Rating: 
Summary: No Expectations
Review: This book is very interesting, but don't expect to find the real duende or understand flamenco any more than you might already, after all, it's not something that could be described in books anyway. Jason gives an excellent perspective of an outsider in relation to flamenco and how guiris like us relate to it, and that's the beauty of his story. There aren't that many white boys and girls looking for the real stuff, that which is not sold at tablaos for foreigners. His encounters with people, his search for flamenco action, and his ultimate lessons about the culture of the gypsies and their invariable connection with flamenco make this book worthwhile. This book is a very light read; it's entertaining, frustrating, sad and funny. But above all, it's one man's adventure, it's his diary, and being a devout fanatic of flamenco myself, I feel fortunate that someone as crazy about flamenco as I has shared his experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Authentic and awesome
Review: This is one hell of a book. The guy goes to Spain, learns flamenco guitar, ends up hanging out with some Gypsies, takes a few blows and then comes out on the other side wiser and clearly having packed in some important life lessons that we could all learn from. The writing is subtle, perhaps even symbolic at times, despite being non-fiction. I've lived in Spain, and this guy clearly knows about flamenco - I've never read a better description of the spine-tingling feeling this music can give you. He might have given us more history, but there's just enough for the uninitiated. Don't listen to the detractors - this is the real thing.
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