Playing in the Band: An Oral and Visual Portrait of the Grateful Dead

Rating:
Summary: Essential Dead
Review: As the legends and myths associated with Grateful Dead continue to multiply, this book provides a perspective built from the original sources. Essential addition to the extensive GD literature.

Rating:
Summary: But only 3 if your not a dead fan
Review: The pictures here are amazing and truly make it worthwhile for the dead fan. The story could be a lot clearer and informative.

Rating:
Summary: Very, very light reading
Review: This is a very simplistic "picture-book" about the dead. There are much more authoritative/informative books around about the history and sociology of the dead.

Rating:
Summary: Very, very light reading
Review: This is a very simplistic "picture-book" about the dead. There are much more authoritative/informative books around about the history and sociology of the dead.

Rating:
Summary: Intricate and multi-faceted jewel of a book
Review: With its subtitle, "An Oral and Visual Portrait of the Grateful Dead," the subtle magic of this book is hinted at. Weaving together a gold mine of interview material, the book tells story of the Dead's career using the words of the musicians themselves. Gans' and Simons's touch is light but their editing must have been a gargantuan task, with the result being a seamless, highly readable and enlightening look at the inner workings of the band over the first twenty years of its life. Highly recommended!