportions - Dylan's Highway '61, for instance)he actually lived, make this book a uniqely honest portrayal of the period. If you are a guitar player who grew up during the mid-late '60s in America, you probably were either a Bloomfield or Kalb fan. Well, Al played with both of them. If you are a Hammond B3 player who grew up during the same period, well, you must be aware of Al's work. For you other people who may not know about Mr. Kooper's contributions,you you are in for a surprise, a big one!! Mr. Kooper, as a working musician, provides inside details of events only someone with his experience could. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has even a passing interest in rock, blues, culture or just likes a good read. "Dr." Kooper is one of the good guys and really delivers with this one!!

This is a very light, straight-from-the-pages book. Meaning, it's not like his mother's biography. it doesn't give any insight or past memories or anything of the such. 98% of the stuff in this book is just recycled information from M, Popstar, Bop, etc.

Unfortunately, that's how most Aaron Carter books are. There may not be as much to write about on a sixteen-year-old as a thirty-something-year-old, but you can make it interesting.

All rants aside, again, this IS a fun book. It has the astrological stuff that teen mags repeat every month. However, this isn't the book for you if you've been a fan of Aaron's for a long time. It's very basic, and you probably already know who Nick is, what his birthday is, where he grew up, etc. Not to mention the fact that this book was released when he was just eleven. Most of the book is filler. His life story is finished before hte first half of the book; the last 2-3 chapters are donated to Nick and the BSB.

A recent fan? Check it out. A long-time fan? Skip it.

ohh, if u could read this book ,you will totally screamed.....I have read it and i couldnt stop my self to blushed coz i was amazed by aaron carter.He is so nice than I've known before...You so why wait buy this copy and this will impressed you so much...

I think his book was very well written book.Once i started reading i was devoured into the book. It felt a lot like i knew aaron from reading this short biogrophy. It let me kinda take an inside look at aaron...i learned a lot more about him. I also loved the color photo section in the book. And since i didn't know much about him at the time and i wanted to know more...I read this. I felt like i got to know him. I rate this a 10 star book! Ok I rate it a 5 outa 5..there that better??? So if u are an aaron fan...i suggest you read this! I luv u aaron! Luv, ~*~*KRystal~*~*

THIS BOOK IS BRILL IT TELLS YOU TONS ABOUT AARON AND HOW TO CONTACT HIM IT ALSO TELLS YOU HIS OLD ADDRESS IN TAMPA BAY.I KNOW EVERY ONE SAY THIS BUT I REALLY AM HIS NUMBER ONE FAN, OH BOY WHAT ID DO TO MEET HIM ID DO NEARLY ANY THING. I THINK HES GREAT AND THIS BOOK IS BETTER THEN WORDS CAN SAY...I LOVE AARON VOICE AND PORSONALITY AND THIS BOOK TELLS YOU EVERY THING,I JUST WISH AARON COULD WRITE HIS OWN BOOK THAT WOULD BE SO COOL WELL AS I SAY I LOVE THIS BOOK AND I JUST READ IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN ITS SO GOOD SO BUY IT!!!!!

well..I think if you read this book you would be soooo suprised about Aaron Carter..that he's so awsome..and cute too!!!

Ms. Sheridan really brought this book into my heart. She knew exactly how to make me feel for these brave men and after I was done reading I really wanted to know more because I truly felt connected with them. Excellent book and I do recommend anyone wanting to read a book about the FDNY to read this book first!!!!!

This is a truly heart-wrenching story of the pipers and drummers pf the FDNY pipe band. Written in a strong journalistic style, the suthor really conveys the strength of these men and their close relationships.

While she gets a few details of uniform (shawls for piper's plaids) and piping (puffing on their pipes) wrong, she's really captured the feelings of these men who face danger and death on a daily basis.

From the first page, I was hooked. I felt like I was living that day all over again. This time, I wasn't sitting in my home in Seattle in shock and horror, I was in New York with an emotional connection to the families mentioned in the book and those not mentioned. I have a new found respect for all fire fighters. I already have a great deal of respect for those who put there lives on the line for any job but now it's impossible to put into words the level of respect I have for them.

This book WILL take you on an amazing emotional journey.

