The Pride and the Pressure: A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl

The Pride and the Pressure: A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl
Average customer rating:

Another Yankee Odyssey

shoddy

Great Overview of 2006

Decent as a research paper, poor as a book

awful

The Pride and the Pressure: A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl
Michael Morrissey
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385520867
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

Derek Jeter
Jason Giambi
Bernie Williams
Gary Sheffield
Alex Rodriguez
Johnny Damon
Melky Cabrera
Hideki Matsui
Bobby Abreu
Jorge Posada
Mariano Rivera
Chien-Ming Wang
Robinson Cano
Mike Mussina
Randy Johnson

“The Yankees always said they valued players who could handle the white-hot spotlight, could handle life in the Yankee Fishbowl.”
--from The Pride and the Pressure

What’s it really like to wear the pinstripes? This riveting account from New York Post writer Michael Morrissey takes readers inside the clubhouse of the 2006 New York Yankees and reveals what really goes on behind the hype, the media glare, and the roar of the fans surrounding the most fabled organization in the world of professional sports.

The New York Yankees began the 2006 season with baseball’s highest payroll and sky-high expectations—and more challenges than other any Yankee team in history. From owner George Steinbrenner right on down, the team took an urgent, almost militaristic, approach toward winning their twenty-seventh world championship. Morrissey had full access, chronicling the ups-and-downs on the field and the public and private skirmishes that defined their season:

·Why manager Joe Torre and general manager Brian Cashman chose to stay on for another season, despite chafing under Steinbrenner in 2005
·The saga of Alex Rodriguez: his peculiar relationship with the fans and the media and the crushing scrutiny that shaped 2006
·How Johnny Damon, the fun-loving, former Red Sox superstar, assimilated into the Yankee line-up and clubhouse
·How Jason Giambi quietly overcame a steroid scandal and became a reliable, formidable power once again
·How the acquisition of Bobby Abreu at the trade deadline redefined the Yankees, attempting to overcome serious injuries to Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui that nearly derailed the team’s prospects
·An unexpected role for Bernie Williams, a huge fan favorite whose Yankee career seemed to be over until team injuries drew the aging star back into the line-up
·Why the Yankee pitching rotation never felt bulletproof – from inconsistencies by Randy Johnson to the embarrassing injury streak suffered by Carl Pavano
·How Yankee superstar and captain Derek Jeter handled relentless expectations to win the World Series, guided the team through disastrous injuries, and faced stinging accusations of not supporting teammate Alex Rodriguez

Nothing in sports compares to the prestige and weight of wearing the pinstripes. THE PRIDE AND THE PRESSURE takes Yankees fans behind the scenes and brings it all to life.

Customer Reviews:

Another Yankee Odyssey .......2007-09-03

For once, we are not talking about the Yankees of days gone by. We are dealing in the current events of their often lopsided universe, and this book presents all of the players and all of the king's men in a very honest, current spotlight(or glare, if necessary). We are treated to a better understanding of some of the people you don't normally hear enough about. Mike Mussina, Godzilla, Robinson Cano and others are given the attention normally reserved for Jeter or Rodriguez. Even George Steinbrenner is updated to the reality of who he is right now, and not the volatile, cartoonish owner of the past. There is still plenty of ink devoted to the superstars but even they are shown to be every bit as human as the rest of us. Fans who live in the Yankee past will probably not enjoy this book as much, since they tend to continually want to compare every year and every line-up with a time that is long gone by. That's too bad. But for those of us who follow the Yankees right now, today - this book is really a terrific find. The Yankees will always be the gold-standard of class, excellence and profitability, but atleast this book will show you just how hard it is to get where they are and even harder to hold on. Forget curses, spells and other mumbo-jumbo. Success and heart - that is the true Yankee credo.

shoddy.......2007-05-30

Baseball has always been the most literary of pastimes and has without doubt produced more great books than any other sport. Unfortunately, Michael Morrissey's new release, "The Pride and the Pressure" is not an addition to that canon. Subtitled "A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl," the book chronicles the Yanks' 2006 dramatic season, ending with their abrupt defeat against the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the playoffs.

Billed as an insider's look into the Yankees season, the book lacks a strong narrative and offers virtually no detail on the games themselves. Instead Morrissey focuses a chapter at a time on specific players, ("Jeter," "Giambi," "Mussina") causing the book to feel scattered and lacking focus. He often steps outside of his journalist role and editorializes needlessly, calling players "jerks" and other names. The clichéd analogies and badly structured sentences seem to indicate that Morrissey was a journalist struggling under deadline - never conducive to great literature.

