Rock Books

Pink Cadillac's author, Robert Dunn, knows the stuff of Memphis '55/56 -- the days of blues descending and rock rising, the roadhouses, radio stations, deejays, unscrupulous record label owners and the power of the mojo. He's taken that knowledge and transformed it into a riveting novel. I found myself reading late into the night, needing to know how Thomas 'Bearcat' Jackson's record producing career had been destroyed -- why blues singer Sonesta Clarke loved, but couldn't live with Bearcat -- if Dell Dellaplane's powerful father would smash his son's dreams by bringing down Bearcat's roadhouse -- if Daisy Holliday would ever come to her senses, forsake lounge singing in Buffalo, NY and return to Memphis. Most of all, I couldn't put the book down until the truth of the record -- Pink Cadillac -- was revealed. Had it actually ever been recorded? If so, why did it live in legend alone? Did it hold the answer to a mystery that might've been best left unsolved? Buy this book. Once you begin reading, you won't want to put it down.

I read about 30 books a year and consider "Pink Cadillac" one of the two or three best novels (of any genre) that I've read in the last half-decade.

Author Dunn cuts through the sickeningly-sweet nostalgia to which rock's first decade has been reduced, and paints a warts-and-all portrait of Eisenhower-era Memphis: the racism and segregation, the subjugation of women, the predatory practices of the music business, the even more predatory practices of the ruling class, and--on the positive side--the energy and exuberance that made early rock 'n' roll and those who created it something truly special.

Dunn also does an excellent job of capturing the music historian's obsessive/compulsive thinking and behavior--a frame of mind that has motivated people such as I to spend our lives researching and writing scholarly treatises on what the people who created the music often disdainfully refer to as "those old things."

"Pink Cadillac" grabbed me from its opening paragraph and still hasn't let me go, some 24 hours after I finished it. Even if you don't like '50s rock 'n' roll, it won't keep you from enjoying this book. And for we who love the music of that period, Dunn's novel serves both as a triumph and as a sad reminder that good novels about rock 'n' roll have been few and far between.

Robert Dunn has given us a bittersweet story that perfectly captures a time when rhythm and blues was giving birth to rock and roll. A modern day record collector/entrepreneur, grief-sticken by his wife's sudden death, is on a healing quest to find a legendary single. He is convinced that "Pink Cadillac" is the greatest song never heard, a disc that may or may not have been recorded by a rag tag group of musical pioneers in the mid-fifties. Through flashback, the reader discovers the secret of the song, and why its origins have been kept hidden nearly half a century. The colorful characters that populate the story are in and of themselves worth the ride. Thomas "Bearcat" Jackson is a particularly vital and heartbreaking character as penned by Dunn. Bearcat is a brilliant self-taught bluesman and record man, imprisoned and haunted by the Jim Crow era into which he was born. Much to the dismay of his long time musical partners, Bearcat hooks up with two young white kids, creating a new sort of sound with their "Pink Cadillac." But was this magical tune ever actually put to wax? And what dreadful price did Bearcat and his friends pay for daring to make such music together? With "guest stars" such as Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips and Elvis himself (who provided the Cadillac the song is named for), this is a rollicking ride that will be a great read for novices and diehard music fans alike.

I absolutely fell in love with this book and the sexy girl who wrote it. Talk about an honest portrayal of a life badly lived, CJ Sleez is candid about her former heroin addiction, her failed relationships and her many mistakes on the way to living life on the edge. There are other autobiographies out there by more famous people, but none as honest and gripping as this one. Highly recommended.

Poor Little Bitch Girl captured my interest with wide-eyed wonder. I couldn't put this book down for a moment and read it cover-to-cover the instant I picked it up. I learned a great deal of the troubles and triumphs of rock star CJ Sleez. She writes it all in a very honest way without ever falling into the trap so many other writers do of trying to make themselves look good. What an incredible and fascinating story!

I picked up a copy of Sharon Osbourne Extreme and Poor Little Bitch Girl by CJ Sleez when amazon had both books paired together. I hope this pairing happens again to encourage more people to discover these remarkable memoirs by two women who overcame adversity, tragedy and the crazy world of rock 'n' roll to make their own mark in the world.

To say Sharon had and has her hands full with Ozzy is an understatement. I have nothing but admiration for her ability to cope with the Black Sabbath years and with her husband's wild array of excessive behaviours while trying to raise something approaching a normal family.