This book is very powerful. I picked this book up and thought it would be an interesting read then I could not believe how moved I would become. It is well written and allows the reader to get close to the men and their families. The readers anxiety grows as the date of September 11 approaches. I had to put the book aside a few times and remind myself of the gratitude I feel toward the brave men who gave their lives to save others and inspiration from those who survived and went back to look for family members, friends and complete strangers in order for those who were murdered to be laid to rest properly. The unity and brotherhood of the elite group of bagpipe players is inspirational. Thank you to the author for allowing readers to gain a new perspective of the days following September 11 and what the FDNY suffered. I felt as though I knew these men personally.

Bagpipe Brothers: The FDNY Band's True Story Of Tragedy, Mourning, And Recovery is the true story New York City's Emerald Society Bagpipe Band, who used their instruments to mourn in the and show their respect at the funerals for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, including the 343 firefighters who died and those who were unearthed from the rubble at ground zero. The band itself lost one of its own from the attacks, as well as the brother of a member; Bagpipe Brothers recounts in vivid detail the emotions, experiences, terrible grief and striving to help any way one can in the wake of tragedy. A profound and powerful tribute to both the lost and the survivors struggling to cope.

I had the opportunity to meet the author up at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the time that the Lennon exhibit was there. He was as nice and down to earth as you would think he would be.

Each of these books is an absolute MUST if you are a Beatles fan. I find myself getting one of them off of my bookcase every now and then to read up on a certain album or single...be it VJ, SWAN, CAPITOL, or APPLE. I especially like the Capitol albums book AND both books on APPLE RECORDS.

I'm kinda wondering what Bruce will write on next!!

During the press conference for the Vancover show in 64,Paul voiced his
disaproval of how the American record company would release anything
as a single. During one of their U.S shows John took a swipe at one
of the LP titles. He didn't have a copy of it & didn't want one.After
buying the Capital Box sets of their U.S. LP's I know know why & you
will too. Growing up in Australia, we got the U.K. versions of their
albums - which are the REAL versions & are better. Read this book & you
will see how the record company milked the music for all they could.
Capitol never wanted them but when they were forced to take
The Beatles...they became the most succesful act to have records released by the label. And you payed for that privilage. A facinating book.

This was the second Bruce Spizer book that I had bought and like it's companion "Part 1 - The Singles" it is an amazingly enjoyable book to behold. I've got these US versions in my collection though they are Orange Label 70's variations. It's great to learn about the logic behind their releases and it's equally interesting to listen to a US "Rubber Soul" especially as I was used to the UK/Australian 14 track version all these years... the US Version sounds like a Folk/Pop/Rock Album ALA the Byrds The "Butcher Cover" saga is a production almost bigger than "Ben-Hur". Bruce Spizer takes you right into the minds of those involved with that drama. No wonder Alan Livingston was reluctant to take those 20 "Butcher" LP's home..he'd had enough of them! The Author's thoroughness is never in question and the quality of his books consistently put many others to shame. The label reproductions are wonderful and helpful if you've bought the original US LP's. To think that now those US LP's are now deleted and replced by their UK counterparts. Overall the quality is superb and Mr. Spizer's books sit in the same class as those of Mark Lewisohn's "Complete Beatles Chronicle" & "Abbey Road" books as well as the massive "Beatles Anthology" tome. While each part stands alone quite well you must buy Part 1 to complete the set as they complemment each other really beautifully. I thoroughly recommend these books to any Beatles fan and lovers of Rock Music books.

A great book to find treasures with your old LP's. To find out what version or issue numbers you might own. Pictures are extremely good! With glossy photos!!

This book is the third book of a trilogy that every Beatle collector should have. Starting with the history of VJ, Bruce has fantastically illustrated the Beatles American history on vinyl. With this third edition, Part 2 of the history at Capitol, The photo's, the adverts, and the history itself make this book worthwile in every way.

This book is great! You can: Play guitar, play piano, sing the lyrics....all from this book!

When I say that you can "play like Barry", I mean it. The Brothers have presented us with their well-remembered hits of their collection, and for each hit includes piano and guitar chords. Now, for any guitarist like me you're lucky to have illustrated guitar chords--not just the abbreviations and symbols. I love it when I play my accoustic guitar while going along with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"--sounds just like Barry's guitar playing!! The layout of the music is just flawless and unsurpassable.