If you want to read a great baseball book this summer you may have to pick up "The Boys of Summer," (Roger Kahn) "Summer of '49," (David Halberstam) or another classic. This one isn't much more than an extra long research paper.

Great Overview of 2006.......2007-05-07

Morrissey's book is a terrific synopsis of this disappointing season. It may be quote- heavy, but that is exactly what makes it interesting. He did not try to go through the season day-by-day or month-by-month simply recapping the box scores. He let the players and key personnel describe in their own words what happened, and gave everyone a chance to get their viewpoint across while adding valuable insight of his own. This makes for a much more enjoyable read. Perhaps fans who have already read every one of the daily newspaper stories during the season will not get as much from this. Readers who love (or even those who hate) the Yankees who do not have access to the daily reporting will really love this book.

Decent as a research paper, poor as a book.......2007-04-25

I remember when I used to write papers in school and in college -- if I had trouble filling the page demands, I would stretch the material as far as I possibly could, fluff up the quotes, throw in some extra notes I had edited out before, and so on. It seems Michael Morrissey approached "The Pride and the Pressure" the same way, taking what is essentially an extremely long magazine feature piece and padding it until it became a 250+ page book. It's probably my least favorite baseball book of all time.

I'll admit, I didn't have high hopes for this book going in. I'm a die-hard Yankee fan, but there are two things -- I felt -- that worked against this book right from the start. 1) Despite what Morrissey and some reviewers contend, the 2006 Yankees weren't all that interesting. They had some injuries, some clubhouse tension, high hopes that fell short -- but there wasn't much so extraordinary that it was worthy of a book. 2) Only five months separated the end of the '06 season and the day the book hit the stores -- as a result, there is nothing but quotes, quotes, and more quotes. Any anecdotes on the team or players that were new or interesting were very infrequent. There is probably a reason why some of the best books that recap a season or consecutive seasons (Summer of '49, October 1964, October Men, The Last Good Season, Boys of Summer, to name a few) come out years or decades later, giving the material time to grow and the people that were involved time to reflect back and share their thoughts in a different (more interesting and less inhibited) way.

As others have noted, the major flaw in this book is the use of quotes. I don't ever recall seeing a book so heavily padded with unnecessary quotes as this effort by Morrissey. Quotes go on for paragraphs at a time, and often, they make no sense. With the apparent lack of editing, some do nothing but confuse the reader who is forced to read someone's spoken rant verbatim.

To compare, "Birth of a Dynasty," another recent book written by a NY Post sports reporter, had me hooked within the first three chapters, and it was a breeze to finish. "Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty" was very good. "The Pride and the Pressure," unfortunately, does not come close to either one. It simply did nothing for me and was frustrating to read.

Like I said earlier, it basically reads like Morrissey was told to write a 250-page paper on the Yankees as a final project, but he stalled at about 150.

awful.......2007-04-24

This was like reading a year's worth of newspapers at once. There is absolutely nothing worthwhile that even the most casual Yankee fan doesn't know. (Jeter and A-Rod don't get along? you're kidding!) This was clearly slapped together and put out to coincide with the start of the baseball season. I read a lot of baseball books and this is waaaayyyyy at the bottom.

Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended!

Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life
James L. Sumich , and John F. Morrissey
Manufacturer: Jones & Bartlett Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

An Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life, Eighth Edition, engages students in the excitement and challenge of understanding marine organisms and the environments in which they live. Selected groups of marine organisms are examined within a framework of basic biological principles and processes that are fundamental to all forms of life in the sea including taxonomy, evolution, ecology, behavior, and physiology.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended!.......2005-07-11

This is a very nice book when we marine biologists need a refresher, or as a starting guide to those who wish to become one! I'm a big fan of the 'Chapter Overviews' at the end of each section.

Not sure why it's nearly $100.00 for a paperback book, though. 0.o

Wilderness Medical Associates Field Guide

Average customer rating:

Simply the best
Well written, concise, and waterproof!
Don't leave home without this book.
Wilderness Medical Associates Field Guide

Wilderness Medical Associates Field Guide
Jim Morrissey
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Wilderness Medical Associates Wilderness First Aid Guide

ASIN: 0970464606

Book Description

The Wilderness Medical Associates Field Guide is the perfect companion for wilderness travelers and recreationalists, outdoor professionals, and rescue specialists. The guide contains a huge list of topics covering the major medical emergencies you may encounter when dialing 911 is not an option. Topics include: patient assessment, common medical problems and their treatment, basic and advanced life support guidelines, spine injury assessment, wound care, dislocation reduction, improvised litters and much, much more. The information is presented in a user-friendly format with charts, diagrams, bullets, and tables. Printed on waterproof and tearproof paper, this Field Guide is truly a piece of gear to be included with your outdoor and/or rescue equipment.