Hanging out with the Rolling Stones likely didn't help put rising rock star CJ Sleez on the path to kicking her heroin addiction and tendancy to associate with the wrong crowd. Failed relationships and memorable concert performances also add elements of interest to Poor Little Bitch Girl: Unapologetic Memoirs from the Queen of Raunchy Rock 'n' Roll.

Both women have lived life to the extreme, with no excuses or apologies. Both books are the real deal and as raw as it gets. I highly recommend both Sharon Osbourne Extreme and Poor Little Bitch Girl: Unapologetic Memoirs from the Queen of Raunchy Rock 'n' Roll.

Mr. Mancuso has really integrated visualls into music through his teaching and lectures... His book is a reflection of his style. Not one book has more pictures (a lot rare) of artists and composers to show how music has grown in the last 100 years.

It is the most thorough accessment of American Popular Music I have seen. Mancuso's theory of underground inluences is a unique slant on the subject.

This is the most comprehensive look at the first half of this century of music ever put to paper. From the first jazz recording ever, to Mel Torme, to Mark Murphy...to ROY ROGERS.....it's all there!

As a reference, this book is invaluable.

Unbelievable.

A delightful collection of Post Cards depicting this lovely mountain settlement when it was pristine and largely untouched by man's hand. Much has been destroyed and replaced by new homes and condos, but the Historical Society captured life as it once was drawing flatlanders to cool from the summer heat. When transportation was difficult and arduous to Blowing Rock and God was still the architect in charge.

an excellent compendium of photographs which adorned postcards from a bygone era from this wonderful hamlet.While many of the hotels,motels,and attractions no longer exist,you can still find them in the minds eye with this book...truly a treasure to savor and share with your children

A project of the Blowing Rock Historical Society, Post Cards Of Historic Blowing Rock is a coffee table book showcasing wonderful samples of rare, historic, and colorful postcards from the American town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. A brief caption with background information on the pastoral scenes and landmarks enhances each postcard presentation and thereby brings to life a vivid, visually impressive, and memorable collection. A unique and highly recommended approach to regional American history, Post Cards Of Historic Blowing Rock could well serve as an example of what might be done by other community organizations to celebrate and memorialize their villages, towns, and cities.

This book is highly recommended for mining and exploration geologists exploring for gold and copper resources worldwide. It is particularly useful in target generation. Well written!

There is a number of literature published on potassic rocks. However, this book provides a guide for all geoscientists interested in high-K alkaline rocks, particularly those associated with gold and copper deposits. Well written and edited!

Many short papers have been published on potassic igneous rocks. However, this is the first comprehensive work on that topic. The book is well written and 'userfriendly' for all geoscientists interested in the association between alkaline rocks and gold-copper deposits worldwide.

I loved all the great photos and personal stories that accompanied wonderful traditional Southern recipes. Its much more than just a cookbook. The stories about Elvis were touching, and as a huge Elvis fan, and lover of food and eating, this will keep me in the kitchen for months to come. Elvis' favorite cornbread recipe is now one of my favorites. I highly recommend this book for Elvis lovers around the world.

If you want to eat some food that Elvis Presley enjoyed in his 42 years of life, then I'm sute this is the cookbook you would want to have in your kitchen or wherever you keep your cookbooks. If you want to try the famous Peanut Butter & Bannana sandwitch, I'm sure you will find it in here. I don't have the book in front of me. A restaurnt has a recipe for Elvis Presley's favorite pizza. Which I'm not 100% sure if Elvis Presley was a big pizza fan. I think I'm am about 50% sure of Elvis liking pizza. But I am 100% that Elvis Presley loved Peanut butter & Bannanana Sandwitches.

Great book with some super recipes for all families to share! Love the pictures and the little tidbits of family stories. Keep up the great work Donna.

If you are a fan of CSNY, or just that era in California rock, this is a great inside look of how things went down. Dallas is very open, and up front about "Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll". His words also give you an inside peak on the personalities of the musicians you listen to, most notably Stills and Young. The music and musicians are just ONE part of the book. This is the part that made me buy it. The intruige of what went down in the 60s, 70s, 80s.

HOWEVER, as the title reads on this review, it's two books in one. Dallas also did an amazing job describing his drug problems. What drugs were being done, how they made him feel, what they made him do, what he had to go through psychologically, and physically. It was a tale of his struggles ON drugs and getting over drugs. Hospitals, sugeries, friendships and relationships lost.