And, finally, in the "About the Songs" section of the book, I love relooking at the descriptions of the Bee Gees' hits, where Barry, Robin and the never-forgotten Maurice Gibb made comments. The descriptions give you plenty of detail and I always learn something new reading them--for instance, Robin describes how the UK hit "My World" surprisingly became a hit--that motivates me on their music. What I'm trying to tell you is that the descriptions aren't like: "Yes, a great song indeed" and that's it. Not really.. For example, Barry's description of Stayin' Alive blew me away saying "Light fuse and stand well back"--like it was some explosive piece of music. That section just captivates my attention, and makes me replay their music.

This is one ultimate book that makes you play their hits without trouble! You're definitely missing out on this inspiring book if you don't think about buying it!! Believe me, it's worth your every penny.

This is a 4 CD set of wonderful songs from Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. There are songs from the early days like "I Started a Joke" and "Spicks and Specks", through the disco craze of "Saturday Night Fever" and on to 1990. I is a great collection, one I listen to over and over.

this is a cool Book that gives a overview within the structuring of many the Bee Gee's songs.you can see the Paino Parts&Hooks&bridges too various tracks they did over the years.I've always dug there Rhythm&Timing on there tracks.they understood Hooks really well.and one of the things they don't get enough credit for is being able too Groove during the Disco Era when many acts were just pushing Buttons these Cats could strip down the Groove.

This 43 song composite covers songs from 1067-1990. The chords are set for piano, vocals and guitar. Some of the song selections are perrenial favorites, while others are odd offerings ("Jumbo", "Throw A Penny" "Boogie Child (actually complex)). There is a brief Discography and a song by song recollection by each one of the Gibbs. Some comments are funny some poignant and some silly. Not a bad set.

A great collection -- for Vocal, Piano and Guitar. 43 songs with lyrics and guitar chords/diagrams. Includes brief comments by the B-G's on each song. Contains: Alive, Bodyguard, Boogie Child, Come on Over, Edge of the Universe, Fanny (Be Tender with My Love), First of May, He's a Liar, Holiday, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, How Deep is Your Love, I Started a Joke, I Can't See Nobody, I've Gotta Get a Message to You, If I Can't Have You, Jive Talkin', Jumbo, Living Eyes, Lonely Days, Love You Inside Out, Love So Right, Massachusetts, Melody Fair, More than a Woman, Mr. Natural, My World, New York Mining Disaster, Night Fever, Nights on Broadway, One, (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away, Run to Me, Someone Belonging to Someone, Stayin' Alive, Throw a Penny, To Love Somebody, Too Much Heaven, Tragedy, Woman in You, World, Words, You Should be Dancing, You Stepped Into my Life.

Sure wish it had more . . . .

I bought this book for the illustrations, but I found the story was just as beautiful. My grandson who has just started playing the trumpet loved it, too. In fact, he even made the effort to give me a call after he had read it to share his enthusiasm. I will definately purchase more of this remarkable woman's work,

As an international music teacher we need to give all theencouragement we can give to keep the music programs alive in ourschools. Not just in the states but in the world. This short story relates to the young hopeful musican who hopes to be a contributor to the music world - Keep the dream.

Ben's Trumpet (authored and illustrated by Rachel Isadora) was named a Caldecott Honor book for best illustrations in 1980. Honor! These black and white pics are striking! I'll have to read the book that actually won that year. I can't imagine anything better than "Ben". But that's beside the point.


Summary

Ben has an imaginary trumpet and frequents the outside of the Zig Zag Jazz Club. He plays his "trumpet" for his mother, father, grandmother, and baby sister. But when neighborhood children see him playing, they laugh and call him crazy. Ben decides to quit playing his imaginary trumpet, until he meets with the trumpeter from the club.

Ben's Trumpet is a masterful with a simple text and "art-deco" that is remeniscent of The Jazz Era. Isadora is successful in conveying a cool, jazzy feel. A must-read with a satisfying conclusion. Play on!

R

In the age of computer games and 3-D animation, the simple imagination of a child to envision himself learning to be a jazz musician is refreshing. Unlike previous reviews, I feel the dramatic black and white drawings set off some of the cultural issues the illustrations portray. Obviously, young Ben does not live an idealized childhood at home. Yet, he finds that his passion for music can only be fulfilled outside of jazz clubs (which usually perform late in the evening and he is too young to enter). The point of the book is how he acts out THIS reality. He is looking "outside of the box" (hence the illustrations of his home life) and finds the attention from the father-figure (the trumpeter) who Ben wants to imitate. The book vividly illustrates the importance of role models in a child's life.