Customer Reviews:

Simply the best.......2006-12-20

I teach Wilderness Medical Care to the WFR level and I strongly suggest all our Advanced Wilderness First Aid students buy it, and require all WFR students to have one. These is simply no book that compares to Morrissey's Guide. Personally, I have two...one in my backpack medical kit and one for my bookshelf. If you are a wilderness guide, a SAR team member of just an avid outdoors person, you need this book. (and the training that goes with it.)

Don't leave home without it!

Well written, concise, and waterproof!.......2006-02-23

This little book should be an essential part of any outdoor activity. Covering both trauma and medical situations in the absence of definitive care the book offers a great overview or refresher to those finding themselves in an emergency situation. Written by those at Wilderness Medical Associates, it is used as a field guide in their wilderness EMT and first responder courses, which are also great!

Don't leave home without this book........2003-06-24

I've trained with Jim Morrissey before and can attest that he is one of the tops in his field. This is a fantastic book to take on wilderness trips or even to keep in your car. For one thing it is small, lightweight and packable. Second, the medical guidelines are clear and easy to follow. I could imagine pulling this book out in any number of medical emergencies, both small and large. It's also a good refresher if you need to brush up on procedures. One downside, you will need to make sure you know what certain abbreviations mean if you've never had any exposure to wilderness or emergency medicine. But otherwise, I heartily recommend this book. I wish every backpacker and guide had this book on trips. It would help save a lot of lives.

Wilderness Medical Associates Field Guide.......2000-09-28

"I wish I'd found this refernece years ago. I can't begin to tell you how many medical field guides I've bought over the years. They all end up being text books that are of no use in the field. When I'm dealing with someone with a deep laceration or a broken tooth, I don't have the time or mindset to sit down and read a text. I need to be able to look at the diagrams and charts, figure out what is wrong and what I can do to help while we are miles from civilization. That's what this guide provides. Besides that it's water- and tear-proof. You just can't beat it. I'm going to keep my field guide with me everywhere I go in the backcountry and on the rivers. It's great. It is literally a life saver!

Master Lighting Guide for Commercial Photographers

Average customer rating:

Very useful
Perfect for the college-level collection strong in photography studies.

Master Lighting Guide for Commercial Photographers
Robert Morrissey
Manufacturer: Amherst Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1584281987

Book Description

From lighting glass objects to photographing models indoors and out, this handbook demonstrates how to effectively use and manipulate light using a variety of traditional and unconventional lighting equipment. Written for both the professional and the serious amateur photographer, this guide explains the different types of light and how to work with modifiers such as panels, umbrellas, grids, and mirrors. More than 100 detailed lighting diagrams help ensure proper placement and are useful while pitching ideas to clients. Money-saving equipment and accessory alternatives are discussed along with strategies for working through obstacles during a shoot, making this manual a must-have resource for success on every project.

Customer Reviews:

Very useful.......2007-08-01

This book is well done with lots of photos to accentuate the descriptive language. I recommend this book.

Perfect for the college-level collection strong in photography studies........2007-03-06

What skills produce top images and big sales? Lighting has a lot to do with a photo's success or failure, and the basics of commercial lighting are here revealed in a guide covering how to use and capture light. From selecting commercial equipment to creating setups and shooting using panels, grids, umbrellas and more to soften or accent lighting, Master Lighting Guide for Commercial Photographers is filled with both photo how-tos and business tips for neo-professionals. Perfect for the college-level collection strong in photography studies.

Average customer rating:

Too much repetition
Incredible Overview Of Morrissey's Solo Career !

Morrissey
Johnny Rogan
Manufacturer: Johnny Rogan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0952954052
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Customer Reviews:

Too much repetition.......2007-09-17

Frankly, the book was a little dissapointing. Too much repetition, and not enough about the meaning of the song. Also, too little in the preamble about Morrissey's life.