I've been fortunate enough to never dabble into drugs, but if you have a friend or loved one who is/has, they should read this book. It's a great resource, and could scare them straight.

real life american story of a lost child who was swept up in the compelling 1960's. dallas taylor's honest, revealing story tells what it was like to be a part of history - to experience the tragic/ comical reality of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll -- to suffer and battle his personal daemons and to survive drug addiction and an organ transplant. God Bless Dallas Taylor.

I should begin this review with a little info for anyone who should read this.I read the name Dallas Taylor for the first time when I was about 10 years old,I was reading a name off an old 45 single of the songs Hitch Hike and Papas got a brand new bag.I always wanted to know who this guy was and how to get a hold of him. Well, now i know who he is,or was, but I still dont know how to get a hold of him. This book taught me a lot of the man who last knew my father before he died, and I even found a few pages dedicated to the last moments of his life.I thought I knew about the sixties but this book showed me how little I really knew.Many people who have had problems with drugs or alcohol in there lives will benifit greatly from this book.I hope you all will take the time to read this book.It will help you understand things a little bit better and introduce you to my dads last best friend.

An excellent selection of photos with great text. This book was edited perfectly and it kept my attention throughout.

I bought this book for someone who was probably bouncing up and down at many of the shows depicted in this fine collection (which hardly does it justice) of performance and candid photographs of the seminal figures of Punk. Even though they are the epitome of a music snob and punk aficionado, they were delighted with the book. Now I'll have to go back and get one for myself.

Despite being yet another book titled PUNK this-or-that (how boring) accompanied by yet another picture of the overexposed Pistols, what we have here is a rare and fine contribution to the small flock of top rate punk documentation. For the lost-in-space stalwarts of the "punk died in '77" variety, you will find ample obscure photos and tentalizing quotes/factoids about your beloved NY scenesters (Patti Smith, Richard Hell, Ramones; the usual suspects) and your typical UK actors (Pistols, Clash, Buzzcocks, et al). But what is truly exceptional about this book is the wide territory it covers for the true punk listener. Not only does it include proto-punk legends (13th Floor Elevators, Stooges, MC5) but it ackowledges the crucially influential yet overlooked groups from both the US & UK such as the Avengers, Dils, Weirdos, Stiff Little Fingers, Angelic Upstarts, Dead Boys, Undertones, Black Flag, Germs, and on and on. As a bonus it includes the salt and pepper of much loved hangers-on who used punk to become rich and famous while not ever really being punk (Elvis Costello...you get the idea). This book is great and can be looked through over and over again without boredom. Highly recommended for every punk or jaded old rocker who has ever picked up a photobook on punk only to be bored to tears with 50 pages on Patti Smith/Talking Heads and another 50 pages of Sex Pistols/Clash and little else. And its cheap!

It's a very intersting book.
Rich of wonderfull photo, offer a very completed review of Punk scene.

PUNK: THE WHOLE STORY celebrates some thirty years of a movement which embraced musical and social anarchy and produced not just revolutionary music, but outrageous street fashion. It was born in 1976 and Punk Magazine embraced the music, movement and personalities: PUNK details the years leading up to punk's beginning and offers a color photo-laden survey of the genre essential for any student of contemporary music.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a terrific book.

The only unfortunate aspect is the "offering" by Nick Kent. Mr. Kent, I was there and you were not even a blip on the radar screen. Nick Kent seems to have the same sort of difficulty with the truth that Malcolm McClaren has always had. So in that, his self-aggrandizing claim of being on the scene before there was one is at the very least, documentation of how he considered himself way more important than he actually was to the whole thing. There's a bit too much Blondie as well. She just wasn't what we thought was punk at that time.

The whole movement was thanks to the Sex Pistols and there is plenty of focus on the group and their brief career. The book gives time to their come-back a few years ago which is also very interesting and relevant.

All in all, a good book. Just don't be fooled by Kent.

This book is awesome. I literally read every quote in one sitting. I was either gasping in pain, laughing out loud, or in awe of the common understandings of climbers around the world. I definitley recommend the book!

Great collection of climbing quotes. If you're a climber, or want to try to understand someone who is; here's an interesting collection of quotes from climbers. Range from inspirational quotes, to the irreverant.

Awesome book. I recommend this book to any climber, mountaineer and outdoorsman in general. This would be THE book to have in your tent with you during incliment weather when you are tent-bound. Jonathan Waterman does an excellent job arranging the various quotes under different families and opens each chapter with a witty experience from his own adventures. This is one of my favorite books in my library. BUY IT NOW!