Rating: 
Summary: she still doesnt have what she deserves
Review: ani's amazing. i think this book could have potentially been ani-worthy, but there were a few holes which probably could have been filled, and who could do that better than ani herself? im a huge ani fan and am still waiting for a book which really enhances her accomplishments. however, i do recommend reading it merely because anything published about this amazing woman is worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: ani fans- stop being so selfish and share!
Review: firstly, i noticed that a lad named joe had this on his "for boys who don't like to read" list - something to that effect. exactly. a book like this, though not authorized and sometimes inaccurate, is still a good book for beginner ani fans - those who want an overall understanding of her history and her mission. Devoted ani fans must remember what a very small percentage of the general population they (ani fans) make up- that even a simple book like this could be a wealth of information to so many people! And don't you want the world to know how wonderful ani is and to ascribe to her DIY ethic? She may not have approved of this biography, but I think she might be excited by the prospect that this small book could open up someone's mind. Indeed, Q has his own little gems of insight, such as: "It's the tug and pull of the quotidian that creates the pathos of our existences. Most of us give in to the material side of life at the expense of the spiritual...Faced with a burden of shrinking personal wealth before the enormous cost of living a decent life, most of us cave in to consumerism. Trying to stay true to dreams and visions, most of us abandon them early on, settling for the 2.5 kids and the white picket fence without ever once stepping into the great beyond in search of true discovery." (p 74)Though that quote may seem quotidian to those who ascribe to the DIY ethic, it may be a revelation to the general consumer- FOR WHOM THIS BOOK WAS INTENDED. I found Q's comparing ani to jewel, tori, and (especially) alanis VERY disparaging, but on further reflection, realized this might not be so bad. It gives those consumers of pop culture a jumping-off point (otherwise this book would be untouchable and totally unappealing.) After that, it's up to them to discover the truth. You can lead a horse to water...The discography may be useful, too. not so much for the interpretations but for the factual info. Those who have one or two albums and little money may find this useful in knowing what to buy next.
Rating: 
Summary: well, I'm sure he meant well...
Review: I was going to give this book 3 stars until I read in several reviews that Ani didn't approve of it being published. I was unaware of this, but, now I know. When I bought this book, I did not know much about Ani or her music. I had only heard a few of her albums, and knew almost nothing about her life. Now, after having finished the book and noticing many errors along the way (he called "Names And Dates And Times", "Names And Dates And Places", and called Alanis Morisettes song "Ironic", "Like Rain", as just a few examples) I am now wondering how much of that information was actually accurate. Needless to say, I didn't appreciate the fact that fans were categorized into two neat piles. I am sure many, if not most, Ani fans don't fit into either category (I certainly don't). We, as people, are more complex than a few pages can define. Also, most of the book consisted of an album-by-album, song-by-song "interpretation" of Ani's music. Ani has said herself that she is happiest when her music is interpreted at all diferent angles, and his generalizations about her beautiful and complex songs are not appreciated in my corner. I get so much more, both emotionally and intellectually, out of her songs than a few highly generalized paragraphs can describe. One thing, though, that I can give Mr. Quirino, is that he at least tried. Next time, he should try a little harder.
Rating: 
Summary: ani
Review: I was quite pleased when I found out that someone had taken the time to write this much about ani. The book was a great source of information, even though it's probably all on the internet who wants to spend days searching for all this info. when it's all in one handy book? I mean really people, any ani fan can at least appreciate it greatly. The only thing that bothered me mainly about the book was how the author made such a seperation between two "kinds" of ani fans. It was a blanket statement and being a 15 year old fan it bothered me a little bit. Some people seem to think that all teenagers are irrational in their tastes. I don't "worship" anyone and I don't think that's a good way to label a fan. Yes, I am deeply deeply moved by ani's music and respect very very much her righteous deeds and words. I guess I don't like being automatically put in a group because of my age. Other than that, it was an excellent read.
Rating: 
Summary: An attempt, but hardly a good one
Review: I was very disappointed when I read this book. Yes, I understand that the author did not intend this piece to be an official window into Ani's life... He states that he spent 3 months listening to ani's recordings, in an attempt to completely deconstruct them to get inside her head... I have spent nearly 7 years (I am, afterall, only 17) listening to Ani's music. And for one person to try to tell me just what Ani is "all about," is so infuriating. Ani's music touches each one of us differently, in my opinion, as we find our own experiences mirrored through her work, whether or not that's what she intended... I must... point out there are so many inaccuracies that this book should be kept farther away from the beginners than from anyone else. And more importantly, the only true way (in my opinion) to experience Ani is through her words, thoughts, and emotions.
