Stone Books

Reviewed by Mark M. Owen, Ph.D.

Rolling Stone Interviews will strike magical chords in everyone. The book, edited with deep affection by Jann S. Wenner and Joe Levy, binds together reprinted interviews with famous people taken from Rolling Stone Magazines spanning nearly forty years. Starting with Pete Townsend of the Who in 1968 before the release of Tommy, and ending with U2's front man Bono in 2005, the interviews capture and frame a chunk of modern history in a truly unique fashion.

For those unfamiliar with the interviews of Rolling Stone, it's not just about music. Captured in raw form are the thoughts and feelings of directors like George Lucas after the release of the original smash hit Star Wars, and actors like Jack Nicholson after 1983's Best Picture Oscar went to Terms of Endearment. There are interviews with comedian Robin Williams, talk show hosts Johnny Carson and David Letterman, and writers like Tom Wolfe, all stand-out artists in their own right.

The most striking features of the book are the voices. It's rare in a non-fiction title to capture so much passion. John Lennon's interview in 1971 shortly after the breakup of the Beatles has more guttural honesty than a priest's confession. Kurt Cobain's 1994 interview captured shortly before his suicide lays out personal demons and screams for help. Bill Clinton's interview from 2000 breathes enough soul-searching sage advice to garner empathy from any hardened Republican. And there's more.

It must have been difficult to choose which interviews to include in the book. Of the multiple Eric Clapton interviews from various issues of the magazine, how could someone pick just one? Likewise, I'm not sure I would have voted for the Axl Rose saga to be included. But I'm thankful for what is there, all in one place.

Where else could you find the thoughts of the Dalai Lama just pages away from those of Ozzy Osbourne?

Armchair Interviews says: If you love music and the entertainment business-and strong stories and writing,this book is for you.

Great talk from the classic era, with great interviews with Led Zep, Dylan, Neil Young, Stones, Joni Mitchell and Billy Joel by writers Ralph Gleason, Jonathan Cott, Timothy White, Cameron Crowe, Bob Greenfield and more rock scribes. Neat time capsule.

The presses of Rolling Stone magazine began to roll in San Francisco in the midst of a world-shaking consciousness-raising wake-up call centered around music, peace, and love. Many magazines published interviews, but The Rolling Stone Interview was definitive--in the interviewee's own words, unedited, uncensored, and whatever amount of space needed.

This book includes important interviews from 1967 to 1980 with some of the most great musicians of the time. Their words are as timeless as the music.

Ralph Gleason was a SF music columnist with an ear for great music from the jazz era to the emerging music of the mid 60s. Gleason joined with Rolling Stone Founder/Publisher Jann Wenner and contributed crucial reviews about the local bands and musicians. (Those columns alone would make an important book about the times.) Gleason did a Rolling Stone Interview with Bob Dylan in 1967. Dylan was interviewed again in 1969 by Wenner. The amazing 1972 Rolling Stone Interview with Jerry Garcia was a conversation with Wenner and Charles Reich.

The book is illustrated with photographs.

The interviews in this book--

Donovan 1967 (J Carpenter)
Bob Dylan 1967 (Gleason)
B.B. King 1968 (Gleason)
Eric Clapton 1968 (Wenner)
Pete Townshend 1968 (Wenner)
Mick Jagger 1968 (J Cott)
Jim Morrison 1969 (J Hopkins)
Phil Spector 1969 (Wenner)
Bob Dylan 1969 (Wenner)
Little Richard 1970 (D Dalton)
Van Morrison 1970 (H Traum)
Grace Slick & Paul Kantner 1970 (B Fong-Torres)
Rod Stewart 1970 (J Morthland)
John Lennon 1971 (Wenner)
Keith Richards 1971 (R Greenfield)
Jerry Garcia 1972 (Wenner & C Reich)
Paul Simon 1972 (J Landau)
Chuck Berry 1972 (P W Salvo)
Keith Moon 1972 (J Hopkins)
James Taylor & Carly Simon 1973 (S Werbin)
Ray Charles 1973 (B Fong-Torres)
Johnny Cash 1973 (R Hilburn)
Stevie Wonder 1973 (B Fong-Torres)
Elton John 1973 (P Gambaccini)
Paul McCartney 1974 (P Gambaccini)
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant 1975 (C Crowe)
Neil Young 1975 (C Crowe)
Mick Jagger 1978 (J Cott)
Linda Ronstadt 1978 (P Herbst)
Bob Dylan 1978 (J Cott)
Paul McCartney 1979 (P Gambaccini)
Joni Mitchell 1979 (C Crowe)
James Taylor 1979 (P Herbst)
Pete Townshend 1980 (G Marcus)
Billy Joel 1980 (T White)

