Amazon.com
Right in time for the Grateful Dead's 40th anniversary, eccentric bass player extraordinaire Phil Lesh has delivered fans a most welcome gift: his autobiography. There are many books out there about the Dead told from the perspective of roadies, journalists, third party observers, and fans. However, with the exceptions of Jerry Garcia's ramblings in Garcia: A Signpost to New Space and Conversations With the Dead, Lesh's Searching for the Sound is the first time a founding member of America's favorite band tells their own story of what it was like inside the Grateful Dead. And what a wonderful, strange tale it is.
Phil Lesh, considered the most academic of the group due to his avant-garde classical composition training, literate mind, and passion for the arts, decided to write his story himself. Written without the crutch of a ghostwriter, Searching for the Sound might be considered disjointed in places, but overall it comes across as conversational, intimate, informative, and candid (particularly regarding topics of drug use and death). If you are familiar with the band and their extended family, their history, the sixties' musical milestones and influences and all the band's famous tales (the Garcia/ Lesh "silent" confrontation, being busted on Bourbon Street, the Wall of Sound), you may be a little disgruntled there is not much new here in the way of content. However, what is "new" and totally satisfying is Phil's warm, optimistic perspective on the many events that helped shape his life. As described by Lesh, his life's journey, much like the Dead's music, is "a [series] of recurring themes, transpositions, repetitions, unexpected developments, all converging to define form that is not necessarily apparent until it's ending has come and gone." For the many fans who enjoyed the fruits of his life pursuit of sonic explorations, Searching for the Sound is a welcome addition to their Dead library. --Rob Bracco
Book Description
Right in time for the Grateful Dead's 40th anniversary, eccentric bass player extraordinaire Phil Lesh has delivered fans a most welcome gift: his autobiography. There are many books out there about the Dead told from the perspective of roadies, journalists, third party observers, and fans.However, with the exceptions of Jerry Garcia's ramblings in Garcia: A Signpost to New Space and Conversations With the Dead, Lesh's Searching for the Sound is the first time a founding member of America's favorite band tells their own story of what it was like inside the Grateful Dead. And what a wonderful, strange tale it is. Phil Lesh, considered the most academic of the group due to his avant-garde classical composition training, literate mind, and passion for the arts, decided to write his story himself. Written without the crutch of a ghostwriter, Searching for the Sound might be considered disjointed in places, but overall it comes across as conversational, intimate, informative, and candid (particularly regarding topics of drug use and death). If you are familiar with the band and their extended family, their history, the sixties' musical milestones and influences and all the band's famous tales (the Garcia/ Lesh "silent" confrontation, being busted on Bourbon Street, the Wall of Sound), you may be a little disgruntled there is not much new here in the way of content. However, what is "new" and totally satisfying is Phil's warm, optimistic perspective on the many events that helped shape his life. As described by Lesh, his life's journey, much like the Dead's music, is "a [series] of recurring themes, transpositions, repetitions, unexpected developments, all converging to define form that is not necessarily apparent until it's ending has come and gone." For the many fans who enjoyed the fruits of his life pursuit of sonic explorations,Searching for the Sound isa welcome addition to their Dead library. --Rob Bracco
Customer Reviews:
Moonlight Rain.......2007-05-31
I FINALLY finished this book. It took two or three false starts (i.e., read up to page fifty and stop; wait a month or two, read up to page 50 and stop) but 6 days in the hospital (nothing life threatening) gave me ample time to finish the book. Fascinating- yes. Filled with interesting facts- yes. Reads more a history text book than the autobiography of a rock star- yes. I kept referring to a dictionary ever time (frequently) Phil used a word that I had never heard before. One cool thing is Phil refers to composers (Stockhausen, Berio, etc.) that most Deadheads would enjoy. (BTW, I've been hip to Stockhausen for several years. If you think the Grateful Dead invented "Space", you are wrong.) The same goes for references to books he has read. Basically, it's a slow read but very interesting. What I want to know is with all of the LSD he took, how he was able to remember tiny details from 1966?
Bass-ically where its at!.......2007-05-14
As a bassist myself, I relate to Lesh's writing and train of thought. He documents being a part of Grateful Dead as more of an ironic string of occurances than a drugged out trip. His book is incredibly personal while he discusses such moments as learning an instrument overnight, attending classical concerts while on tour, loosing friends, and finding the inner peace in chaos. He is funny, sad, and everything in between. Although some of the technical parts get a bit too detailed for those unfamiliar with sound technology, one can understand how dedicated he was to his craft aside from the music and lyrics. I liked how Lesh pointed no fingers, rather pushed towards the positives in everyone. I would recommend reading this book with Rock Scully's Living With the Dead because they follow the same format and share similar situations. Lesh's however comes across more intimately humorous. I strong urge readers to dig into this book!
Interesting and Illuminating.......2007-03-26
I've never been to a Dead concert, but once had a roommate in college who'd recorded about 100 of them, which he constantly played, so I've certainly heard my share of Live Dead. Everyone w/ a passing knowledge of the Dead knows that their best stuff was live, not studio. Just an observation that has nothing to do with the Lesh book. It's an interesting read and Lesh is an interesting character. Especially funny was how he got out of the army:
Army Doctor: "read the bottom line on the eye chart" Lesh: "I can't see anything" Army Doctor: "You can't see the bottom line of the chart?" Lesh: "What chart?" Army Doctor: "The chart on the wall" Lesh: "What wall?" Lesh certainly is thoughtful and observant. A good journey through the history of the Dead and sometimes quite moving.
Good 'Ol G.D........2007-01-21
My brother got this book signed by Phil himself. Another biography of the Grateful Dead. Written by One of the band members. It's good. Phils good. Check it out.
Searching for a Ghost Writer.......2006-11-23
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Not by the writing. In fact, some of the prose is quite unnerving, such as "if Mickey had been born Native American, his name would have been `Pushing the Envelope.'" Although he did remember the concept of foreshadowing from High School English, and he makes of point of highlighting all of the ominous signs of the chaos to come. But overall I was surprised, because, unlike many musicians' autobiographies I've read (for example, Miles Davis), Phil Lesh does not come off as a brittle narcissist. He does not use this opportunity as a format for squabbling, for giving his side of the story. He actually comes off as a thoughtful, sincere guy, and someone willing to take the time to reflect on the past.
I was interested to hear his take on the disintegration of the Grateful Dead in the eighties and nineties. His take on it was not unlike my own. He takes some ownership for his role, admitting that the Grateful Dead had become too large of an organization, too much of a money-maker with too many dependents. The band had to keep up an outrageous tour schedule, despite the obvious decline in the quality of the music and the painfully obvious deterioration of Jerry Garcia.
