Timothy, Toronto, ON.

Didn’t work for me.

Revisado: 11-13-18

I read a lot of history and maybe that’s my problem in assessing this book. The horror of what actually happened to European Jews is so extreme that Roth’s premise falls flat, for me. I’m sure that there are many stories to be told about American Jews and their life on the home front but I don’t think this one does justice to that terrible time.

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If you like Robbie, you'll like this book.

Revisado: 03-20-17

I grew up in Toronto during the period described in the first half of this book, so, nostalgia has a strong influence on my opinion. Having seen Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks and various iterations of the band, dozens of times, Robbie's story answers a lot of questions, like, who were the people in the strange entourage that followed the band everywhere. Answer?... Minor hoods, party girls and barflys who created a slightly dangerous and very appealing ( to a 17 year old boy) backdrop to every performance. They were an incredible, tight band. Robbie wasn't the star, Levon Helm and Richard Manuel stood out because of their singing, but he was sober and paying attention. He was/ is a street -wise survivor who parlayed talent, hard work and ambition into one hell of a life. Self aggrandizing?, of course, these rock and roll guys are all the same I think.
I enjoyed this book. It's not profound or life changing but it's an accurate portrayal of a place and time that I remember very well. The success of The Band came as no surprise to people who heard them before they were "The Band". Robbie Robertson is the last man standing (apologies to Ronnie Hawkins and Garth Hudson) and he has a way with words.

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Brilliant reading

Revisado: 07-24-12

If they give awards to the readers of audiobooks, Phil Gigante deserves one for this. This comprehensive collection of HST's work for Rolling Stone could be a bit ponderous with a less talented reader.Thompson's quirky brilliance and humour are beautifully captured in this presentation. It's a shame we don't have political commentary like this anymore.

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A Great Script For A Recruiting Film

Revisado: 07-17-12

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I was very disappointed by this book. It has the tone and style of an Army recruiting film that might be shown to high school kids. I don't intend this to be a criticism of the Rangers rather, it's a comment on a style of writing that belongs in a Valentine's Day card.

What could Dick Couch have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Start over again.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Sua Sponte?

The preface and introduction are nothing more than cheerleading.

Any additional comments?

The Unforgiving Minute is a more engaging and thoughtful book on the same subject.

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esto le resultó útil a 7 personas

The Straw That Stirred The Drink

Revisado: 03-02-11

For anyone interested in the development of American music in the 20th century, this book is essential reading. John Hammond was a big-hearted, opinionated and fearless advocate for musicians and for the civil rights movement. What this book makes very clear is that Hammond was in the business for the music and the musicians, not for personal gain. Mind you, as a direct descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt he had the resources to make that choice. The portraits of some of Hammond's discoveries, Billie Holliday, Bennie Goodman and Bruce Springsteen, are excellent. One negative; there's some awkward audio editing on the recording. Not a big issue though.

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What a surprise!

Revisado: 11-24-10

I'm really stunned at how good this book is. It shouldn't be a surprise that Keith Richard is such a great story teller; after all that's what songwriting is. His portrayal of growing up in post war London is vivid and visceral; Dickens in a ducktail hair-do. In spite of his hair raising lifestyle he comes off as a bright, perceptive and very funny guy. Not for the faint of heart, this is a fabulous, adult -sized slice of life.

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A nightmarish year

Revisado: 08-05-10

1968 was like an ongoing nightmare. Vietnam, assassinations, LBJ's decision to withdraw from the Democratic nomination process, riots in Chicago; there weren't a lot of slow news days. It may seem odd to say, but I don't think that the true horror and sinister aspect of Martin's assassination has ever been effectively documented. So many terrible things happened that year that the details of this story were lost.This book changes all that Hampton Sides has brilliantly captured the paranoia of the period where this gentle and visionary man was persecuted, stalked and murdered.
This is a great book on many levels. For me, it's a reminder of how much we all lost. This was a good man.

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A writer to watch

Revisado: 09-01-09

This is a really fine book. Having read Boyden's previous book, Three Day Road, I wondered how the narrator would handle the "Cree English' dialogue that makes Boyden's writing so authentic. He got it right, in my opinion.
Both of his books have changed, forever, my understanding of the impact of European settlement on First Nation's people, without feeling that I was being preached to. Joseph Boyden is one talented writer.

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A geat series

Revisado: 04-06-07

I agree with the previous reviewer. Great book lousy sound.
I've listened to the Taylor Branch trilogy about King and regard it as the most balanced telling of one of America's most important stories. I was inspired by the courage of so many, mostly unknown, people. Black, white, old, young, Jewish, Christian etc. etc. I'm not an American and I'm not a person of color, but the story of the US civil rights movement and the capacity of the USA to grow and change, makes me glad to have you guys as neighbours.

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For Fans of History and Language

Revisado: 04-06-07

I took a chance on this book because, in spite of studying three or four of his plays in high school, I knew almost nothing about Shakespeare or his world. The author's depiction of the social, political and cultural landscape of Elizabethan England may be highly speculative as other reviewers have noted, but I found it interesting and credible. The notion that 15th century political elites were paranoid about the entertaiment industry shows that some things never change. It's easy to picture Shakespeare walking the fine line between political correctness and wicked satire.
The book is beautifully written and read. It's a little deep in places but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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