Rating:
Summary: From a true Ani lover
Review: I was very excited to just see a book about Ani on the book shelf at my local feminist bookstore. So of course i bought the book in hopes of finding this incredible autobiography on ani and/or her work...well, what i found was a book by what seemed to be a man that just wanted to write a book and used Ani as his focal point. In his introduction he claims he's going to tell us his interprations of Ani's songs in comparison as to what's going on in her life at the time and in society as a whole, at the time. He does this, but very poorly. I don't know how one can write a book like this without even consulting with Ani herself or at least someone close to her, and god knows, the writers that he gets most of his quotes from are not at all close to ani and in most cases know very little about her. I was disappointed in the whole book (other then the wonderful picture...what i could have seen online) and can see why Ani wouldn't like it either. This man knows nothing about her and states that within the first 2 pages of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Outta Me, Onto You
Review: Rating Ani as my second favorite musician of all time, I was also extremely pleased to see a book in her name. I found out about its publication fairly early, so I preordered it not knowing anything about the book's content. It doesn't serve the purpose of a true autobiography, but I don't believe that was the author's direct intent anyway. According to the authors introduction, Raffaele Quirino discovered Ani Difranco fairly late, surprisingly during the current release of "Little Plastic Castle", so you have to wonder then, what was the author's intent when writing a book about her so soon thereafter? I didn't know whether to be appauled by his "lack there of", or to be intrigued by the fact that he clenched onto Ani so suddendly. His research was impressive in my opinion, as I have been reading Ani literature myself since early '94 & still found the book informative where questions rendered. He made a point indirectly in this book that Ani still did not need all that advertising glam or commercial success to be truely amazing and capture such avid fans. The facts about Ani's life were fairly short and to the point, but the dates and times devoted to her contributions as an artist really gave me a better idea of who she might be. Most of the book was dedicated to her songs, as the author tried to uncode the meaning behind Ani's lyrical brilliance. He included every album and every cover song trying to elude to the sound behind the instruments, and how he might interpret Ani's either direct or vague words. I wanted a better perspective of what her intentions were and what was the, say, political or merely emotional message given in a song. The author did this for me and gave me insight on how to unravel and explain what a song sounds like musically (I guess for those that haven't heard them already). Ani experiments with sound on so many different levels, it can be difficult to review work that is hardly "cut and dry." He also dedicates some pages to recognizing the independent "Righteous Babe" label throughout the book on its amazing development, as well as mentioning the anniversary of "Ms" magazine. It concludes w/ influences of Ani's, and those artists that have been influenced by Ani herself. I was also happy to see a decent reference section. For about a 150 page paperback, I'd say the quality of the text is at the least what you'd hope to expect. Catchy sub-titles, lyrical quotes throughout where appeasing, photos, and images of publications squeezed out here and there, leaves Ani's first "bound-book" worth the money and reading time if you're that "into" her. The author is clearly appreciative of what Ani gave him, so all I can do as a reader is appreciate anyone who makes a heartful, chosen effort to write about Ani. From her self-title to "to the teeth", to say she's come a long way would be an understatement, the writer reassures this.
Rating:
Summary: Outta Me, Onto You
Review: Rating Ani as my second favorite musician of all time, I was also extremely pleased to see a book in her name. I found out about its publication fairly early, so I preordered it not knowing anything about the book's content. It doesn't serve the purpose of a true autobiography, but I don't believe that was the author's direct intent anyway. According to the authors introduction, Raffaele Quirino discovered Ani Difranco fairly late, surprisingly during the current release of "Little Plastic Castle", so you have to wonder then, what was the author's intent when writing a book about her so soon thereafter? I didn't know whether to be appauled by his "lack there of", or to be intrigued by the fact that he clenched onto Ani so suddendly. His research was impressive in my opinion, as I have been reading Ani literature myself since early '94 & still found the book informative where questions rendered. He made a point indirectly in this book that Ani still did not need all that advertising glam or commercial success to be truely amazing and capture such avid fans. The facts about Ani's life were fairly short and to the point, but the dates and times devoted to her contributions as an artist really gave me a better idea of who she might be. Most of the book was dedicated to her songs, as the author tried to uncode the meaning behind Ani's lyrical brilliance. He included every album and every cover song trying to elude to the sound behind the instruments, and how he might interpret Ani's either direct or vague words. I wanted a better perspective of what her intentions were and what was the, say, political or merely emotional message given in a song. The author did this for me and gave me insight on how to unravel and explain what a song sounds like musically (I guess for those that haven't heard them already). Ani experiments with sound on so many different levels, it can be difficult to review work that is hardly "cut and dry." He also dedicates some pages to recognizing the independent "Righteous Babe" label throughout the book on its amazing development, as well as mentioning the anniversary of "Ms" magazine. It concludes w/ influences of Ani's, and those artists that have been influenced by Ani herself. I was also happy to see a decent reference section. For about a 150 page paperback, I'd say the quality of the text is at the least what you'd hope to expect. Catchy sub-titles, lyrical quotes throughout where appeasing, photos, and images of publications squeezed out here and there, leaves Ani's first "bound-book" worth the money and reading time if you're that "into" her. The author is clearly appreciative of what Ani gave him, so all I can do as a reader is appreciate anyone who makes a heartful, chosen effort to write about Ani. From her self-title to "to the teeth", to say she's come a long way would be an understatement, the writer reassures this.
Rating:
Summary: the man needs to get his facts straight
Review: the author threw a bunch of hear say and rumors into book format and sold it. a lot of the so called "facts" are blatant fallacies. buy a record, go to her concerts, you'll learn more about her.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't even deserve 1 star
Review: The way that the author is trying to capitalize on Ani's name is disgusting. I borrowed this from a friend and am glad to say that none of my money went into this guy's pocket. Terribly written, blatant inaccuracies (song titles, etc), and written without Ani's consent. I think it just plain that the first book written on the life of Ani Difranco is such a piece of trash.
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