He makes a note-worthy observation about the parallel process between the band and the audience. At first, it was a bunch of guys with different musical backgrounds, but all with open minds, all in the right place at the right time, who used drugs to expand the individual consciousness of each member as well as the group consciousness in step with the counter-cultural revolution happening around them. They pushed boundaries but they also communicated with each other through the music, with novel sounds erupting organically from their collective experiments. But the drugs that fueled their creativity would also eventually isolate each of them from each other and from themselves. As alcoholism and heroin addiction destroyed the sense of community within the band, the dead head scene would suffer as well. By the end, prior to Jerry's death, you had a band on stage pretending they were playing together, pretending to play with even a fraction of their potential. And as an audience, we pretended too. Or at least those of us who still believed we were there for the music pretended, and the frat boys just came for the party. And they continued to sell out stadiums, while shows were marred by police stings, gate crashers, riots, tear gas, and death threats.
When I was catching shows, late eighties early nineties, you would hear two different kinds of fans as you filed out of one of their 2 in 3 mediocre shows. The Pollyanna-heads would be glowing, talking about how Jerry lifted his arm at one point, or almost rocked his shoulders with the beat, "Yeah, he was really into it tonight." The more jaded heads would just be complaining, complaining about the lackluster set-list, complaining the Jerry continued to tune himself down in the mix, that he was quitting on solos, that Bobby was trying to steal the show again. Both types annoyed me. I like to tell people that I quit going to shows because I realized that the fans who supported the Dead were enablers, burying our heads in the sand. But in reality, that's a post-hoc, grandiose explanation. I quit going because I was paying $35 for tickets a mile away from the stage, to see dishearteningly bad performances, while the drunken frat boys all around me didn't even know enough to get quiet during those increasingly rare moments of musical transcendence. The breakdown was complete, and for both band and audience, going to show meant little more than participating in a ritual.
Phil spends the most time on the early years. That's a good thing. That's the most interesting part. When they were actually hippies, living like hippies, and things were just starting to happen. Woodstock and Altamont are recounted not just as events but as contrasting symbols of everything that was good about the hippie scene and everything that was wrong about it. Ultimately it is a commentary on human nature, the capacity to love and experience ecstasy versus the tendency to retreat into hostility and hatred.
Like I said, Phil owns his role in it all, admits to mistakes, and doesn't spend a lot of time defending himself or trying to bolster his reputation. The only part where it felt like he had a little bit of a self-serving agenda was when he talked about the different directions he wanted to push the band, more experimentation with exotic time signatures for example. But even then, he talks about it in terms of lessons learned. He realizes he misread the mood of the band, they were content to play their songs and didn't want Phil as martinet. I think Phil is giving an honest account here. If you listen to the post-Dead music coming from all the living members of the Dead, it is Phil and Friends who continue to be the most exploratory. Though not the most charismatic of a stage presence, he may have been the biggest "believer" of the bunch, the most devout in his quest for the divine through the psychedelic. Along those lines, it's also interesting hearing Phil weave in and out of magical thinking. He's often grounded and very down-to-Earth, but moments later can go off on a tangent about any kind of mystical spirituality that he can tie in to the moment.
It's worth a read. Not great writing but good enough, readable, and will certainly be of interest to any fan of the band. The book ends with the recent history, the fall-out from Jerry's death, some of the ugly fighting over who owns the rights to what, and ultimately Phil's hepatitis and liver transplant. He really does end up sounding like a likeable guy, the grinning musical little brother of Jerry, the classically-trained marching band nerd, and the survivor who gets a second chance at the gift of being a father.
Average customer rating:
- David Cassidy is truly a legend
- A great insight
- Nicely co-written and edited
- Bit of a fantasist in parts
- Revealing and endearing
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Could It Be Forever?: My Story
David Cassidy
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
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ASIN: 0755315790 |
Book Description
In the early 1970s, when he was just 20 years old, David Cassidy achieved the sort of teen idol fame that is rarely seen. He was mobbed everywhere he went. His clothes were regularly ripped off by adoring fans. He sold records the world over. He was bigger than Elvis. And all thanks to a hit TV show called The Partridge Family. David Cassiday, in his own words, gives a brutally frank account of those mindblowing days of stardom in which being David Cassidy played second fiddle to being Keith Partridge. Including stories of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll that explode the myth of Cassidy as squeaky clean, it is also the story of how to keep on living life and loving yourself when the fickle fans fall away. David Cassidy is also the author of C'mon, Get Happy: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus.
Customer Reviews:
David Cassidy is truly a legend.......2007-09-16
When this book came out I just had to have it! Like all young girls in the early 70's I was crazy about this guy! My sister and I would be glued to the tv to watch the Partridge Family and fight over which one of us would marry David when we grew up. While in my early teens I discovered David Bowie and have followed his career for over 30 years. In August of 2006 I re-discovered David Cassidy. His music makes you feel happy and your troubles seem to disappear. Since August of 2006 I have had the pleasure of meeting him backstage 3 times. What a thrill! I have so much respect for this man and the life that he has led. The second time I met him I told him he is my hero. He couldn't thank me enough and I could tell he meant it. I highly recommend this book. It is very well written and David's honesty shines thru. His story is truly amazing. He even mentions David Bowie in it!! lol When I started reading this book I honestly couldn't put it down and will re-read it again soon. For those of you who have never seen him live I highly recommend you catch one of shows. He is an incredible performer and sounds awesome. I was very pleasantly surprised the first time I saw him in 2006. You will walk away happy and very entertained. Now I just need to get back stage again so he can autograph my book! Read and enjoy! and yes...I still want to marry him! hehehe
A great insight.......2007-08-25
Most of the early part of the hard-cover was a repeat of the first book, so I skipped ahead, starting with coverage of the Rolling Stone issue. From then, until the last pages, it was all new material. He covers the RCA recording sessions, why he chose the songs, & includes interviews with Kim & Dave, Bruce Johnson, & songwriters Bill House & Gerry Beckley. Even Shaun gives his opinions. This was the sort of subject matter I wish had been in the first book.
The new material also covers Katie & her career, the Vegas years, the new recordings, & the "Brothers' Tour" of Florida. It touches briefly on Evelyn's declining health, & Meryl Tanz.
It dismays me that he seems to be using prescription medicine more frequently, with the advent of hurting his legs during the Blood Brothers tour, until his foot surgery after "EFX", but I appreciate his honesty in showing how he is dealing with his mental health problems (I never want to see him ending up like Jack).