Todo lo que traiga informacion de la mejor y mas grande banda de rock del mundo es bienvenida. Siempre sera sabroso conocer detalles de su historia y de su largo caminar en el mundo del rock. Gran libro.

Este es un libro que vale la pena leerse, escrito por un verdadero fan y conocedor de los Rolling y no por un articulista cubriendo un encargo. Conocí muchos nuevos aspectos del grupo que me eran desconocidos y me queda claro que su aportación a la música y a la cultura es algo que tendrá que estudiarse algun día en las universidades. Los Rolling fueron una gran banda, con un legado tan grande que cuando ya no estén, el vacío será difícil de llenar. El día de ayer los Rolling agotaron las entradas a sus conciertos en Irlanda en seis minutos, lo cual me hace recordar un pasaje de la introducción del libro que recuerda cómo en los años noventas aparecieron fantásticas bandas alternativas, nuevos actos en el pop que hacían uso de su legado, pero ninguno de ellos fue tan bueno como los Stones. Cuando todos los daban por muertos, volvieron más viejos y sabios. "Ahora somos unos fascinantes viejos de mierda", en palabras de Keith. ¡Este libro captura la esencia de los Rolling Stones!

¿Cuántos libros más sobre los Rolling Stones hacen falta? Considérese que hasta Tony Sánchez ha empezado a anunciar la segunda parte de su famoso "Up and down with The Rolling Stones", y pareciera que ya existen demasiados. Sin embargo, ya desde las primeras páginas, este libro nos hace opinar lo contrario . Muchos trabajos literarios sobre los Rolling Stones prometen contarnos su historia "como nunca antes la habías escuchado"; para los conocedores, esta promesa por lo general queda sin cumplir, pero "Bailando con el diablo" efectivamente se lee distinto, en ocasiones como crónica, en ocasiones como historia de suspenso y en otras con suficiente buen humor. Dividida en cuatro partes, el autor desarrolla una propuesta en la primera de ellas, dedicada a la historia, señalando cómo los Rolling Stones vivieron de la provocación en todos sus niveles y de hacer señalamientos que no siempre resultaron muy cómodos. La narración está intercalada con palabras muy reveladoras de los propios Stones, lo que demuestra un gran trabajo de investigación. Los pasajes son vívidos e intensos, por ejemplo, cuando el propio Bill Wyman relata como Keith Richards se retorcía en el piso del dolor por falta de droga, o el propio guitarrista, cuando narra como conocieron a Muddy Waters en su primera visita a los estudios Chess (la leyenda del blues les cargó sus maletas). La segunda parte es la más extensa y está dedicada a comentar disco por disco, yendo siempre más allá de la simple enumeración de las canciones. En cada disco hay suficientes párrafos para hacer buenos análisis sobre la trascendencia de las letras, los acontecimientos personales de la banda y los momentos históricos que produjeron sus mejores obras, etcétera. El autor conoce lo que está haciendo, abundando el libro con información que no había encontrado en otras obras. La tercera parte es una semblanza de cada uno de los miembros que han pertenecido al grupo, aunque se extraña la presencia de Darryl Jones y Ian Stewart. La cuarta parte completa la obra con un ABC de la banda, hablando de todos los aspectos que no alcanzan a cubrir las tres primeras, como su carrera cinematográfica y un analisis sobre los temas inéditos. Primera vez que me entero que los Rolling tambien grabaron "Roll over Beethoven". En general, un esfuerzo muy original que será indispensable en toda buena bibliografía sobre el grupo. Es de agradecer la exhaustividad con la que se presenta. Definivo que no habíamos tenido la oportunidad de ver una obra tan completa sobre los Rolling desde el recordado libro de Jordi Sierra I Fabra. Atte. David H.

