Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Biography
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. What happened to the Eagles happens a lot in pop/rock music.The writing of the book is superb. The description of the LA music scene in the 60s and 70s is especially good. I also felt that the writer listened to everone, not just the people who screamed the loudest. Eliot makes a wonderful point when discussing the relationship between Henley and Frey. The things that made them so effective together are the same things that drove them apart. I did not particularly like the Eagles when I started reading this book but it has now piqued my interest to buy a couple of their CDs.
Rating: 
Summary: Wait for the Paperback
Review: I haven't seen this much mindless "filler" since I helped grade high-school term papers. One-third of this barely 300 page book is clotted with unnecessary (and incredibly boring) lists of Eagles albums, solo efforts, guest appearances on other albums, zzz zzz zzz. If Mr. Eliot did manage to interview the reclusive Mr. Henley, he didn't get any earth-shattering information out of him. It's all been said before (ad nauseum) in other interviews. In fact, I got a rather creepy feeling that, although unauthorized, this book was heavily censored by someone in Henley's camp. Perhaps that was the reason behind the year-long delay in releasing the book. If you're looking for salacious, behind-the-scenes dirt you won't find it here. If you want to read about clever, talented, annoyingly childish ego-maniacs, then you might like this book. But definitely wait for the paperback.
Rating:
Summary: To The Limit - not really
Review: I was interested to read that Don Henley wanted to stop publication of this book as it seemed to me to be extremely pro-Henley particularly in its account of the leadership struggle. It is interesting enough but far too tabloid in its approach, that is, the Eagles' music is secondary to the endless stories of drugs, womanizing etc. Is anyone really surprised by this anymore? As a devoted Eagles fan I hope that someone someday will write about their music. And on a personal level I would like to hear the story told from Glenn Frey's perspective. Having read other reviews of this book I would like to expand on how heavily focused it is on Don Henley, to the exclusion of Glenn Frey, who whether the author admits it or not was and is the Eagles' leader and driving force. Frey's solo career was admittedly not as successful as Henley's but it is all but ignored. Some gratuitous comments about their respective physical appearances (again, pro-Henley) are annoying. Even any attempt at analysing why the two of them are both such great singers and songwriters never occurs. The assumption that it was Henley who was responsible for the majority of the Eagles' lyrics is a fatuous cliche that all true Eagles fans have long abandoned, and as for Hotel California being about Henley and no-one else, this should be treated with the contempt it deserves. Then there is the way Henley's arrest in 1980 is totally glossed over, while a similar incident that Frey experienced while shooting a movie is over-emphasised. Frey had a car crash, while Eagles fans know what happened to Henley. Some attempt at balance occurs at the end when the band have reformed, but it is too late to save the book. Avoid.
Rating:
Summary: No peaceful, easy feelings here
Review: If part of Marc Eliot's intention was to make a case for the greatness of the Eagles in spite of all their professional and personal warts, he needn't have bothered. There's nothing in this book that will make either Eagle fans or Eagle foes change their minds about the band's musical legacy. As a story of how pride goeth before a (protracted) fall, though, this book works great. You don't have to be a rabid detractor of the Eagles to be put off by the antics of these guys, who basically would've been consigned to evolving into fiftysomething fratboys if fate hadn't intervened. Does that make them any worse than Frank, Dino and the other members of the Vegas "Rat Pack" of the Sixties? Probably not. For that matter, the life and times of the Eagles end up, as Eliot tells it, being not much different than the life and times of the Velvet Underground or the life and times of the Beach Boys or the life and times of (FILL IN BAND NAME HERE.). But you have to wonder after awhile whether any of them will ever grow up.
Rating:
Summary: nothing really new
Review: if you're looking for the dirt on the sex and the drugs, its tamed down. if you're looking for the conflict between geffon, the band, the managers and irv azoff, its toned down. the book comes down to henley and frey became starts, didn't think they received the respect they thought they deserved and were angry about it. but it does have a complete discophraphy of all members of the band.
Rating: 
Summary: If you love the Eagles music - DON'T read this tabloid book.
