Rating: 
Summary: Poor old Sid - 'Snot Fair...
Review: A truly excellent book - I've just read it (the original 1991 edition) for the second time in five years and was blown away by it all over again. Savage charts the entire history of punk, from the origins of British anarchy in the Gordon Riots of June 1780, on through the Situationists, the early history of rock'n'roll in the 50s, and the collapse of the hippy dream at the end of the 60s, to place it firmly within the social, political, cultural and historical context of mid-70s Britain. This was a period when, such was the level of post-imperial and post-war disenchantment in the UK with Britain's ever-diminishing power in world affairs, coupled with urban alienation, inner-city decay, increasing racial tension and chronic political and labour unrest that many actually feared some kind of second English Civil War.With an appendix detailing the extremely bitter mid-80s legal battle between Lydon and McLaren, and an exhaustive bibliography and discography charting punk's influence up to the late 80s and beyond, this 600-page volume is the definitive history thus far of the extraordinary phenomenon of punk in general, and the Sex Pistols in particular. Superb.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Pretentious To Be Punk!! Worthless ! Meaningless!
Review: Although this book is a detailed, if overintellectualised, account of the Sex Pistols' short career and the ludicrous media games of Malcolm McLaren and Glitterbest, It is not by any stretch of the imagination, a book on U.K. Punk. It completely bypasses England's second generation of Punk (1981-1983)out of which sprang many of the Greatest Punk Bands Of All, such as The Exploited, Discharge, Vice Squad, Chaotic Dischord ,Disorder, The Anti-Nowhere League, Chaos U.K., G.B.H., and The Insane! None of these bands are even briefly mentioned in this book! It's As If Jon Savage,poncey journalist that he is, is afraid to acknowledge their existence! Instead he wastes page after agonizing page reading overblown hippie-like ideas into the useless New Wave bands he erroneously believes to be punk! The one or two lines about Crass don't even begin to make up for this pompous smokescreen. Worthless, Stalinist tripe!!!! Save your money and save yourself a headache! DO NOT BUY THIS!!!!
Rating:
Summary: An epic, definitive documentation of the era
Review: Awesome overview of mid-70s punk. The best thing is how it imparts a sense of the hysteria of London 1976-77: The chapter on the chaotic June '77 Sex Pistols boat ride, taken from the author's diary, is downright gripping (he was on the boat!), painting this period as the pinnacle of all the madness (and the book). Credit is deserved for tracing the lineage of punk, plus all the criminally overlooked concurrent scenes (No Wave, Cleveland punk) as well as the psychological underpinnings of it - though an Electric Eels lyric quoted sums it up better than any sociologist could. What's unfortunately lacking is the musical aspect of it, and the US proto-punk bands (Stooges, MC5, etc.). Take this as a vivid, complete picture of a vital moment in England. I've read this several times, and it still gives me the thrill of history being made with each passing day of the Pistols' existance.
Rating:
Summary: Little Shop of Horrors
Review: Bondage for the masses, filth, fury, situationist codswallop and testimony from witnesses and victims, villians and a hero or two. It's all 'ere, my son, step inside and let yer old uncle Jon tell yer abaht the times 'e 'ad in the year of 'er majesty's jubilee. This is the real thing - don't kid yourself, you weren't there and neither was I but this is as close as we can hope to come. 430 Kings Road might have well been on Pluto, but you and I are living in a world very much influenced by Malcolm McLaren's little shop of perverts, thieves and dandies. At no place or time since has music, style or attitude mattered as much as it did in London in 1976. Why not is apparent on reading this book's description of the society in which the likes of Rotten, Jones and McLaren created the Sex Pistols. As an examination of the background to the movement, this is exhaustive. As a record of events it is almost perfect. Unfortunately it is also all we are likely to have regarding the real history and motives of the players. Rotten has told his tale, Matlock even chipped in a few pages, Jones and Cook have kept mum and McLaren .... even if he did write a book would we believe it? The truth is probably somewhere between the stories of all five of them and for now, Savage must be the authoritative source. And Sid's there too.