There are large and small crimes in the world. Small crimes includes little white lies and petty theft. Large crimes represent something much larger in the grand scheme of things. For example, it is a very large crime that it took the New York Public Library's 2003 100 Children's Books Everyone Should Know for me to discover "Ben's Trumpet". Have you seen this book? This is a gorgeous piece of work, particularly striking in its publication date (1979) but not dated. Not even a little. Following Ben, a young man living in a Harlem-esque neighborhood, the story depicts the boy's obsession with playing the trumpet. The plot is touching and has a happy ending that doesn't feel forced or tacked on. It flows just as smoothly as the book itself. Nice storylines aren't what push this book into greatness, however. Look at the illustrations a minute. Notice Isadora's use of line. Her clever placement of black and white. Look at the different drawing styles that emanate from the jazz musicians and their music. Now compare this to Ben's home, a simplistic realistic series of pictures. My favorite section comes after the trumpeter at the Zig Zag Jazz Club compliments Ben on his trumpet playing. The next two pages show the trumpeter walking away, his body curved, swaying to some internal music. On the opposite page there is a kaleidoscope of forms and images, possibly representing Ben's elation at the compliment. Possibly just serving as gorgeous filler. Please read this to your children. Teach this to your children. And give this book to everyone you know. Do I gush? I know I do. But trust me, this book is worth it.

If you like reading celebrity autobiographies, and you even have a passing interest in this actress, don't miss this book. It really is a very engrossing read. She speaks of her life in a very honest and forthcoming fashion, and she has had quite an interesting life, the most dramatic part being the blacklisting of her actor husband, Larry Parks, in the 1950's, and her "guilt by association."

Also, if you happen to be a fan of either Lloyd, Beau, and/or Jeff Bridges, you should know that Betty and Larry are/were(Larry is deceased) very close to this family -- Betty is Jeff Bridges' godmother.

So, if you know Betty from her movie work (she tells such a funny story about Frank Sinatra, from when they were filming "On the Town"), her stage work, or her TV work on "All in the Family" and "Laverne and Shirley," I think you will more than appreciate this book.

I hope you read this and enjoy it as much as I did!

betty garrett was the best in those mgm movies and she could have been so much more famous

I like Betty Garrett very much! From Laverne & Shirley, All In The Family-very funny! I like that the book is her autobiography! I can't wait to read all about the life & times of the lovely Betty Garrett! I also have David L. Lander's autobiography & the unofficial Penny Marshall book! Any one who's a fan of "Laverne & Shirley" e-mail me @: tiff_lisatony7@yahoo.com. We can chat about Betty, Penny, David, Cindy, Michael, Phil, & evrything else related to "Laverne & Shirley".

I have loved the movies of both Betty Garrett and Larry Parks for years, and now feel that I have read their love story. Betty's descriptions of her multi-faceted career and personal life were written with humor, warmth, and love. She and Larry endured the 'unofficial' blacklist and other obstacles together, and showed what "in good times and in bad" really meant. I admire and adore them both even more now. Her book is a wonderful read and her career isn't even over.

Betty's wit, wisdom and reflections prove that there's a lot more to her than a pretty face and wise-cracks. Talent, sensitivity and grace make her a beautiful author with something important to say. Show business enthusiasts and historians alike will greatly enjoy her story. And, since her career is enjoying a recent resurgence, we can only hope she'll write a sequel, soon!

I purchased this book for my husband's uncle. He and his wife used to follow the Dead. He adored this book. He even found a crowd picture that showed he and his wife. They were thrilled. The photography is wonderful.

This book is required reading for all fans of the Grateful Dead. Wonderful photographs and commentary. It brings back so many memories from years past that I find myself not being able to put it down. I will most likely buy a second copy, just to have it for future enjoyment when I wear this one out. Great job Jay!

Saw this book for the first time at the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland during a cross-country trip (side note: an interesting place to visit. Check out Jerry's guitars: Rosebud, Lightning Bolt, Wolf and 2 he ordered but never played). Bought it on the spot! If you think you have seen all the pictures of the Boyz, think again. This is an impressive collection, perfect for the "Deadhead who has everything". I just bought a 2nd copy, 'cause I know I am going to wear out the first one I bought!