Shaun, Patrick, Ryan, & Sue all give their sensitive opinions of their relationship with David through the years and Beau writes his own chapter of what it's like to be David's son.
One of the most interesting passages I could relate to was on page 344, where his friend, Jerry Bilinski, writes of his dedication to his horses, especially Myan King. He says that even though the horse didn't do well in a race in Kentucky, David was able to perform on stage in Connecticut. I was at that concert- it was my first time at Mohegan Sun!
I would recommend this new book to any David Cassidy fan, just for the new additions (but if you're an American who is financially impaired, I would wait until June, when it is released n Canadathe exchange rate is a bit more reasonable).
Nicely co-written and edited .......2007-07-03
This new updated version of a 1994 publication, was co-written and edited by music author Ken Sharp. He also arranged and conducted the interviews with family members and friends. These updates gave this 2007 edition a better feel. Some parts of the orig. 1994 edition, which was co-written at that time by music author Chip Deffae, were also left intact.
Bit of a fantasist in parts.......2007-06-16
Whereas this is a pretty good autobiography as they go, in places, it just does not stick. Cassidy's story about 'being personally invited to have tea with the Queen of England', during his first ever trip to the UK, well frankly, my dear, it would NOT have happened. THAT particular privilege is reserved for visiting presidents, diplomats and dignitaries in groups, and other visiting royalty. For a start, the Queen does NOT issue personal invitations to pop stars or anyone else for that matter, they are issued by the Foreign Office, via Embassies. She does NOT ring people in their hotels and therefore, David Cassidy would never have had the opportunity to 'turn her down' to have dinner with a girlfriend. The Queen never has one-to-one meals with anyone, not even her own children, they are usually invited to full meals such as banquets, so tea with a pop star would never have happened, Mr. Cassidy, not even in your wildest imaginings, and no, it did NOT make the papers and there was no fuss and believe me, I'd have remembered. The nearest he got to Buckingham Palace, was to pose for the press in the Mall, outside it. The Queen DOES meet pop stars, however. Usually when she is forced by the Prime Minister to give them undeserved knighthoods or some such nonesense.
As for his friends 'sneaking onto a Royal Navy destroyer moored near his luxury yacht in the Thames on the second visit made to the UK to 'steal a few trophies in revenge' for the sailors insulting Cassidy, well, how was this little fiasco possible? No one 'sneaks aboard' a Royal Navy ship of any description, not with the amount of sailors on duty at all times and the radar and security aboard and no, that didn't make the papers either, and any items taken belong to the Crown and the Navy. Had this fantasy happened, they would have been caught and arrested and most certainly deported and diplomatic links would have been severed temporarily.
Whatever else David Cassidy has in his mind, let's hope he doesn't decide on a volume 2. If he does, perhaps it will be a more truthful volume, without the fantasy and without the need to draw into question our country's good name. However, it should be required reading for any youngsters feeling the need to become popstars, as it is a good read and provides a good lesson in how not to choose a career. Maybe it will make any youngsters think twice before they embark on a life of sex 'n' drink 'n' rock 'n' roll because it really isn't all it's cracked up to be. I did feel sorry for Cassidy, having been a fan for so many years, I had no idea how idol worship could affect a person. Yes, I still buy the albums, yes, I bought this book, but I was rather disappointed. It's written for an American readership and doesn't obviously credit the original ghost writer (yes, I have the original book too, of which, this is an extended version). I was also disappointed with the picture content, which promised to be a lot more, but didn't deliver.
Revealing and endearing.......2007-06-16
I grew up in Arabia, Germany, and Africa through the 1960s and first few years of the 1970s. TV was non-existent and popular radio featured light jazz or nightclub-style piano music plus a smattering of recycled 1950s BBC radio programs. So I missed almost the entire David Cassidy phenomenon. As a teenager I caught him once only, on a BBC TV program called Top of the Pops. David had just arrived at London's Heathrow Airport and he performed a song on the tarmac before rushing off to some engagement. I remember thinking the song was weak, but the performer was phenomenal. Back in those days in which everyone and their dog seemed to be dressing up and playing "let's pretend" (and yes, I do mean you, among many others, Mr. Bowie...) here was a young man who had the ability to communicate directly and whose singing voice, even after a transatlantic flight, was highly personal and very professional.
My family then went to Spain so I never saw David Cassidy after that; by the time we returned his star had faded and my future lay peripherally in the orbit of people like Jeff Beck. Years later I came across a David Cassidy album and played a few songs. I was impressed by the artistry and one song, "I Am A Clown" had a haunting quality about it that stuck in my mind. But I wasn't really his target market, and besides I was moving into madrigals, Bach cantatas, fourteenth-century polyphony, and eventually 20th century composers like Shostakovitch and Prokofiev.
But... Fast forward to earlier this month. A friend of mine in the UK happened to mention that she'd just read a book written by a teen idol she'd had a crush on back in the early 1970s. His name was David Cassidy. I looked on the 'net and there it was and there he was - now in his fifties but still with that direct, optimistic look that I remembered from the one and only time I'd seen him on television when he sung his song on the tarmac at Heathrow. Gambling a few dollars, I bought the book.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about David Cassidy is that he seems to be the kind of person most people would really enjoy having in their lives. No doubt he has omitted the less salubrious aspects of this life, and no doubt he has his quirks and imperfections. But all in all he comes across as painfully honest, decent, and - dare I say it - nice. He describes his roller-coaster life without settling scores or whining. And his life really has been an astonishing journey. A young man, with no intellectual foundation and a painful family background, was thrown into the maelstrom of super-stardom and then, at the height of his fame, he left the stage of his own volition and over the coming years descended into a personal hell.
In a way, the David Cassidy of this book is an archetype. Take every rock-n-roller fantasy you've ever imagined and then turbo-charge it and you still wouldn't get close to what he experienced. Amazingly, the David Cassidy who shines through in this book is now a reasonably well-balanced, thoughtful, and basically good person. Not many of us would fare so well in the face of the experiences he went through, and very few of us would escape the insidious corruption of the soul that comes from such fame and its attendant power, all experienced at a very young age. I ended up greatly admiring both the young and naive David Cassidy and also the mature man who wrote this book. Of course part of it is self-justification, self-portrayal. He's eager for us to know that he has real talent. If this were a book by someone else, much of the references to his talent would result in the reader becoming irritated; but in this book I think we end up sympathizing. And listening to some of those old songs confirms the claim: he really is a talented performer. It's this talent than enabled him to exert force of will to recover from the ultimate in "Career Over" post-idol job death.
