Generation Ecstasy : Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture

Rating:
Summary: A fine treatment
Review: This is a great book. Not just the best in the genre but in my opinion the best book on music out there. Reynolds strikes just the right tone in providing the history, describing his own experiences and biases and providing his opinion where necessary. The book is thought-provoking with a topic that I didn't think too serious. When techno finally takes America (as it inevitably will) this will be considered the standard text in which all the Johnny-come-latelys catch up to the scene.

Rating:
Summary: The first really great book about rave culture I've read
Review: This is a really lively and provacative book about dance music that goes from its beginnings in the 80s right up to now. Although it has lots of interesting analysis of how drugs affected the music and the scene, it's more focused on the music than anything else. No one else has written about this world as passionately or as clearly as Reynolds has in this book. A few scenes get dealt with too briefly. But I'd definitely recommend it, even if you're just curious about dance music and don't know much about it first hand.

Rating:
Summary: FABULOUS RESOURCE
Review: Wheather you are in the scene or just curious what all this stuff called "techno" is, this book is an indespensible resource. It reads not only as a "biography" of modern dance culture but in a way a manifesto or an epic history of the life of "dance music". Learn about our forefathers and treat yourself to stories of their genius. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!