Remedy for the conciousness, just like any of the books by this great man. Entire book is answers to questions addressed to him on various topics.

osho's sermons in stones is a book that i found difficult to put down. from start to finish, osho kept my interest in what for me is a lengthy book(almost 600 pages). topics range from love to death to politicans and the blind leading the blind. osho is very good at mixing social issues to their foundations, (personal issues). osho's words are freeing for those interested in a self-spiritual journey. one can easily see the taoistic,zen,buddhism,and hinduism influences in his ideals..and yet he easily seperates himself from these religions, finding his own truth's. it's a wonderful read for those open to unique approaches to spirituality.

For spiritual seekers all over the world having a Master to answer your questions is indeed a wonderful opportunity. For those of us who have not had the chance to be with an enlightened being, reading this book is the second best thing. In spite of its 593 pages, I could hardly put it down. Every question and its answer were an opportunity for me to go in, to touch my inner wisdom. That's what a Master does to the disciple.

This book is filled with inspiring photographs as well as many interesting, educational, and thoughtful texts to go along. I love to watch boxing and admire the heart of the sport. This book encaptures that vulnerable side of the sweet science. I highly reccommend this to all boxing fans.

Enhanced with a foreword by the renowned world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice & The Will To Survive is compiled and edited by photographer Jim Lommasson, who has been documenting boxing gyms from more than a decade. Informed and informative essays are contributed by boxing enthusiasts Katherine Dunn, Carlo Rotella, Kate Sekules, Lucius Shepard, Robert Anasi, Ralph Wiley, F. X. Toole, Loic Wacquant, Joe Rein, Rene Denfeld, Larry Seurynck, Timothy Taylor, and Mark Kram, Jr. With the inclusion of 110 duotone and 65 color photographs, this 176-page, strongly recommended compendium provides a unique pictorial insight into the world of professional gyms and what those men and women who aspire to excel in their chosen sport/profession and is of especial interest to dedicated fans of boxing, as well as students of American popular sports culture.

Shadow Boxers is a miracle of a Father's Day gift. Not without a fight, however, will pop hold onto the book--not while his wife and children are around to read it and, of course, look at it.

The universal appeal of Shadow Boxers owes much to its balanced tone, primal subject, and powerful contributors. Here are writers contending in their own prize rings--Esquire, The New Yorker, National Geographic, Time Magazine, Harper's--for trophies as big as the National Book Award and The Best American Sports Writing. Katherine Dunn, especially, packs a mean punch; again and again she finds your solar plexus before you've finished her first paragraph. (A sample: "One day many years ago, I rode my press credential into a busy boxing gym and was shocked to see a hard-punching monster known as Frankie `The Preacher Man' doing push-ups in the ring with his year-old son sprawled on his back. Amid the din of ringing bells, drumming speed bags, and smacking leather, the baby slept, his long lashes fanned across the chubby cheeks, rocking in the smooth rise and fall of his father's powerful shoulders.")

The photographs alone are worth the cost of admission. Jim Lommasson approaches his subject with the hard-hitting nostalgia of Annie Leibovitz, alongside whose photos of bluesmen, rockers, and gospel singers these fighter shots necessarily belong. Indeed, Pottery Barn has yet to make the coffee table worthy of holding Lommasson and Liebovitz's rock-solid studies of two deep-dyed national passions: Shadow Boxers and American Music (Random House, 2003).

Shadow Boxers opens with a foreword by heavyweight champ Joe Frazier (sole inspiration of the beef-punching scene in Rocky) and features a brief but vivid history of boxing gyms.

The ensuing essays abound with keenly observed ironies about the noble science (e.g., "The game is brutal, but its core is strangely gentle"; "It's dawned on me over the years that there is less macho posturing in boxing gyms than in the average corporate boardroom"), and with crisp details (e.g., the memorable description of Larry Holmes' "jump jab," and the sketch of a city gym in Portland, Oregon, where "a speed bag hung several feet above a wooden pallet, which was used to help children reach the leather punching bag"). So, too, do the essays abound with sharp personal accounts (e.g., a Golden Glove champ who "never weighed more than 140 pounds" and who first entered the gym owing to his girlfriend's parting shot: "you're not man enough"), and with touching accounts of young hoods meeting the coaches who might not only change their lives but save them.