I finished the book knowing that while I'll never meet David Cassidy, the world is just a little bit of a better place for his presence in it. I imagine he will continue to bring pleasure to his many fans for years to come, and I would also imagine that most people who read this book - even if, like me, they aren't David Cassidy fans - will feel the same way. The book may not be literature and its style of writing may be simplistic, but it's a genuine and genuinely touching account of an astonishing life and a decent human being. It's also an excellent "what to avoid" manual for any aspiring performer.
Book Description
A fascinating memoir featuring never-before-told stories from Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick—the industry legend who made music history by crafting the groundbreaking sound of the group's most famous records, including Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and Abbey Road
Geoff Emerick was only fifteen years old when he began working with the Beatles as assistant engineer for their early classics “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You.” Incredibly, at the age of nineteen, he was promoted to full engineer, taking the helm for the group's groundbreaking album Revolver. Ten months later, he joined forces with the Beatles for the recording of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, hailed by Rolling Stone as the greatest album ever made. In their constant quest for experimentation and new sounds—and despite the technical limitations of the pre-digital age—Emerick developed a slew of innovative recording techniques, many of which are still in use today.
In Here, There and Everywhere, Emerick tells his story for the first time, taking the reader through the hallowed (though somewhat dingy) corridors of Abbey Road Studios to give rare insights into the Beatles' unique creative processes and personalities and provide a behind-the- scenes look at how the greatest band of all time made their greatest records. As Emerick describes the Beatles' transformation from wide-eyed Liverpool teenagers into tour-savvy professionals, he provides a startling picture of the Fab Four. Fascinating and moving, Here, There and Everywhere illuminates the creative tensions within the band that fueled their early success, but would ultimately lead them to record in separate studios while the partnership was disintegrating.
“We all owe some debt to Geoff Emerick's self-effacing work as an engineer and producer . . . there is very little that any group of scruffy musicians can throw at him that he cannot put into some kind of good sonic order. I feel fortunate to have worked with him.”
—Elvis Costello
Customer Reviews:
He should know; he was there.......2007-09-28
Few accounts of history are more accurate than the first-hand kind, and that is what we have with Mr. Emerick's outstanding book. To his credit, this thoroughly British gentleman focuses on what he actually saw versus what is commonly known about the Beatles. His tone is respectful, but he does not shy away from saying what he thinks based on what he saw and how he was treated. Mr. Emerick went on to engineer and produce some great acts, which I hope are the subjects of a future book. And consider this: When I was 19, I was just learning to tie my shoes. He was engineering the "Revolver" album!
Class Act.......2007-09-17
I couldn't put this book down....what a fascinating first hand account of one of the most infuential musical experiences in modern history. I think you will find it particularly interesting if you write and record music, as Geoff's recollections are incredibly detailed and specific. It's truly unbelievable that he could remember so much of what happened in such picture perfect detail, and it is a lasting testament to critical and often unsung heroics of the worlds best audio engineers. Howard Massey did an excellent job helping Geoff make this material completely accessible to the lay person and fan as well. When I proposed to my wife in 2002 I wrote a symphonic piece and surprised her at Capitol Records in Studio A, where we recorded it live (I proposed afterwards). While they were mixing the music we took a tour of Capitol Records, and when we returned there was a gentleman in the studio playing the most beautiful music on the grand piano. We listened for awhile, then entered to studio and spoke with him for almost half an hour. What a lovely man, and what great music. That was Geoff Emerick. Perhaps someday we will hear you on the other side of the glass young man:)
Thanks so much for sharing your amazing life with us Geoff. As I sit at my grand piano in Maui I can't thank you enough for the inspiration. Warmest aloha from Maui, Tim & Michele Heile
Here, There and Everywhere.......2007-09-03
Geoff Emerick was there for the creation of the Beatle sound. It is well written with enjoyable person information.
Interesting book.......2007-09-01
I picked up this book to find out why the Beatles are so good, and I found all the answers I was looking for. This book gave terrific insight to all four beatles and the camp that surrounded them, though my patience did wear thin towards the end- Emerick favors Paul, tends to repeat himself a little bit, and shows a little disdain towards Lennon and George Martin. That being said, I really thoroughly loved the book as a music student and an audio engineering student, but any fan of music should read this to get a glimpse of the thrilling world that creates the music we all love. I love understanding the context to the music I listen to, and if you do too you'll really enjoy this book.
I'll read this one again, soon!.......2007-08-29
My favorite Beatles related book to date. Geoff Emerick and Howard Massey captured a straight forward account of The Beatles in the studio from beginning to end. Added bonus includes Paul's sojourn in Lagos recording Band on the Run. The interesting happenings their, were not in the studio.
Amazon.com
In this autobiography, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson says one of his prime business criteria is "fun." Fun made Branson a billionaire, and few business memoirs are one-billionth as fun as Branson's, nor as niftily written. Not only does it relate his side of near-death corporate experiences, it tells how the chairman literally cheated death by gun, shipwreck, and balloon crash.
Branson's empire--now encompassing interests in an airline, pop music, soda pop, e-commerce, and financial services--began when the dyslexic 16-year-old dropped out of school in 1968 to found the British magazine Student. His headmaster said, "I predict that you will either go to prison or become a millionaire." Briefly imprisoned for dodging customs selling records, Branson got his first million by releasing Tubular Bells, a maverick recording all the stuffy executives rejected. (1998's Tubular Bells III puts the series' sales over 20 million.)
Despite wild tales of Branson's wife-swapping and Keith Richards fleeing naked from Branson's studio at gunpoint with another man's woman, the most shocking parts of the memoir concern British Airways' James Bond-like "dirty tricks" campaign against Virgin Atlantic, resulting in the biggest award for damages in English history.
Though it's filled with famous names, witty quotes, and pulse-pounding accounts of lunatic balloon adventures, it is as a business thriller that the book really scores. His instinctive bet-the-ranch tactics could cost him all, or earn another billion. Either way, Branson will likely remain the most entertaining entrepreneur in Europe. --Tim Appelo
Book Description
"Oh, screw it, let's do it."
That's the philosophy that has allowed Richard Branson, in slightly more than twenty-five years, to spawn so many successful ventures. From the airline business (Virgin Atlantic Airways), to music (Virgin Records and V2), to cola (Virgin Cola), to retail (Virgin Megastores), and nearly a hundred others, ranging from financial services to bridal wear, Branson has a track record second to none.