Incredible Overview Of Morrissey's Solo Career !.......2007-02-20

This incredibly informative book by Johnny Rogan primarily focuses on Morrissey's solo albums, songs and B-sides. The author is very comprehensive and incisive and there are many interesting interviews. He rightfully lauds some of Morrissey's overlooked CDS including "Southpaw Grammar", "Maladjusted" "Kill Uncle" and the masterful "Bona Drag". All Smiths and Morrissey fans must buy this over 300 page book that is laden with details, insights, revelations and glimpses into the enigmatic mind of Morrissey. He is the music industry's most captivating crooner, ardent animal rights activist, literate lyricist and mysterious superstar. Great book by Mr. Rogan. He merits infinite plaudits for this incredibly enlightening book. Morrissey is one of a kind.

Average customer rating:

A great resource for distinctive recipes
You want cookies? These guys got cookies!

The Complete Cookie
Barry Bluestein , and Kevin Morrissey
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cookies | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385477732
Release Date: 1996-08-01

Amazon.com

The Complete Cookie covers everything about baking cookies. Chatty yet precise, Bluestein and Morrissey explain what equipment works best, describe ingredients you might use for all manner of cookies and provide valuable guidance on technique. The recipes, more than 200, include complex productions and comforting ones. The chapter on holiday cookies includes every occasion from Christmas to Passover. The "Healthy Cookies" chapter is inspired. Cute as a cookie jar, The Complete Cookie offers a charming blend of sophistication and comfort.

Book Description

Who doesn't love cookies? Milk and cookies evoke memories of childhood treats. The delicate cookies served with coffee in so many restaurants provide a small indulgence without excessive guilt. Chocolate chip cookies are as American as apple pie.

In The Complete Cookie, veteran authors Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey present home cooks with a single-source reference for producing the best-ever cookies of every kind: filled, rolled, drop, bar, shaped, pressed, and molded. There are chapters highlighting decadent holiday cookies, as well as those of the healthful persuasion (sugarless, flourless, nonfat, and low-fat). Sidebars offer hints and tips galore on decorating, frosting, cutting, and storing, as well as instructions for homemade fillings, flavorings, and candied fruit. Special sections provide a wealth of essential information on ingredients, equipment, and techniques.

Illustrated with eight pages of glorious full-color photographs, The Complete Cookie is an up-to-the-minute guide for modern cooks. You'll find recipes not only for the classics, including big, chewy chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, but also novel twists on old-time favorites -- such as chocolate rugalach (out of this world!) and ginger biscotti (divine!) -- to suit sophisticated tastes.

Just reading these pages will be enough to have even timid bakers reaching for the nearest sack of flour.

Customer Reviews:

A great resource for distinctive recipes.......2000-08-05

If you're looking for a collection of traditional recipes, look elsewhere. If you're looking for interesting twists to old favorites and distinctive new recipes, this is your book. I loved the Devil's Food (with frosting), Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk, and Java Jive Mocha Snaps. There are a number of other recipes I look forward to trying. I wasn't crazy about a few of the rerigerator cookie recipes, though.

You want cookies? These guys got cookies!.......1998-10-28

This is a good book, if you're not going to hold them to any strict definition of "complete". If I want a special cookie, this is the book to which I turn.

Average customer rating:

Modern Nuclear Chemistry
Walter D. Loveland , David Morrissey , and Glenn T. Seaborg
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Provides comprehensive information as a practical reference.
Presents fundamental physical principles, in brief, of nuclear and radiochemistry.

Download Description

Modern Nuclear Chemistry provides up-to-date coverage of the latest research as well as examinations of the theoretical and practical aspects of nuclear and radiochemistry. Includes worked examples and solved problems. Provides comprehensive information as a practical reference. Presents fundamental physical principles, in brief, of nuclear and radiochemistry.

Morrissey: In His Own Words (In Their Own Words)

Average customer rating:

For the person who wants to QUOTE Moz!
Morrissey in his own words
If you are part of the Moz militia, read it!

Morrissey: In His Own Words (In Their Own Words)
Morrissey
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0711915474

Customer Reviews:

For the person who wants to QUOTE Moz!.......2005-12-11

Great book full of wit and humor by the one we all admire from afar! Buy it and use it to spread his word!

Morrissey in his own words.......2000-06-24

Excellent book of quotes from the always witty singer of the Smith's Morrissey. This book sheds life on his opinions of topics raging from: his past, politics, sex, his lyrics, and Magaret Thatcher. This book Chronicles his visions of the band before they took off to stardom going as far back as May 1983 to 1988. Great book, I refer to it all the time.

If you are part of the Moz militia, read it!.......1999-03-19

Anyone interested in the beloved Morrissey will enjoy this book. I am a Moz and Smiths fan, and found that the topically divided quotes help to define his personality, point out how disparaging he is of himself, and that he is a true chameleon. It is fascinating. The only criticism I have is that the quotes are quite dated now, and as Moz is always ungoing rebirth, they may not represent him and his career now.