Review: It doesn't matter how clever the cover or how exact the in-depth bibliography or the psuedo-intellectual style of writing - this is a tabloid styled book. There is nothing revealing or refreshing or engaging about this book. It is all based on interviews published elsewhere amid the lofty and sometimes haughty speculations of the author. There is an over-reliance of statements by "unnamed sources." I personally have a serious problem with people who can't wait to be quoted, then let garbage spill out of their mouths, but don't want to be quoted. I don't trust them. I had hoped to read something that focused on the music instead of their personal lives. Big disappointment. I don't know of anyone so perfect that their lives could withstand public scrutiny. Most of the stuff in this book is none of my business and unfortunately I now know more about the idiosyncracies and sordid side of personalities and behaviors than I have a right or need to know. The only person not trashed in this book is Timothy B. Schmidt but that is because Eliot doesn't find Schmidt's "peace and love personality" interesting enough to write about. Eliot is a male-version of the venomous Kitty Kelly. I would not recommend this book to anyone if it were the last book ever written. The photographs are boring and have been seen many times before. I WANT MY MONEY BACK - $25.00 for a rehash of tabloid crapola. Eliot criticizes the Eagles for doing "session work" after their break up. Hell - isn't that what musicians do - play music? How many albums have been enriched by the individual contributions of the various Eagles? Lots!! It is ironic that Eliot makes this criticism of the individual Eagles when his writing career is reduced to rewriting old interviews and making them seem fresh. Where's his best seller? I will save all of you $25.00 and tell you the biggest discovery in the book: the reason the Eagles had so few album releases is because of integrity. They would not release anything until it was exactly the way they envisioned and they refused to release "Lyin Eyes" and "Hotel California" in shorter versions. Well, I hope Don and Glenn, Timothy, Joe, Bernie and Randy appreciate the fact that we're all in the same boat now - Eliot has screwed all of us.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, but could have been better.
Review: It is well-written, and you get a good feel for the early days of L.A. rock and how the band got started. The author, to me , obviously likes the music of the band and does a good job of going through their history and pointing out how the albums were made, what the songs mean, etc. He also doesn't shy away from some of the negative aspects of the band (band-and-personal related squabbles and so on). If the author focused only on digging up trash and completely ingnored the music that would be one thing, but he does a fair job of balancing it out (though I would have liked a little more focus on the music). The flaws I find in the book are that you get comments from Henley and some from Meisner but none from the other members of the band (including Frey). This tips the balance of the story toward Henley and left me with a feeling that with only one or two viewpoints the whole story wasn't being told. The lack of a Glenn Frey interview left a glaring hole for me. Overall, if you have a passing interest in the band (as I do), you should enjoy this book (It doesn't matter to me if I find out some of the seedier sides of these guys because if you read enough books about entertainment, and about rock in particular, you'll find that most people who are in this are no angels. I found the Eagles to be par for the course compared to other bands). However,if you are an ardent fan, and do not wish to hear some unflattering things about them, then just enjoy their music.
Rating:
Summary: Obvious mistakes cast doubt on author's research
Review: It wasn't a bad book; neither was it a great book. I also noticed some of the odd errors and omissions that other reviewers have pointed out. An obvious mistake that the author makes is describing the song "Get Over It" as "...a comical, good-natured nod at the feud between Henley and Frey." Did Eliot even listen to the song? I always thought it was about low-brow, opportunist morons on afternoon talk shows like Oprah and Montel. This is confirmed by the Eagles themselves in the liner notes of the recent release of "The Eagles: The Very Best Of." When the author makes overt goofs like this, the reader has to wonder about other 'facts'.
Rating: 
Summary: Well-researched
Review: It's about time someone let us Eagles fans know exactly how the band's mannerisms were either on or off stage. Any true Eagles fan can tell you that there was always some animosity between the band members at any given time. Don Henley and Glenn Frey are two of the most accomplished singer/songerwriters/musicians in the music industy. This book also pays homage to that fact. If you're an Eagles fan and you want a book that is objective, complimenting, and well-researched. This is the book to purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Part of my life... til I depart..
Review: It's become 'my band'... eversince those first turns of my LP 'Desperado'... From 'desperado to 'The sad café'... It was a delight to share such music with those I know and love... from the past til the day I die... When I leave this earth one day.. I got a legacy of memories... the music of The Eagles and my unending believ in hope, love, faith and... friendship... 'Just Ben.. a dedicated dutch fan'... Dedicated to my daughters Dyonne and Kirsten who love 'girl from yesterday and.. yes... desperado... Thanks friend... that we will meet one day... 'on wings of Eagles'... Soaring across a sky bright and blue... as the cover of your first album...
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