The photographs in this book evoke a community and a culture that was a huge part of my own life during the Grateful Dead touring years. Looking through these photographs brought back so many great memories, and finding photos of familiar faces and places was both nostalgic and sentimental and at the same time incredibly satisfying. Thank you Jay!

I bought the first book as a gift, this is absolutely a fantastic collection of photography, so good I've bought three more. Made several people extremely happy.

Very few books I have read of late I could not put down. This book though, I couldn't put down from the time I started reading it! This is probably the best Black Sabbath book out there and it goes where a lot of Sabbath books dare not tread nor show in a positive light (see "Black Sabbath" by Steven Rosen), which is the post-Ozzy Osbourne era Black Sabbath. Garry Sharpe-Young did his homework for this book and gives a very informative and insightful look at were Black Sabbath went after Ozzy left the band and up to the time they reunited with him 18 years later. Leaving almost no rock unturned, Sharpe-Young digs deep into those days with a ton of interviews from fomer band members, crew, and those close to the band and also manages not to give a very biased look on Black Sabbath throughout the book.
The book claims to be more about Tony Iommi, who was the only consistant Sabbath member from the beginning, which, of course, the bluk of the book is about, but I found that the book is probably more focused on Geoff Nicholls, the on-and-off "official" Black Sabbath member (keyboards, and sometimes second guitarist and bassist) from 1979 to 2002. Nicholls gives a wealth of information on his time with the band (which is the entire length of the book) and is very insightful about his journey throughout that period of Sabbath history. Also, Sharpe-Young manages to contact in some way just about every ex-Sabbath member from that time period (which, from the number of members that had gone though the band since Osbourne left is no small feat!) and get very good information from each of them. Also, interviewing "ex-vocalists" Jeff Fenholt and David Donato was a major coup and it finally sheds some light on thier involvement with the band that fans have been asking questions about for years. The only drawback was not going into both the Live-Aid Reunion Show with Ozzy very much. I know some fans (myself included) would like to know the atmosphere with the original band members at that time and is an important event in Sabbath's history. But, this being my only minor complaint, the rest of the book is brillant!
Well worth the price and bravo to Garry Sharpe-Young for writing such an EXCELLENT book!! A MUST READ!!!!

This unauthorized biography is an excellent piece of research about the post ozzy history up untill the days of the disasterous "Forbidden" album. The book is written with great care. There isnt a whole bunch of "revelations" that real sabbath fans would not have already known, but it is the craft of establishing the history that makes it so valuable. There were many quotes and original interviews that I had not seen before. Certianly Garry Sharpe-Young has provided the fans with a much confused history of the band, brought about by the fact that there was too many changes in the band lineup through this period, and a difficulty for many of the lead singers to continue the role. The book does paint Toni Iommi more mercifully than I thought concerning this period. Many of the line up changes simply were out of Iommis hands (Deep Purples 84 reunion, bad personel problems through 7th star, Glen Hughes punch out incident, etc.) the picture of Gillan nude was pretty gross and shocking. It would have been interesting to see more pictures from Born Again tour (actually the highest selling album of the period) and from the demise of the last period. Certianly the book is complete and paints a world favorite, if not image confused band. A must for any serious fan of the band.