Tony Visconti: The Autobiography: Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy

Average customer rating:

Magnificent read - If you love music, this must be on your shelf!

Tony Visconti: The Autobiography: Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy
Tony Visconti
Manufacturer: HarperCollins UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A rollercoaster journey through the glory days of pop music, this memoir brings to life a time when men wore sequins and pop could truly rock. Visconti's unique access to the biggest names and hottest talent, both on stage and off, for more than five decades is complemented by unseen photographs from his personal archive, offering a glimpse of music history that few have witnessed so intimately. Soon after abandoning his native New York to pursue his musical career in the UK, Visconti was soon in the thick of the emerging glam rock movement, launching T.Rex to commercial success and working with the then-unknown David Bowie. Since his move back to New York, Visconti has worked with such names as Thin Lizzy, Wings, The Boomtown Rats, Marsha Hunt, Procol Harum, and more recently Ziggy Marley, Mercury Rev, the Manic Street Preachers, and Morrissey. Even Visconti's personal life betrays an existence utterly immersed in music. Married first to Siegrid Berman, then to folksinger Mary Hopkin, and later to John and Yoko's former personal assistant May Pang, he counts many of the musicians and producers he has worked with as close friends and is himself a celebrated musician.

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent read - If you love music, this must be on your shelf!.......2007-07-28

Without sounding like an all-out fan (I most assuredly am!), Bowie, Bolan and The Brooklyn Boy mounts an incredible story beginning with Tony's days as a young boy in Brooklyn, to playing in the Catskills, to meeting the NYC music community, to his loves, to landing in London and meeting T. Rex, David Bowie, Joe Cocker, The Moody Blues, The Alarm, Mc Cartney, having children, getting married, building studios, the fun of it all, coming back to America and realizing great success on his home turf. A MUST HAVE for any music fan!

Average customer rating:

A good, quick read, however incomplete
Scathing, unauthorized account provides some insight, but ultimately fails to satisfy
dont listen to "philmarlowe39" 's review.
Best Smiths book on the market, but...
Seperating the Artist from the Music

Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance
Johnny Rogan
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Morrissey
Rank
Morrissey - Oye Esteban

ASIN: 0711930007
Release Date: 1993-12-31

Book Description

One of the most controversial and complete rock biographies ever written. (b/w photos)

Customer Reviews:

A good, quick read, however incomplete.......2007-08-09

True, this does delve into the divorce of Marr/Morrissey, as well as the inner workings of a great band on the brink of international success and stardom. What could have been...

Morrissey's face, his howling & wailing plastered on billboards and television screens. This wasn't what he wanted at the time, now I can see. The breakup came at the peak and soon the split made them all artists in their own right, with Morrissey 's solo act now conjuring eight albums and more top ten hits than the Smiths entire history.

However, Rogan didn't get his side of the story. Sure, Morrissey could be controlling and introverted; this is why he appeals to us. He didn't get much out of Morrissey in terms of dialogue.

The Marr conversations were also truly fascinating. I have a newfound respect for this already legendary songwriter and guitar master. His dealing with Morrissey's emotions, and his firing of anyone Morrissey wasn't into at the moment was truly another alarming and perfect account of how Rock Stars might do the weirdest things, isn't it?

All in all, I read this just now in a few days, and it is now 2007, with Morrissey still touring on his own and Marr joining the band Modest Mouse. It is safe to say that they are both doing well, and the book is now quite old. Maybe this mythical Boxed Set can finally come out with Marr & Morrissey digging up the archives together and putting it out for their fans?

Only time will tell...for now, I'll stretch out and wait...

Scathing, unauthorized account provides some insight, but ultimately fails to satisfy.......2007-01-04

Speaking as one Moz fan to another, I know it's tempting to buy this book, as we are all hungry to learn more about the greatest lyricist of the 20th century. What makes it even worse is that Morrissey himself hinted that he was in the throngs of writing a bio--but that was way back whilst promoing the Quarry LP, and the wait is hard to bear for us devotees. Still, if you're considering slapping out your hard earned cash for this trash let me just give you a couple of words of advice: If you must get it, get it used. (It really isn't worth it, though--really!). First off, the title is far more intriguing than anything actually IN the book, so don't "judge it by the cover." And, although there is a section on Morrissey's brief career stint as a music journalist, most of his accomplishments (pre and post Smiths) are rebuked as being just part of the narcissistic confidence we all already know Morrissey has a tendency towards. That being said, I think it's quite difficult to read a book by someone who cannot conceal his disdain of someone so well accomplished, who couldn't get the interview for the book (its unauthorized), and so sets out to write a thinly veiled criticism instead...there is no balance....none. Second, this book addresses none of the points that ultimately make the Moz such a cult icon in the first place: his early life, his alleged estrangement from his father, veganism, love interests, or his bouts with depression. (Nice cover jacket, though).