Losing My Virginity is the unusual, frequently outrageous autobiography of one of the great business geniuses of our time. When Richard Branson started his first business, he and his friends decided that "since we're complete virgins at business, let's call it just that: Virgin." Since then, Branson has written his own "rules" for success, creating a group of companies with a global presence, but no central headquarters, no management hierarchy, and minimal bureaucracy.
Many of Richard Branson's companies--airlines, retailing, and cola are good examples--were started in the face of entrenched competition. The experts said, "Don't do it." But Branson found golden opportunities in markets in which customers have been ripped off or underserved, where confusion reigns, and the competition is complacent.
And in this stressed-out, overworked age, Richard Branson gives us a new model: a dynamic, hardworking, successful entrepreneur who lives life to the fullest. Family, friends, fun, and adventure are equally important as business in Branson's life. Losing My Virginity is a portrait of a productive, sane, balanced life, filled with rich and colorful stories:
Crash-landing his hot-air balloon in the Algerian desert, yet remaining determined to have another go at being the first to circle the globe
Signing the Sex Pistols, Janet Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Boy George, and Phil Collins
Fighting back when British Airways took on Virgin Atlantic and successfully suing this pillar of the British business establishment
Swimming two miles to safety during a violent storm off the coast of Mexico
Selling Virgin Records to save Virgin Atlantic
Staging a rescue flight into Baghdad before the start of the Gulf War . . .
And much more. Losing My Virginity is the ultimate tale of personal and business survival from a man who combines the business prowess of Bill Gates and the promotional instincts of P. T. Barnum.
Also available in the UK from Virgin Publishing, and in Canada from General Publishing,
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-10-01
I have read this book three times. Branson does business the way we should all aspire to do business. He has built businesses that he is passionate about. He enjoys his life and has been exceptionally successful. I find it to be an inspiring and enjoyable read. Probably why I have returned to it multiple times.
The best book I've read!.......2007-09-24
This is probably the best book I've ever read so far. Its not a business book, so read it as you would "literature" over a weekend... but its filled with great entertaining stories and helps you see how this guy's life has been. And you definitely learn some lessons.
If you are an entrepreneur, you MUST read Losing my Virginity!
Enjoyable read. Buy it!.......2007-09-14
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
I'm not big on reading autobiographies, but this one I really enjoyed, couldn't put it down!
Good Book, Easy Read.......2007-08-13
Very enjoyable read. He does not give you any great business insight, but it is an uplifting and encouraging story.
Amusing, Inspiring, Educational and Brilliant!.......2007-07-25
This is a sensational book. Most autobiographies are boring and so full of only positive stuff about the person that you just know you are not getting the full picture. In this book Branson openly admits mistakes and bad business decisions. He gives credit to others acknowledging Virgin's success would not have happened without them. He also included instances when he has been brought back down to earth for example when two tourists asked for a picture he thought that he was being nice and started posing for them until he saw their confused faces and realised they wanted him to take a picture of them.
This book tells the reader everything about the Virgin empire from the first issue of Student magazine in 1968 to approval for their trains thirty years later in 1998. Obviously a lot more has happened since 98 such as Virginblue in Australia but we will have to wait for the sequel for that. This is a brilliant book which is as enjoyable as the great financial fictional thrillers like Harry Bingham's classic the Money Makers. This is so mush more inspiring when you realise Branson is not a fictional character and these achievements are real. This book will inspire you to get out there and make money. Buy it!
Note - There is an updated version of this book to be released soon which will have the post 98 stuff in it.
Book Description
Whether giving back through her patriotism and community service, touring with Fleetwood Mac or performing as a solo artist, Stevie Nicks has mesmerized us for over thirty years. Her life story, with all its highs and lows, provides an opportunity to grow from her tremendous strength, persistence and courage while learning from the challenges she has faced. A widely revered singer/songwriter, Stevie is adored by multiple generations.
Interpretation of her songs gives you a look inside her soul but "not unless she lets you." On "Stand Back" from The Wild Heart, Stevie's second solo album she sings, "No one knows how I feel what I say unless you read between my lines." Her highly personal songwriting tells the story. Stevie's autobiographical songs serve as an outlet for coping with pain and personal sacrifice. Fans have credited her with literally saving their lives!
* Stevie's relationship with Lindsey Buckingham serves as a consistent basis for her songwriting and decisions made along her life journey.
* The book chronicles Stevie's musical accomplishments while highlighting the pain and sacrifice women face leading a rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
Customer Reviews:
Terrible.......2007-09-04
First of all, this author appears to never have even spoken to Stevie Nicks. The book is full of innacuracies and at one point she even gets the title of Stevie and Kenny Loggins duet wrong.
Dont bother read it!
What a Mess!.......2007-08-06
Sandra, I don't know who your contacts were but it's a wonder you spelled Stevie's name correctly. I have never read a biography with more inaccuracies than you log in at. In additon, I can't help but wonder if those postive reviews are from friends of yours. How can anyone with any literary sense call this book a good read? Despite getting the facts wrong --- it bounces around more than a bouncing rubber ball at a dodgeball game in which the participants are blind! There is no chronological order at all. It's as if you just repeated a bunch of quotes you heard over and over -- never bothering to verify the info at all while just kept listing one after another. Like the "Planets of The Universe" - you should "Go Your Own Way" and leave Stevie and her true fans alone. I wish I could give this book negative stars!
The book should be called "Lost in Timespace".......2007-05-22
HI Stevie fans,
Over the years I've been involved in several Stevie e-posters and websites sharing deep info on Stevie Nicks, her life and songwriting. Though I sometimes enjoy reading "independent" writers at times, this book is a fiasco. I was able to read just a couple of pages from this Amazon website and discovered several errors and wrong info on Stevie.
From saying Stevie moved to Arcadia Ca and went to High School there, and knowing fully well she lived in Atherton Ca in Northern Ca, and went to high school there was enough for me. She played in the band Fritz in the Bay Area with Lindsey Buckingham if I'm sure many can attest.....all anyone would have to log on youtube and type in Fritz to see the info gathered there of her early years in the Bay Area. She did go to LA with Lindsey during the Buckingham Nicks years before being "discovered" by Mick, but Sandra's book is scattered like 'dreams" in the "midnight wind"....Bob of CA(of prodigy legend)
Comments on Stevies life........2007-05-13
This book details alot about Stevie, but none of it is directly from her. I would say this book is more a collection of Stevie Nicks interviews and comments from her rock n roll life with comments/story outlines from the author in between, so i found that disappointing from that respect. However overall still some great facts and insight into the rock n roll legend that stevie is.
