Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Authorized Biography

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: The book was particularly interesting in describing the early history of the members of my favorite band, including each man's separate childhood and previous musical ventures, the story of their coming together and falling apart in the early '60s and '70s. But I found it frustratingly superficial in following CSN after about the mid-'70s; too much quoting the band and not enough talking to other people in their orbit, surprisingly circumspect on some of the problems of those times, notably those of David Crosby, both medical and legal. And different parts of the book are inconsistent - early on, the boys' enthusiastic embrace of the drug culture is presented as they expressed it at the time, w/o any recognition of later changes in viewpoint. While Zimmer and Diltz have had access to the band for a long time, a little more sense of historical overview would seem to be in order after more than 30 years - not simply undigested and un-reflected upon statements dating from the times of the original events.

Rating:
Summary: Glad to have this book back in print
Review: The new chapter makes this book worth while to those that own the 1984 edition. The only thing I miss is the color pictures that appeared in the original version.

Rating:
Summary: A must!
Review: This book is simply a must for anybody who wants to know what it is really like in the worlds of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. The author, Dave Zimmer, doesn't merely describe events, he takes you there to watch as an insider. In the process, the book captures all the vibrance of the best of their live concerts. I have met both Crosby and Stills, and can say that Zimmer hits the mark with these guys, time after time, including some little-known stories never before told. My favorite is Stills' reaction to Nash stealing his girlfriend -- well, you just have to read it for yourself! The photos are outstanding, showing the evolution of the rock stars in the past generation, but what really works is the way Zimmer has crafted the work, along with his intimate knowledge and ability to make Stills, Nash, Crosby, as well as Neil Young and others, to open up and spill their guts. This book is like a great movie. You keep going back to it, over and over, because of the way it makes you feel.