Rating: 
Summary: demons & dreams
Review: After spending 30 hours straight reading this book from cover to cover (no small feat at just over 500 pages), I was breathless, spent, and somewhat distressed. I felt as if I had lived through the thunderstorm relationship of the life and death of an alcoholic, megalomaniacal rock star. Ashcroft's simple suburban teenage life intertwined with Morrison's chaotic existence seems at times implausible. Yet, the evocative writing style of Ashcroft transforms this controversial tale of teen idol worship into a compelling story that transcends the specific details of their relationship. Ashcroft's ability to let the story unfold on its own sets this memoir apart from other biographies that editorialize their subject. This richly detailed memoir, based on her diaries of 1967 though 1971, resurrects the soul of Jim Morrison and brings to life the pain and power his music embodies. Because of the unique side of Morrison's character that Ashcroft portrays, claims have been made that this book may be nothing more than the fantastic longings of an obsessed groupie. Regardless, I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is willing to cast away their doubts and simply enjoy the ride.
Rating: 
Summary: wild child
Review: wild child/ full of grace/ savior of the human race/ you're our child/ scremin wild/ natural child/ terrible child/ not your father or your mothers child you're/ our child/ scremin wild/ with hunger at her heels/ freedom in her eyes/ she dances on her heels/ irate prince at her side/ staring/ into/ a hallow idols eyes/ wild child/ full of grace/ savior of the human race/ you're cool face/ . . .your cool face
Rating: 
Summary: What About Me?
Review: Having read the poorly titled but well researched "Angels Dance, Angels Die" about Jim I was inspired enough to take up this tome. The first thing that struck me beyond the rather hyperbolic writing was that there was no mention of MY affair with Jim which was concurrent with Linda's (and Pam's, and...)and I don't recall seeing Linda around. And it was actually me who inspired Jim to write that sophmoric verse that has decayed into rather embarassing drivel in the less intoxicated 21st century. The book is actually rather interesting once you realize it is all fiction (others have mentioned the strange lack of ANY evidence, not to mention the Doors magazine showing that Linda's dates don't correspond with Jim's actual whereabouts -- unless there was a double?), and realize that this is either really really pathetic or shrewdly cynical. Even in the rock star bio sphere you need to have some element of credibility, Linda Ashcroft has none. So don't buy this for the real skinny as it were, but if you are interested in aggressive self delusion (I'd like to think it is that over pure cynicism, and the rampant ego tripping she indulges in would point me towards the former) this is an interesting document. I sort of think of this as the book Glenn Close's character in Fatal Attraction would have written had she lived.
Rating:
Summary: wild children
Review: Although, like anyone who was a teenager in the sixties, the Doors' were a part of my life's background music, I read Wild Child because a writer friend recommended the author. So, I may be one of the few who read this book because of the writer and not Jim Morrison. Linda Ashcroft can write!!! But I also became a fan of Morrison's.I found Allen Ginsberg's quote on the cover to state exactly why this book is important: "Wild Child opens a door and gives an unobstructed view of the human side of genius." (A Great Pun)I heard Ginsberg encouraged Linda to write the whole truth about Jim when she was starting out to tell a couple funny stories about Jim because so many bad things have been said about him. There were some wonderful revelations about writing in their everyday dialog. This book is what anyone who has kept a diary forever should read to learn how to turn it into literature ... One of the things I enjoyed most about Wild Child is that Linda Ashcroft wrote without the usual editorializing found in bios. She just let their story unfold. Jim wanted to be a teenager again with her. They were wild children in the best meaning. I really got wrapped up in real feel of the times and the heartfelt truth of the emotions. Dispite what I knew about Morrison's end, I found myself routing for them to make it. If the size of the book imtimidates you, I guarantee it is well worth the late night reading.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written and heartbreaking, but is it true?