An "ok" Read.......2007-03-10
As far as biographies go, I found the book to be small, for some one as Great as Stevie Nicks. But all in all was informative. For a beginer reader of anything about Stevie Nicks, and are not sure about getting a great big fat book, and just need quick facts this a a good book for this pupose.
Average customer rating:
- Hilarious!
- Ah the good ol' days.
- this deserves a reprint
- Witty and engrossing
- A very entertaining read.
|
No Minor Chords: My Days in Hollywood
Andre Previn
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Previn, Andre
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Easy To Love
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ASIN: 0385413416
Release Date: 1991-10-01 |
Customer Reviews:
Hilarious!.......2004-09-13
This is one hilarious book I have ever read in my life! Previn brings all those big name Hollywood directors, producers, actors/actresses and musicians to life with funny little sweet anecdotes. Some of them are funny beyond imagination. I am not the kind of person who laughs aloud when reading or watching TV, but this one, I couldn't help cracking up.
I don't want to spoil it by telling the contents with my stale language skills. You just got to read it yourself!
At the same time you will learn about inside Hollywood in its glorious days. It's amazing how hard those guys worked, and how genius they were!
Very colorful, fun to read, and for all ages.
Ah the good ol' days........2002-07-20
I purchased this book as a young classically-trained composer who is interested in writing music for film (or, more precisely, collaborating with filmmakers), hoping to gain some insights into Andre Previn's early career and why he chose not to continue on that path after about a decade.
The book consists of many charming anecdotes about the long-gone era of the big Hollywood studios, where most of the cast and crew were under long-term contract. Many luminaries of that day are charmingly profiled, from Fred Astaire to Busby Berkeley to Billy Wilder, to prominent musicians like Heifetz, Max Steiner, Bernard Hermann and others. Several tales in the book relate
instances of Previn working with ignorant or unprofessional
superiors/leading-ladies/producers/etc. and dealing with their egos, mostly in a gently submissive manner.
Previn also takes time to talk about his days as a jazz musician, which he remembers with great fondness.
In the final chapter, Previn mentions his main reasons for leaving Hollywood. Somewhere between winning four Oscars and contributing to nearly fifty films, he no longer felt challenged. "Since leaving Hollywood, I have had the healthy and sobering experience of constantly working with music that is invariably better than any performance of it can be." He also tells a great story about visiting Jeffrey Katzenberg about a proposed "Fantasia" sequel.
Virtually nothing in this book is of any great "technical" use to budding film-composers or conductors. However, the social anectodes are many and make for a pleasant read.
this deserves a reprint.......2000-11-23
This is a most enjoyable book written for all readers-although the more you know about music, the harder you'll laugh. It recalls Previn's youthful days among the musicians in Hollywood, which includes a telling view of the movies' relationship with music. Previn himself is such a proficient musician-classical, jazz, he can write or play in any style-that his point of view is rounded, grounded, and surrounded by crazy ironies.
This isn't a long book or a hard read, making it all the more fun. It would be a fantastic gift item-if it were in print!
Witty and engrossing.......2000-09-24
In this autobiography, Andre Previn takes you on a candid and entertaining journey through his years working as composer, arranger, conductor and accompanist in the undoubted film capital of the world, Hollywood.
It is fascinating and funny all at once. The American film institution has always been admired and criticised, and Previn details some of the high and low points of being a part of it: the fact that musicians in Hollywood are a long-suffering breed at the hands of actors, producers and directors who haven't got a clue about music; the accounts of film personnel as seen at work and away from the glamour that publicly accompanies them; stories of wildly extravagant experiences that make up the off-hours and nightlife of the Hollywood populace. Previn also has plenty of musical experiences to relate: studying with Pierre Monteaux (conductor of the premiere of "The Rite of Spring"), playing Stravinsky's piano music and receiving the composer's comment afterwards, rubbing shoulders with other members of the Screen Composers Guild including William Walton, playing snooker with Schoenberg and consulting Shostakovich (via an interpreter) for information about his string quartets. We learn some remarkable things about a bygone era in cinema history, as well as a few home truths about living and working in Hollywood's incomparable atmosphere. All in all, it is a very amusing tale.
Previn reveals himself to be a great storyteller: his tone of writing is friendly and hands-on, and fans of Bill Bryson may recognise in Previn the same kind of bemused wit. For musicians, this is certainly an enjoyable account. For the casual reader, this is a good way to spend a few hours at home, on the train or in the air. My copy is much-thumbed, I can tell you...
A very entertaining read........1999-08-03
Anyone who enjoys movies, movie history, music, film music, and laughter will greatly enjoy this book.
Book Description
A consummate insider as the girlfriend of Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac singer and guitarist, Carol Ann Harris leads fans into the very heart of the band’s storms between 1976 and 1984. From interactions between the band and other stars—Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, and Dennis Wilson—to the chaotic animosity between band members, this memoir combines the sensational account of some of the world’s most famous musicians with a thrilling love story. Illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, the parties, fights, drug use, shenanigans, and sex lives of Fleetwood Mac are presented in intimate detail. With the exception of one brief interview, Carol Ann Harris has never before spoken about her time with Fleetwood Mac.
Customer Reviews:
Page turning excitement!.......2007-09-21
very intriguing could not put it down tastefully told of a time circa {1977}when indulgence was in excess. gives you a behind the scenes multiple love triangle complete with, drug,sex, rocknroll and superstardom!
Great Great Book.......2007-09-18
If you are a fan of Fleetwood Mac or in particular Lindsey Buckingham you absolutely must read this book. I could not put it down. While some of the events disclosed in the book have been discussed in previous interviews and books it gives an in depth look at the band in a way that differs from Mick Fleetwood's account in his autobiography. Very heartbreaking at times and at times hillarious it is a surprisingly well written book that left you wondering how did Fleetwood Mac and Mrs. Harris in particular survive those harrowing days.