Rating:
Summary: Very long and very detailed, but still pretty cool
Review: Englands Dreaming is the ultimate book on punk, its progenitors, the Sex Pistols, and the moment they definated for music fans in England and the United States, Savage brings to life the sensational story of the meteoric rise and rapid implosion of the Pistols through layers of rich detail, exclusive interviews, and rare photographs. This fully revised and updated edition of the book covers the legacy of punk 25 years later and provides an account of the Pistols 1996 reunion as well as a freshly discography and a completely new introduction. By the way, this is the summary of the back of the book. This very long book(632 pages)and very detailed, about englands loudest noise the "Sex Pistols". But seriously this is very big and thick, if you seen the book "Che" thats how big this book is, very very long. This book took a long time to read. This book focuses on all members of the sex pistols. Sid Vicious, Steve Jones, John Lydon and Paul Cook all fit in one book. This book also talks about other bands like "The Clash". It shows the enviroment of England, and the Pistols passion for making punk music. This book was kinda dissapointing of me because I'm not really a big Sex Pistols fan. I'm a bigger Sid Vicious fan. When I saw the cover I thought it was a biography on Sid Vicious. But it is the whole band which gives it the reason to be long. If your not a big pistols fan, but a Sid Vicious, I don't really think you should buy this. I suggest the book "Sid Vicious: Rockin Roll Star" by Malcom Butt. That is the book on Sid Vicious. But if you are a big Sex Pistols fan, and I mean ubsest with them, you should definitley get this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not an overview of Britpunk.
Review: Horribly padded. No narrative flow. Not an overview of Britpunk. Just 540 tedious pages devoted to the short career of the Sex Pistols with an occasional paragraph on other bands. Check out "Riot of our Own" and "Rotten" first.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Punk Books
Review: I read this book cover to cover it was a gerat book a must for fans of old-school punk.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: I started this book thinking I would learn a thing or two about the Sex Pistols, but ended up -- about 700 pages later -- an armchair expert on the cultural history of the 1970s. In other words, Jon Savage is one hell of a writer.
Rating: 
Summary: For the true punk
Review: If you're looking for a book on Punk, this is THE book to read. If you're looking for a book on the Sex Pistols, don't pass it over. This book takes you an a journey right from the beginnings of Punk at 430 Kings Rd, with Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, the two founders of what became the outward appearance of punk, right through the formation of the Sex Pistols, the other major groups like the Clash, the peak of the punk movement, and then the tailing off as the Sex Pistols broke up and Sid Vicious' death. Not just a broad selection of dates and events, "England's Dreaming" explores the causes and effects of those events, and all the people involved. At times it can appear somewhat exhausting, and it IS a very long, involved read. However, it not only details the biggest stars, like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Buzzcocks etc, but also the smaller characters, from Jordan, the well known sales girl at 430 Kings Rd, to the smaller bands scattered throughout Britain. This book, unlike some written at arms length, does not show only the glamourous side to punk, or even just the rotten underbelly, but both, in a well balanced analysis of the movement as a whole. This book is one for the true punk - if you aren't really into this type of stuff, you'll find it very hard to motivate yourself to finish it. If you are enthralled in every aspect of the 70's punk movement, this is the most in-depth and interesting book you will read.
Rating:
Summary: For the true punk
Review: If you're looking for a book on Punk, this is THE book to read. If you're looking for a book on the Sex Pistols, don't pass it over. This book takes you an a journey right from the beginnings of Punk at 430 Kings Rd, with Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, the two founders of what became the outward appearance of punk, right through the formation of the Sex Pistols, the other major groups like the Clash, the peak of the punk movement, and then the tailing off as the Sex Pistols broke up and Sid Vicious' death. Not just a broad selection of dates and events, "England's Dreaming" explores the causes and effects of those events, and all the people involved. At times it can appear somewhat exhausting, and it IS a very long, involved read. However, it not only details the biggest stars, like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Buzzcocks etc, but also the smaller characters, from Jordan, the well known sales girl at 430 Kings Rd, to the smaller bands scattered throughout Britain. This book, unlike some written at arms length, does not show only the glamourous side to punk, or even just the rotten underbelly, but both, in a well balanced analysis of the movement as a whole. This book is one for the true punk - if you aren't really into this type of stuff, you'll find it very hard to motivate yourself to finish it. If you are enthralled in every aspect of the 70's punk movement, this is the most in-depth and interesting book you will read.
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