To read Shadow Boxers is to feel the strange warmth, the beckoning glow of boxing gyms, those shabby sanctuaries where individuals can still find a devoted mentor, a group of brothers and sisters, a path toward redemption.

This book is about a girl whose dad is in the Iditarod race in Alaska. But he can't race with his lead dog because she is going to have puppies... so he gets the second lead dog. The musher's daughter wants a dog and on her birthday the first lead dog has puppies and because it's her birthday, she gets to keep one of the puppies. She names it Silver.

I think you would like to read this book because it's about a little girl and how she gets a puppy. It is a chapter book. And it has lots of action. The pictures are black and white drawings. When I'm older, I want to go in the Junior Iditarod.

In this book, there is a girl named Rachel who is very happy because she tried to get a sled dog, and gets a puppy. She names it Silver because it looks silver, and has one eye brown and one eye blue. She trains him so well that he becomes a racing dog. Silver was lost and she went to go look for him, and found wolf tracks that led to a hole where a baby wolf was trapped and dead. Silver was behind the dead wolf and he was safe, but he scared the big wolf that was about to hurt Rachel. The dad said that the big wolf wanted Silver to replace the dead wolf. In the end, her dad wins a race and Silver grows up to be a good, strong racing dog.

My favorite part is when her dad wins the race, because it is the happiest part. It was really scary when Rachel saw the dead wolf. This book might be a little too scary for first graders, but it is really exciting for older kids, especially in the parts when her dad wins and when she gets a puppy. This was a great book and I'm happy I read it. By JG.

Silver is a book that takes place in Alaska. 10 year old Rachle is the daugher of a musher. All that Rachle wants is a huskey. One of the dogs gave birth to a puppy named Silver. One day she left the gate open. Then she gose looking for him finds him by a tree. Then get caught in a blizzard.
I think it was a good book and really cool. Sit at edge of your seat excitement. However if I were the athor of this book I would change the ending,because didn't match the middle. By:Savannah

What a breath of fresh air! Skimmin' Stones is light, adventurous and fun. It has a lilting quality that gives you the sense that you are there, in Ireland, laughing and exploring with these three boys. Three days of their lives was a tantilizing invitation to the style of the writer and his imaginative creativity. Definately a book to enjoy!

A wonderful glimpse into another life. Murrays style throws the reader into his world - one emerges from this story stirred not shaken. More please, Mr Murray.

I approached this book as somewhat of a requirement since the author is a close personal freind. I was hoping that Nick would do himself credit as he is a person of extreme wit. He has the ability to mesmerize those who listen to his truly outrageous stories. I was not at all dissapointed by his first book. Skimmin Stones is a multilayered book that at times shocks, saddens, envigorates and definately entertains. My only regret that Nick only covered only 3 days of his childhood. Knowing that these events really happened I only wish we could here more. Perhaps we could at some point revisit the lives of these three intresting boys. I wish the author the best of luck on his next project.

This small history of two Koreans who met and created a life together in Hawaii offers fascinating insights into many tidbits of the American experience. It is told in a touchingly straight-forward way by a Korean-American physician about her own parents and family.

Starting in Korea during the years before World War II, the story follows the author's mother and father as they leave behind their their homeland and journey seperately to Hawaii, where they meet each other, marry and raise a family. The book's charm lies not in any epic passages or literary fireworks, but in the very simplicity of the story and the essential ordinariness of the protagonists.

Although the homeland and culture of the the author's parents are quite different from typical Americans, their struggle to survive, prosper, and raise a family in a new environment is simply a new face on an essential story. It reflects the life and aspirations of millions of immigrant families from all over the world who left behind everything familiar and came to America to pursue dreams unattainable in their land of birth. It is the story of the ancestors of most Americans.

This beautiful tale of endurance and love follows a man and a woman from their seperate roots in Korea to their meeting in a far land. Colorfully written, the book offers glimpses of traditional culture and a history of Hawaiian immigration. This is a moving tribute to the heart-wrenching obstacles faced by those in search of a better life. Bravo!