Good but maybe half true .......2007-09-14
I felt that Carole Ann Harris left a lot out. She seemed shocked anytime someone went off on her in the book. She was innocent, never thought a mean thought never said an unkind word. All she ever did was sniff a little blow when it was around. She was an angel with a vice and it was a wonder that she endured FM for as long as she did. I don't buy it. I liked the book and I read it pretty quickly but I was left wanting more. If everything happened the way she said it did then FM needs a schizophrenic observation. The book was a good read but I think after 30 years Miss Carole is still trying to save face. I don't feel her pain so much because she is still trying to protect herself while somewhat lovingly tarnishing others. There is no excuse for abuse (I don't know if Lindsey did it or not) so why does she pretend that she doesn't know why he would hit her. We know an abuser would beat you over burnt toast so why hide. She doesn't know why Lindsey did her that way nor did she ask him. One minute he would be fine the next pow right in the kisser. How ever crazy Lindsey was when you spend time with someone you begin to understand them and their off the wall reasoning. Carole pretends ignoranc
my favorite fleetwood mac book ever.........2007-08-27
i have been a fan of stevie's since i was 12 years old and just turned 40. having attention deficit disorder for as long as i can remember i have never been able to read an entire book...ever.i finished this book the same night i started it. yes, parts of it are extremely heartbreaking but i found a lot of respect for the author Carol Ann Harris. i have read on the internet some of the flak she has received about waiting all this time to put a book out. i really think she waited all this time out of respect for all involved. (and no i am not a friend of Carol Ann Harris- i havent even met her).i also have a lot of respect for her for the way she talked about stevie in the book. there were a few things in the book about stevie that i wish i would have never read but overall she talked about stevie with much respect and admiration. the same goes with lindsey buckingham. she told the bitter truth that many of us long time fans already knew but she told it and it seems like she still loves lindsey. she told the painful stories but she was protective of him at the same time. i hate some of the things in this book but i respect the honesty and protection she continously displays throughout. i imagine stevie and lindsey are not happy about this book but i think the story was told as caring as possible. It's a must have. Carol Ann Harris i totally applaud you on a terrific book. jeff horton/indianapolis
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!.......2007-08-26
Carol Ann Harris was oblivious to the fact that all she was to Lindsey was a poor substitute for Stevie. Even she herself seems obsessed with Stevie's stage presence, her clothes, looks, etc. She's so naive - Lindsey wasn't over Stevie then and every girlfriend (even his current wife) has looked like Stevie, so one wonders if he's even over her now. She couldn't even come up with an original title for this book - "Storms" is one of Stevie's songs! Plus, she's whiny and melodramatic throughout, don't waste your time or money.
Book Description
Fun-to-play, pedagogically sound piano arrangements include themes from Beethoven's "Pathétique" Sonata and Haydn's Surprise Symphony, along with such favorites as Schumann's "Träumerei," Brahms's "Lullaby," Chopin's "Prelude," Tchaikovsky's "Marche Slave," Moussorgsky's "Promenade" (from Pictures at an Exhibition), and many more. Includes 20 piano arrangements.
Customer Reviews:
First classic Piano Book.......2007-09-11
The book arrived in perfect condition. I am anxious to have my granddaughter try it out. It is one of her upcoming birthday presents.
Thank you.
Great Book.......2007-09-03
This is a great book for beginners to get aquainted with the classics. I teach piano lessons and I'll use this one over and over for recitals! I usually like to see the music before I buy but I took and chance on this one and it paid off. I hope to try other Bergerac books.
Great Supplement!.......2007-05-12
I purchased this book some time ago as a "promise" to my little girl that she would one day have piano lessons. We now have a wonderful piano teacher who encourages us to explore other pieces besides what she assigns us and was happily surprised when we showed her this book that she hadn't seen before. The title is a little misleading; our teacher says that it's more appropriate for a level 3 child student, but it works well for us (a teenager and her middle-aged mom in their 2nd year of study.) What I really appreciate is the way that the pieces can dovetail with the material that we're studying. For example, while I was working on the 1st inversion of the C Major chords, I serendipitously found in this book "Beautiful Dreamer", an arrangement that utilizes the very chords I was studying. Our teacher calls this "an excellent little book" and I recommend it to those who would like to play something more than the pieces found in their lesson books.
My daughter likes it!.......2007-03-30
My daughter is a beginner -- but she loves classical music. This book is probably a bit advanced for her but she is already playing Fur Elise and Ode to Joy...
My first Book of Classical Music: 29 themes by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and other Great composers in Easy Piano Arrangements.......2006-08-28
I would have preferred a sample page of the music to preview prior to purchase. The pieces are too simple for me.
Book Description
An intimate memoir of a friendship with the greatest artist in rock and roll history, taking you from late-night parties at Graceland to the bright lights of Hollywood sets and glittering stages of Vegas
On a lazy Sunday in 1954, twelve-year-old Jerry Schilling wandered into a Memphis touch football game, only to discover that his team was quarterbacked by a nineteen-year-old Elvis Presley, the local teenager whose first record, “That's All Right,” had just debuted on Memphis radio. The two became fast friends, even as Elvis turned into the world's biggest star. In 1964, Elvis invited Jerry to work for him as part of his “Memphis Mafia,” and Jerry soon found himself living with Elvis full-time in a Bel Air mansion and, later, in his own room at Graceland. Over the next thirteen years Jerry would work for Elvis in various capacities—from bodyguard to photo double to co-executive producer on a karate film. But more than anything else he was Elvis's close friend and confidant: Elvis trusted Jerry with protecting his life when he received death threats, he asked Jerry to drive him and Priscilla to the hospital the day Lisa Marie was born and to accompany him during the famous “lost weekend” when he traveled to meet President Nixon at the White House.
Me and a Guy Named Elvis looks at Presley from a friend's perspective, offering readers the man rather than the icon—including insights into the creative frustrations that lead to Elvis's abuse of prescription medicine and his tragic death. Jerry offers never-before-told stories about life inside Elvis's inner circle and an emotional recounting of the great times, hard times, and unique times he and Elvis shared. These vivid memories will be priceless to Elvis's millions of fans, and the compelling story will fascinate an even wider audience. BACKCOVER:
Advance Praise for Me and a Guy Named Elvis
“This book kept me up late into the night as I turned the pages, reliving every situation and every story as if I were there all over again, until I finished. Jerry Schilling's words brought tears to my eyes, making me smile and nod as it filled my head with things I had forgotten but thankfully he remembered. Jerry tells his story with the freshness and purity of a man who truly loved his friend. Me and a Guy Named Elvis is not only authentic, honest, and truly moving—it is a marvel.”
—Priscilla Presley
“Jerry had the keys to the kingdom, the keys to the King's houses, to the King's cars, to the heart of what made Elvis a King in the first place. Here he unlocks every door and his own heart to boot. In this book, Jerry Schilling brings grace to Graceland.”
—Bono
“Jerry Schilling has captured the beauty of my father's spirit in a way that has never been done before. I will admit that I was nervous to read another book on this subject, especially by a friend (there are not many who remain in my life from this time period, as Jerry does), but this book is by far my favorite. It is a captivating, well-written, and un-crucifying account of many historic moments that shows the real birth and evolution of Rock and Roll and how it bridged the racial divide. Jerry tells his story of a young boy growing up poor with no real family before fate changed his life during one Sunday afternoon game of football—and he tells it with humility, honesty, and dignity.”
