Rating: 
Summary: Wrong title, but still interesting
Review: The title is a bit of a misnomer. This is not, per se, a book about Goth. It certainly doesn't touch very much on "Goth Chic". The alternate title is more revealing: "A Connoisseur's Guide to Dark Culture", and it's THIS that you should keep in mind. The author makes it known from the beginning that Goth is a very difficult thing to nail down. Is it Specimen/Batcave Bauhaus/art-rock Sisters Of Mercy/dark rock subculture? An extension of punk? Where do Industrial crossovers and bands like Dead Can Dance fit in? So he decides to roll the dice and talk about as much that has been touched by a "Gothic" aesthetic as possible, and that includes black metal (Cradle of Filth), industrial (Nine Inch Nails), and some silly Spanish band called Gothic Sex whose lead singer you have to see to believe. There's also quite a bit of backstory, so you get details about Byron, Baudelaire, expressionist horror film, EC comics, etc. Therefore, the book doesn't just talk about Goth (however you interpret it - you being a Bauhaus purist, or Sunshine Blind fan) - it also talks about Black Metal, Death Rock, Horror Films, EC Comics, BDSM, vampire wannabees, etc. and in true liberal arts fashion traces the undercurrents, commonalities, and divergences that separate the different threads that have descended from the Byrons, Baudelaires, Decadents and Romantics that got the dark ball rolling in the first place(so for those of you thinking "Goth" started with Marilyn Manson, you're wrong on two counts... the first being what I just mentioned, the second being that Marilyn Manson is NOT Goth but a HEAVY METAL ARTIST and ALICE COOPER RIPOFF and thankfully, this book gets that right.) Looking for info just on Goth? Well, it's there but it's scattered around a lot and mixed in with info about a lot of other similar subcultures. That having been said, though, I did learn quite a few things reading the book, and it was worth the read (for example, colour me stupid, but I had no idea it was Peter Murphy in that "blown away" Maxell ad in the 80s) I'm surprised at the fact that even when non-Goth stuff gets mentioned (e.g. black metal, BDSM or those silly LARPer people dancing around in glow in the dark fangs "oo! oo! What clan are you?") the guy has a clue enough to mention that it isn't Goth. This isn't the definitive guide to Goth. I don't think that's been written. It IS worth the read, so if you come across it, give it a look.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting
Review: This book is not for people who want to become Gothic, it's for Goths that want to know more about the history and culture. I liked the music section because it mentions some good gothic singers and it didn't have any singers who are put under the category of making gothic music like Marylin Manson or Rob Zombie.
Rating:
Summary: An Essential Read for Anyone Interested In Gothic Culture
Review: This book was everything that I had hoped for. It delves deeply and thoughtfully into the gothic culture and is always entertaining. The book examines the history of gothic culture and ends nicely with a look forward for the movement with a couple of chapters dedicated to current trends and influential performers making waves today. I really enjoyed this book though I think that newbies to the goth scene will get more out of it because a lot of it was old hat to me. But don't get me wrong it was never a boring read. Totally essential!!
Rating:
Summary: Actually, surprisingly actuarate.
Review: This is the third book I have on Gothic subculture and I have to tell you, this is the only informative one that I have. It covers everything, from literature, to music, to style, in depth. The print is small and the book is thick, therefore filling it from cover to cover with just about all the information that you could need.
Rating: 
Summary: Erh?
Review: Well, a nice hod'de do and what the hell, the book to me seems to explane the "Glowin the dark fangz, and, plastic halowwen caped, M. Manson's kids that plage the word! Yes it explanes them very well, however Gothic is not such, i doubt many wrighters could explane what it is to "be" gothic, lord know you dont 'turn into one', it is descoverd inside ones self. Therefore hell to wright about, so if you want to know about all thoes kids who run areound with black greese pait from last hallloween on there eyes and excsivly use the tem "Blah" (in a Bella La Gossie (sp?) way) ..go on read about it. Maybe one of thes little Manson kids will tell you what "clan" there in.... seriosely if you want to know about the Gothic culture go get youresef a older goth who want to talk, this book is a waist of time & money.
Rating:
Summary: Nonfiction Book of the Year
Review: When I first heard about this book, I thought it would be extremely patronizing, or a puff-piece at best. However, I checked out some of Baddeley's other works and was impressed, so my hopes for this one were great. He didn't disappoint. "Goth Chic" chronicles the gothic movement from its inception to modern day. Along the way, Baddeley touches on literature, film, music, and the Goth subculture. Intelligent without being stuffy, and very well-written, "Goth Chic" comes highly recommended to anyone interested in the macabre and the sublime.
Rating:
Summary: I am No Longer Heavy Metal
Review: While at first I used to be black metal and liked this book a lot as I was into the horror films mentioned, it was just that- my taste in movies. As I aged slowly I got frankly tired of most black metal as I owned the most important albums from every band I ever wanted. I began looking at this book as the best the author had done, as his other books to this point, Lucifer Rising and Dissecting Marilyn Mansom, are now out of date. I needed a makeover and I went gothic. I found out bands like Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails are not gothic at all and get poked fun at. Different categories of heavy metal may have gothic themes, but it isn't gothic either it's heavy metal. I now have all the Bauhaus albums and all the Rozz Williams era Christian Death albums. This book had an impact on my life and am now one of those 24/7s. I used to be a joke because I liked Manson now I am legit. If you are seriously into goth, whatever you do don't listen to Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson.
Rating:
Summary: Definitive Guide to Goth Culture
Review: While judging from the book I'm way too metal, goth's macho copunter-point, I did enjoy the book. I'm a fan of the gothic horror films mentioned and a little of the gothic literature. Even the parts I hadn't known about before were presented in an an entertaining fashion. I've read Baddeley's other books, and they're all excellent. They had only a few pages on metal, but they did mention some of my favs like Danzig, King Diamond and Iron Maiden. This is gothic in the arts, not a "how to be a goth" guide. I've had exposure to the goth scene, having known a few Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy and London After Midnight fans. Goths are usually pretty nice people. If you're a goth you should have this book or if you enjoy goth in the arts like me I recommend.
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