For many, Black Sabbath is and always will be Ozzy Osbourne's band. If you're one of those, than this book is not for you.
But, if you're a real fan and have enjoyed the many post-Ozzy albums this band has released, then this book is a rare find. For too long the era between 1979 to the present has been minimised or alltogether ignored by any who write about Sabbath, as if those years never existed. What nonsense! Fans usually had to rely on pieced together information (most of it innacurate or misleading) from a wide variety of sources to know the complete history of the band. This book finally puts all this information into a cohesive timeline starting from the masterpiece Heaven and Hell album through the 80's and 90's finishing with the mediocre Forbidden, to this date, Sabbath's last studio album. Yes Black Sabbath reunited with Ozzy but only for live performances, save for two new studio tracks on the Reunion album, but I digress.
For a die hard fans such as myself, who thought had heard or read every band story there is, I was shocked at some of the stuff inlcuded here. The whole Jeff Fenhol issue... was he or was he not in Sabbath? Their never ending quest for a stable lineup. The "bassist" in the Headless Cross video. Who wrote what songs on which album. The list of revelations goes on and on.
What really surprises me is the self sabotage that seemed to plague the band. With band members being treated as little more than hired help, it's no wonder there was never a stable lineup! And when they did seem to get it together, during the Headless Cross - Tyr era, they shoot themselves in the foot by reuniting with Ronnie James Dio and putting out a rather mediocre album, Dehumanizer.
Of course, we all know that Tony Iommi IS Black Sabbath,as he is the main part of the Sabbath sound, a gifted guitarist and riff-master extraordinaire. He is the sole original member that kept the band going against all odds. But the best part of this book is that credit is given where its due to the many who contributed along the way, chief among them keyboardist/bassist/songwriter Geoff Nicholls, whose contributions are much more than any may think. Also singer Tony Martin, who is one of the best singers around and on a par with Dio and Gillan, and certainly WAY better than Ozzy, gets his (long overdue) place to tell his side of the story.
In closing, if you're a Black Sabbath fan this book is an absolute MUST!

Well! after reading all the positive about this book, I though I had better give it a go and have a read.
Much to my surprise, it was quite a ramble given all the 'ARTISTS' the author had interviewed to construct the plot.
As with many of todays Music Biographies, the farther the story teller is removed from the actual occurance, the less convincing the information relayed is..
There is nothing here I am afraid to excite, It should have been a book as thick as 'WAR AND PEACE' given the cavalcade of Musicians that Tony Iommi shipped in and out to fill the original members boots, and keep the Black Sabbath flag flying.
This book is definitely Tony Iommis Black Sabbath; and not Black Sabbaths, BLACK SABBATH.....
That being said, it is Worth a read...

The Rock Detector goes to great lengths to provide all kinds of details about Sabbath band members (sometimes too many details about minor players) but...very cool to hear what was going on during those years. Too bad we didn't hear more from Tony, Geezer and Bill but then it would have been 'authorized.' Great to hear so much from Ian Gillan and Cozy Powell and lots of stuff regarding Ray Gillen and Rob Halford that I wasn't aware of.
Basically, the book confirms the Tony Iommi is the Riff-Master! Long live Tony! A must for Sabbath fans.

I bought this as a gift for my niece...she was absolutely thrilled and delivery was so quick

This book continues to amaze me -- no matter how many times I read it. I also have shared the novel with many friends and family as gifts. The story of Bob Marley's childhood is revealed truthfully and vividly through beautiful illustrations by Mariah Fox and a wonderful collaboration by daughter Cedella Marley and seasoned author Gerald Hausman.

The message of this book rings as clear and soulful as Bob Marley's own songs. Adults and children alike can share in this experience and journey of a child - it's a fantastic learning tool especially for kids and the subject matter is sure to keep them interested. Highly Recommended.

Gerald Hausman is a not only a distinguished writer, but has lived in Jamaica and knows the culture with eyes wide open. His daughter, Mariah Fox, was almost raised on the island and her drawings, more magical than real, speak of places beyond places. Cedella Marley was always there, heard all the stories, knows all the songs, and tells the story of Bob Marley's childhood from a daughter's view point. All my children have this book, as do my grandchildren, and one day so will my great grandchildren. Read it, look at the pictures, and smile. It is that good.

What a lovely book. With so much to choose from among Marley publications, this one truly distinguishes itself in that it capture the real spirit of Marley's origins. Since you could call Bob the ultimate Roots musician, Boy From Nine Miles is a kind of Roots for the Marley story. It is certainly geared towards the young ones, but it could easily win a place in the heart of older readers too. The illustrations are very simpatico with the earthiness of Marley's story and helps deliver the Marley tale with earnestness without becoming sappy. Marley was an earnest man after all and it is no surprise to me that the open hearted and earnest style of a children's book may be one of the surest ways to convey, aside from his music, Marley's roots in Jamaica, his spirit and his passion for justice and truth. There is no doubt if you have always loved Bob's music and have kids, this really does belong in your home library. I can totally understand why this would be a hit in the schools too as another reviewer testified. Very nicely done book.

My son is doing a bio bash at school and chose Bob Marley. He's only in the fifth grade so we didn't want him reading too much about him.

I myself didn't read the book - but he enjoyed it and is looking forward to doing a presentation and report on it.