—Lisa Marie Presley
“What Jerry Schilling has written in Me and a Guy Named Elvis is an account of one man's experience, a personal memoir that, while it places its narrator squarely in the midst of historic events, never claims credit for those events in the way that so many self-serving memoirs are inclined to do. It is a balanced treatment of a complex subject . . . What I think distinguishes the book most of all, though, is its emotional honesty, the generosity of spirit with which Jerry seeks to emulate his friend and mentor.”
—Peter Guralnick, author of Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love
Customer Reviews:
Thanks, Jerry! Best Elvis book ever written!!!!.......2007-09-19
I couldn't put the book down. After reading this book, I feel as if I know Elvis, the man, not just the entertainer. Jerry, you had quite an exciting life being there with Elvis through the good times and the bad. Elvis was lucky to have a loyal friend such as you. I recently was on the first ever "Elvis Cruise" to the Bahamas and was honored to have met you and have you autograph the book for me. I recommend this book to all Elvis fans. You won't be disappointed.
One of the Best I've read.......2007-09-17
Me and a Guy Names Elvis is a wonderful read. It was nice to read a book about a true friend by a true friend. This 30 year mark hit home big time. With my age being 42 I felt so heart sick to think of Elvis dying so young. His talented life in front of him and a future with a daughter he never saw grow up. Jerry Schilling did a wonderful job writing this book. I hope Elvis fans stop reading the rest of the crap that's out there and sit to read this. He lost a good friend indeed.
Outstanding.......2007-09-13
This is a poignant biography of Elvis Presley written by a true friend who never betrayed him.
Review of book.......2007-09-05
I received the book in a timely manner and the condition of book was as stated which was in very good condition. I am very pleased the this transaction and would highly recommend seller.
Very entertaining and Good Book.......2007-09-04
I've read alot of Elvis book. Jerry Schilling seems to tell both sides, not all great things about Elvis because even Elvis was not perfect , but Jerry seems to tell the truth. I like that in the book. The book takes a few chapters to really get going but once it does, I was glued. I think I read the entire book in a weekend. getting ready to read it again.
This book is a must read for Elvis fans. Jerry Schilling is a great guy.
thanks
Adam
Book Description
Rob Morgan's unmistakable talent for storytelling continues to help reacquaint people with the hymns of the faithful.
Customer Reviews:
Then Sings My Soul, Vols 1 and 2.......2007-03-29
These are very nice books for anyone who likes hymns and their history. Each hymn is printed on one page and looks very much as it does in a main-line church hymnal. On the facing page is a history of the composer, author of the words or both and story about the writing of the hymn. I recommend them for church goers, former church goers, choir members and ministers. The binding does not lend itself to sitting open on my piano rack, but I could alter that if I really wanted to play from the book. They are good books for picking up to read just a few pages at a time. Enjoyably informative.
More Hymn Stories to Know and Share.......2005-12-21
If you ever wanted to know the background behind the hymns that we sing, this two-volume collection is for you. Robert J. Morgan has collected and compiled stories of hymns from all over the world and from every time period. Each book takes a look at 150 hymns, so the sum total is 300 - certainly, most of the familiar hymns including your favorite hymns are included. And there are other hymns herein, that you would enjoy singing and reading about.
In Book II, there are stories about many hymn favorites, including: "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus", "The First Noel", "Break Thou the Bread of Life" and "Joy to the World!"
Both books would be very helpful to pastors planning worship-and indeed could be the springboard for any number of sermons, illustrations or hymn festivals.
But the usefulness does not stop there. These volumes are really a mini compendium of faith's response to God's wonders and blessings, and so, together, they are treasuries of devotional resources.
For more than twenty years, author Robert J. Morgan has served as the pastor of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, so he brings a pastor's reverence and appreciation of these hymns to his narrative
Presents Hymns & Carols in Historical & Theological Context.......2005-03-22
Robert Morgan has collected the stories of familiar hymns which transcend denominational boundaries. I sang many of these as a youth at Catholic Mass, and later, as I have regularly attended Protestant services. Not only did I enjoy reading the lyrics in the quiet of my living room, but I also learned more about the intended meaning of each song.
Significant Songs (just a few of another 50 I could list)
* "O Sacred Heart Now Wounded"
* "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
* "Joy to the World!"
* "The First Noel"
* "O Holy Night"
* "O How I Love Jesus"
* "I Love to Tell the Story"
* "Beulah Land"
* "Nothing But the Blood"
* "God of Our Fathers"
* "Softly and Tenderly"
* "I'll Fly Away"
* "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?"
Christian hymns are part of world music, going back hundreds of years. Whether written by a repentant slave owner or a Catholic priest who believes scripture should be in the common man's language, or as an extension of a theologian's great poetic skill, the stories of the classics are anything but ordinary.
What impressed me was the easy style of Morgan's writing as he explained the theology and origin of the songs. Each song receives one page describing its author and history.
I learned, for example, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" by Ada Ruth Habershon isn't a secular song of generic faith sung only by folk singers, but a rich song of longing for eternity in Heaven specifically for Christians.
I like that Morgan included "Away in the Manger" and other Christmas carols. In the Christmas holiday context, they feel like simple ditties, but reading the lyrics showed me how many started as hymns sung throughout the year as worship.
A downside of the book was the organization. Morgan researched this carefully and grouped the hymns chronologically. Each song gets its own entry. In many cases, specific material was lacking, or, as in the case of the Wesley brothers, John and Charles, many were written by one author. There was only so much Wesley information to spread out over all of their songs. It would have made more senses to collection the songs of one author together, with one essay to avoid this problem.
"Then Sings My Soul" is aptly titled, referencing the famous lyric. It is as instructive as it is encouraging. For me, as I walked through memories new and old, I found that this coming Sunday as I sing these with my fellow parishioners, I will be singing with more soul than the Sunday before.
I fully recommend "Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories" by Robert J. Morgan.
Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com
Books:
- Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead
- Secrets of Attraction: The Universal Laws of Love, Sex and Romance
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- Song of the Phoenix: Voices of Comfort and Healing from the Afterlife
- Soulful Sex: Erotic Tales of Fantasy and Romance Volumes I & II
- Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga
- Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Applause Musical Library)
- Teaching Music in Secondary Schools: A Reader (Ou Flexible Pgce Series)
- Ten Little Fingers (Board Books for Babies)
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