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ms. Ashcroft's book. It is a sensitive, provocative and ultimately heartbreaking book about the love shared between the author and Jim Morrison. However, as a professionally trained sceptic and cynic [a/k/a lawyer], I wondered about the fact that there were no photographs of the two lovers included in the book and the fact that their wedding rings and written memorabilia were all stolen from the author's home, conveniently leaving no physical evidence of the relationship's existence. Furthermore, all mutual friends of the lovers such as Jimi Hendrix, Bill Graham and a famous child actor [whose name eludes me]were all deceased by the time of the book's publication. So we have a one witness case, with no other living witnesses or physical evidence [photos, rings, the multitude of letters from Jim Morrison to Ms. Ashcroft]. Having said this, I am, nevertheless, a real romantic and found the story to be so beautiful and heartbreaking [especially the part about Jim's intention to return from Paris and marry Linda Ashcroft], that I hope its true.
Rating:
Summary: Not another book on Jim........
Review: I really can't concider this book to be as enjoyable, as other Jim Morrison books that I have read. Linda makes alot of claims. Claims that she can't back up, because everyone in her book is dead, except Dennis Hopper, who in the scene in her book, was supposely and convieniently "drunk". Of course Dennis can't remember. He was drunk! If you read this book as fiction, it is a pretty exiting book, if you may. The claims that Jim loved Linda more then anyone else sounds just as bogus as Patricia Keneally's "Strange Days" book. The only difference here is that Linda is sane. Jim loved one woman, and her name was Pamela. Jim was with Pamela for almost 6 years. He lived with her, bought a boutique for her, sent her around the world and allowed her to spend thousands of dollars furnishing it, bought her expensive cars, paid for all of her living expenses, wrote some of the most beautiful love songs and poems for her, dedicated his poetry books to her, willed his whole estate to her, and left the country to be with her. Is that love or what? Read "Wild Child" but don't fall for all the lovey dovey tunes in it, because it's just not true. Read instead "Angels dance and angels die" By Patricia butler.
Rating:
Summary: The Figment of a Gold-Digger's Imagination
Review: Whether or not the author is writing fiction or truth is really not the downside of this book. Her credibility has already been shot down by numerous people in the Doors Family. Throughout my studies of Morrison, this book has to be the most egotistical account yet by an author. Although she proclaims her love for Jim throughout the book, it seems that she wishes to tear away some of the myth which has been built up over the years. Every writer/poet/ artist gets their brilliance form their environment, meaning all kinds of things can inspire an artist to create. The numerous claims in this book made by the author concerning Jim's lyrics and how she was part of that creative process should have probably been left untouched, especially since her dates/times throughout the book have been proven to be false (go to DCM website to read it yourself). If you read this book, be looking for a comedy. It is a tall tale which can't be taken at face value. As a student of the Doors and the literature which has been published about Morrison over the years, I could have written this book.
Rating:
Summary: Total Fiction
Review: An overblown romance novel masquerading as fact. If Linda Ashcroft (and her truly colossal ego) ever set eyes on Jim Morrison it was in concert. She and the equally mendacious Patricia Kennealy ("Strange Days") ought to be horsewhipped for painting Pamela Courson as a murderess and themselves as the inspirations for or even co-authors of virtually all Morrison's songs and poetry. Anyone interested in discovering the truth about these two fantasists should go to the Doors Collectors Magazine website and click on the appropriate links.
Rating:
Summary: Will the real truth please stand up?
Review: A beautifully told story of love, trust, sensuality and creativity between two kindred souls. I enjoyed Ms. Ashcroft's writing style. The book read with a languid pace that held and absorbed. It painted such an intimate portrait of Mr. Morrison, that at times it was painful to read. But, is it the truth? You will have to read and come to your own conclusions. Truth has many sides.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent, when read as fiction
Review: The story was amazing, and Linda voices her tale with eloquent words and thoughtful stories. However; I find two things that are the cause of my suspicion 1)I think that it is rather convenient that all of the poems, letters, and rings that were given to her by Jim Morrison were "stolen" out of her house, and 2) the fact that everyone that had seen them together is either dead now or was so strung out there is no chance they would remember her. A bit convenient, don't you think?
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