The White Stripes : Sweethearts of the Blues

Rating:
Summary: Detroit Rock City
Review: As a native Detroiter, now living in Los Angeles, I was happy to stumble upon this great book about the White Stripes. Though I've never been a fan of the duo myself, as a Detroiter I felt I needed to understand what it was about them that everyone was so hyped up about. I'm usually very "Go Team" about any music that comes out of my fair city, but was never able to fall in love with them the way I was with Seger, Nugent and - to a degree - Eminem. So I went out and bought two CDs and this book. I must say that this book did more to endear them to me than their CDs did. It was informative, well-written and easy to follow. Buy this book, it's a good read. If you're a fan, you'll learn a lot that you didn't know. And if you're a casual observer as I was, it's a great introduction to this colorful act. I can only hope that Denise Sullivan will soon pen a book about Detroit's other favorite son - Kid Rock!

Rating:
Summary: denise does the white stripes right
Review: denise sullivan does the white stripes right. you can put down your magazines now. you want to get any deeper into all things white stripes? denise gets you to the meat of the -- in fact, she gets down to the bone of what makes jack and meg tick by tracing back their roots. from early gigs, to upholstery apprenticing to bar tending and marriage by way of Howlin' Wolf and Lorreta Lynn and the kings and queens of the blues. and such a beautiful package. great pictures. you'll want to hold on to this "rock book" for a long long long time.
- stephie the white stripes fan

Rating:
Summary: A book for fans by a fan...
Review: I read this book right through in a handful of hours over a two night span. This is the second book about the White Stripes I've read and I enjoyed this book immensely. Being from a suburb of Windsor, right across from Detroit all my life one would think I'd have a clear understanding of the music there and how being from Detroit impacts local artists. After reading Sweethearts of the Blues, I realized that I should have, could have and would have to delve more deeply into the music that impacted Jack and Meg White. I was quite surprised to find myself learning even more about the big city I can see from my window...
The book is a heartfelt tribute to the band, especially to Jack and a very entertaining read. I'm in my 30s with four children that all love the White Stripes and this is on my teen's "to-read" list also. The author approached her subject with warmth and heart and put many pieces of the Stripes puzzle together in a fast-paced joyful manner.
There is a strong coherent understanding of the power of the White Stripes' magic in this book. The undercurrent of appreciation for Jack and Meg shines through and it is a respectful, happy read.
It's a must for the Stripes' collectors and those who have a soft spot for Jack and Meg's work.
I recommend this book most especially to fans who have just been turned on the the White Stripes and want to know more.
My thanks to Ms. Sullivan for putting together a book that reveals a love for the music and the magic of Jack and Meg.

Rating:
Summary: Words can rock
Review: Reading this book felt like talking with a fellow fan who loves the band as much as you do AND has bothered to dig deeper than you have time to. Sullivan explores the band's evolution, style, sound, and significance with a fan's passion, a historian's skill at connecting dots; and a storyteller's talent for keeping it lively. She asks and answers questions (What is it about Detroit? Why do they only wear red, white, and black? What's up with their CD designs? Why do they cover the songs that they do?); dug up some fantastic photos; and best of all, made me want to listen to more music--blues, other Detroit bands, Dylan. The best writing about music adds to your listening pleasure. This is that kind of writing.

Rating:
Summary: Don't necessarily need to be a fan to enjoy....
Review: The first time I heard The White Stripes, alone in my car, I said aloud to no one, "Well. Where did that come from?" And now, thanks to Denise Sullivan's great, fun, reverent read, we know. Part documentary, part love letter, part Memo To All Music Fans, "Sweethearts of The Blues" is a meticulously researched delight for those of us scrounging for actual roots in today's fallow musical field of all things derivative. Loaded with anecdotes and starry-eyed peer praise, everyone from White's fifth grade pals to Ben Swank to Holly Golightly checks in, creating an intimate mix of recollection, speculation and appropriate adulation. A dissertation-worthy analysis of Dylan's influence on The White Stripes is a must-ponder for anyone who wants to walk their White Stripes talk at cocktail parties. Sullivan separates fact from lore, and adds fascinating historical perspective, but leaves room for theories of alchemy and magic. I have given this book as a gift twice, and received gushing thanks from both parties. Chock-full of candid photos,"Sweethearts" makes a once-discovered-hard-to-put-down addition to any coffee table, and confirms the consensus, "The White Stripes are about the music...and the story-telling." And so is this book.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book was awful! I would have to give it a zero because that's all it's worth. I found out nothing new and interesting about the White Stripes that I already didn't know. I love the White Stripes and I don't think it was necessary to have a glorified story about Detroit in there at all. Don't buy it, it's a huge waste of time and $$$!

Rating:
Summary: Renewed My Enthusiasm
Review: When I first heard The White Stripes, I was impressed by their integrity, authenticity, and mystery -- qualities common to the best in the American musical line that runs from Robert Johnson and the Carter Family through Hank Williams, Elvis, Willie Dixon, Johnny Cash, Dylan, The Band, Bruce, and up to and including Jack and Meg. They were the real thing, and they renewed my hope for American pop music in the 21st Century. But when Jack's behavior began to contradict the qualities of his music, I tuned out. Thanks to Denise Sullivan's book, given to me by a friend, I have begun listening again. Like a good teacher, she focused my attention on what really mattered -- the music. And she convinced me that White's art is a product of passion, not ego, and that it honors tradition, not the excesses of fame. She underscored the wise maxim, "trust the art, not the artist." It's a good rule to go by. Now if only someone would do it for Ryan Adams.