dont listen to "philmarlowe39" 's review........2005-11-07

Continental Op "philmarlowe39 obviously doesn't know what it means to be a true fan of music. he claims you outgrow the smiths. you dont outgrow great music. its timeless. sure the smiths are great to listen to as a teen, but if you love and understand great song writing and melody then its always great. i get tired of hearing these older folks saying "oh i've outgrow this band and that band" when they mention someone like the smiths. i can understand that if your speaking of mc hammer or madonna but not a group which was as amazing as the smiths. oh and this book was great also. thanks

Best Smiths book on the market, but..........2005-05-26

The Smiths are like your high school sweetheart. You fondly remember all the good times you had together, but don't particularly desire a reunion. The truth for me--and many others like me--is that The Smiths were an integral part of my adolescence. I loved the mixture of Johnny Marr's guitars-upon-jangling-guitars with Morrissey's humorously depressing lyrics. As a rhythm section Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce proved more than capable of Moz and Marr's virtuosity. However, it's been years since I plopped "The Queen Is Dead" into my CD player. The strange truth about The Smiths is that people seem to outgrow their music.

That being said, fans (both old and new) of this 1980s Mancunian quartet won't be disappointed with Johnny Rogan's exposé of what went on behind the scenes during the band's five-year run (1982-87).

As a matter of fact, considering The Smiths' importance in rock music, it's amazing that so little (in terms of books) has been written about them and that most of their fanbase knows little about the group aside from their music and the fact they broke up. Perhaps that is the fate of a cult band, even an important one.

Within these pages, Johnny Rogan gives tons of analysis on the Morrissey family, from their origins in the Irish capital of Dublin to their emigration to Manchester. Morrissey's education at a sadistic high school is examined, as well as Johnny Marr's musical awakenings.

We see the group's beginnings and quick ascent as the indie darlings of British rock. We learn of Rourke's heroin habit, Morrissey's passive-aggressive drama queen antics, and the band's inability to hire a qualified manager (which ultimately proved to be their undoing).

The book's strengths lie in Rogan's meticulous research about the band members, their songs, their origins, and those individuals affiliated with the group (producers, managers, roadies, etc.). I was both saddened and amazed to discover just how quickly (and stupidly unnecessary) the band's 1987 break-up was.

The book's weaknesses lie in two areas. First, Rogan has the annoying habit of putting Smiths lyrics in sentences. Heaven knows I'm miserable now just thinking about it. Capisce?

Second, unlike truly great rock bios--like Stephen Davis' "Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga" and Peter Guralnick's masterful two volume set on Elvis Presley ("Last Train to Memphis"/"Careless Love")--Rogan never captures the AURA of The Smiths. Why were they so important? Why did they matter to so many people? Why was their fanbase so passionately devoted to them? Why does their music still matter? It's much harder to answer these questions and Rogan's failure to do so prevents "Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance" from joining the ranks of the truly great rock biographies.

That being said, it's imporant to note that this book is currently out-of-print, so it only covers up to 1992 (the prickly preface included). The patently greedy and unfair "contract" Morrissey and Marr signed with Rourke and Joyce is discussed, but Joyce's ultimately successful lawsuit against the songwriting duo is only mentioned in its early stages. Considering the bitterness involved (Morrissey still hasn't paid Joyce the money he owes him), I personally doubt The Smiths will ever reunite.

BOTTOM LINE: This book is a must-buy for Smiths fans. It's very good, not great, but still a worthy read.

Seperating the Artist from the Music.......2004-11-28

When i began reading this book i held morrissey in high praise. the smiths have been a constant in my music collection for around 10 years so i was unprepared to read what i did in this book. Well researched, well written, and extremely honest, i am now able to seperate the artist from the music; meaning: just because the artist (s) may be asses does not mean that the music will automatically suck. i REALLY enjoyed reading this book, as many questions were answered, such as the Myra Hindley child killings in Manchester, the reasons behind certain songs, etc. i think that with a clearer picture of the band i can now appreciate the music even more.

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