This is a wonderful book about the journey of two Korean immigrants to the United States and how they meet, fall in love, and raise a family in America. It gives a view of Korean life at the turn of the century and of life in Hawaii through WWII. Whether you are Korean American, an immigrant (or child of one)from another country, or simply looking for a heart-warming story, this book should be especially interesting.

Very comprehensive easy-to-read book for a recovering alcoholic. Is arranged nicely, and many helps which are easy to read.

This is beyound a doubt one of the best books on Alcoholics Anonymous that I have ever read. It is full of quotes,stories,prayers and sayings that are used in A.A. and other 12 step recovery programs every day. Although not authorized by A.A, alot of the material is used with their permission and it is certainly a book that anyone in recovery should have

I LOVE this book! This is, without a doubt, the best best book that I have come across in my 18 mos (and counting!) of recovery. The 12 Step Principles are explained through a collection of writings - I especially love the Acceptance section. Numerous prayers (spiritual - - NOT religious), slogans and AA antidotes (The 12 Steps to Destruction)are included as are classic essays on acceptance, spirituality, meditation, serenity, fellowship, surrender, etc... A "must have" - especially for newcomers!

I found this book very easy to read and enjoyable as well as helpful. I truley feel this is a book you read many times and each time you come away with more answers and inspiration.
Well done Dr Sams. I am waiting for your next book.

For a very busy psychologist to actually look at the world through the eyes of a "normal" person, whatever that is, and then write about it, using his life and experiences as viable examples, takes courage. Dr. Sams is not "heady" in his writing style, but rather, he writes from the heart with an immense measure of vulnerability and just the right touches of humor. As you cruise through the chapters, you meet the true man, separate from his profession, who is indeed passionate and has a multitude of purposes. Whether you're reading his chapters on self-love, and learning how to bring passion back into your relationships, or learning how to forgive another person who most of us would say is unforgiveable, Tim Sams has you rolling on the floor with laughter one moment, and then reaching for a tissue with the depth of his real-life scenarios, the next moment. But through it all, he guides the reader to a new understanding and provides tools and insights that when applied, could certainly be phrased as "life changing." In ten easy-to-learn steps, you begin to realize how that passion and purpose that you thought you lost, is still attainable if you'll only say, "I Can." I commend this author for completing the manuscript and sharing his knowledge with the world. For although I was his mentor and muse throughout the writing process, it was Tim who pushed on, never giving up, until he typed, "The End." I just know that Tim Sams will write more books, and I believe his readers will be amazed once again when he puts his pen to paper for that novel that's begging to come out. You should read the poem at the beginning of the book, and then read the epilogue. This is not your average self-help book, and I challenge you not to laugh or reach for a tissue as you realize the wisdom and true-life applications that are breathed into this stellar book. And I'll even go so far as to say that if you already have passion and purpose in your life, and believe that you are an individuated person, Dr. Tim will still bring fresh insight into your knowingness.

The best self-help book in decades. - insightful, sensitive, and humorous. Psychologists should buy it and recommend it to their patients.

I read this book 11 years ago and thought it was exceptional. It changed the
way I ate. I still eat well with a mind toward what I learned from this book. I am 30 now and still have the same waist size. I would like to get a copy of this book for a friend of mine. He let me borrow it and subsequently let other people borrow it. He no longer has this and and would really appreciate another copy. Please consider republishing. Thanks.

This fine book is unfortunately out of print and very difficult to find. I finally located a copy through inter-library loan and find it to be extremely well-written and meticulously researched. Quite simply, it is a must for anyone interested in improving their health and for anyone interested in the history of the human diet. The book was self-published by Dr. Voegtlin via Vantage Press and he is now deceased -- but if any of his family reads this review, I urge them to please reprint the book. Dr. Voegtlin has written such a wonderful work and it is a real shame that it is out of print. I suggest that the book be self-published again and sold via the Internet. There is growing interest in paleo type dietary regimes and this book deserves to be read. Please don't let such a terrific book collect dust and remain unread for generations to come.

This book was way ahead of it's time. Dr. Voegtlin was my grandfather. His insight into nutrition was incredible. He actually paid to have his book published because no companies would. Hindsight is 20/20 and now it's time to take a look at our current nutritional status.