Exploring the Unconventional Journey of the Grateful Dead: An Inside Look at the Band's History

70's rock lover!: I was really looking forward to reading this book. The fact that a band insider, Dennis McNally wrote it, and seeing the amount of pages, (800 +), I thought that this will be the definitive read on the Dead's odyssey. Sadly, it was not meant to be. So, on that note - short review is: Great book, very interesting and excellent written. For a casual fan, this will please.

Long review: To major 'Deadheads' (myself), this book is divided in 2 parts: the pre 1970 year and the post 1972 years. Rather than ramble, to summarise - Dennis McNally gets into lots of detail up to 1970, then details become sparse, with whole period skimmed over or skipped completely, with such excellent, important periods, such as '72 - '77, '80 - '82 and even 1989, completely hopped over. What the hell happened, is anyone's guess. If Dennis had put the level of detail in the others periods as he did the 60's, this book WOULD have been definitive. Instead, he barely mentions the quality and length of the music which crept in during the Europe '72 tour, the excellent 1974 shows, culminating in the 46 minute straight PITB, the power, quality and excitement of 1977, as well as the fall '79 period, when the...

United Kingdom on Aug 06, 2023

XYZ: Ottimo

Italy on May 06, 2022

Terrapin0624: Ioved the book version..clarification the paper/pulp version...kindle doesn't have pics (that I know of..) So when it comes to GD related reading pix which usually accompany said reading material are essential to the story..since I read the pulp written version oh so long ago & don't recall if it even had pics altho tbph Idk If I ever read a dead related book that didn't but still can't say definitively and I do believe this review is for the "audible" version..altho I could have sworn I wrote a review already ...my mind u c I am.old skool quickly approaching my 5th decade on planet terrapin so pls forgive my memory...I have quite vivid mind pics of certain events but books sadly are not one of them. The words still resonate & the visuals they produce but the actual details of what was between the pages I am a bit fuzzy..I do recall my fave book on GD related material in regards to visuals aka pictures was the The grateful dead family album...rcvd that on my 19th bday as a gift from a very good friend may she RIP now. Sorry to digress..
If this review is for the Kindle version I didn't even use it...AS a4mentioned I purchased for the audible version (which sadly had a...

United States on Jul 09, 2021

Henrique Freitas Parreira: So, I'm a Dead Head;I've never been to a Dead concert, I'm 39 years old and from Brazil, just got to know it's sound in mid 2000s and yet I'm a Dead Head surfing this world of synchronicity and incoherent people, ruled by beliefs, religion, politics and law, so I am Grateful to have met the Dead, an unique and exquisite group
Thank you Scrib for writing this amazing book

Brazil on May 18, 2020

Benjamin Frankly: Once you get used to the Americanisms and Mcnally's style, this is a really enjoyable, informative and well researched account of the phenomenon that was The Grateful Dead. It is as balanced and as objective as an insider account can be, and isn't afraid to tackle the painful stuff too. There are also lots of fascinating nuggets hidden throughout the text, e.g. Garcia's role in Jefferson Airplane's success, as well as the radical tradition of San Francisco. Better than Phil Lesh's "Searching For The Sound".

United Kingdom on Apr 14, 2014

Andrew Aitken: In my opinion, Dennis McNally's Long Strange Trip is one of the best books on the omnipotent Grateful Dead. It's set out in chronilogical order from the early sixties to the mid nineties with interludes which include company meetings, stage set-up, 1st set, intermission, 2nd set, rhythm devils, Dead on the Dead, encore and load-out.
As an example of just one story in the book and as a tribute to The Bear (Owsley Stanley)I can relate the following...
In 1977 - one of the best years musically for the band, Bear gave Mickey Hart a damura - a Tibetan drum made from a human skull. Shortly thereafter, Mickey got sick and blamed it on the drum. Phil Lesh then suggested getting shot of it by returning it to the Tibetans. They met a lama who told them that the drum could, 'wake the dead' and should be 'handled with great care'. Maybe Mickey hadn't taken as much care as he should have as he was subsequently involved in a car crash where he was incapacitated. Only the help of his passenger, Rhonda Jensen, who wasn't injured saved him.
As a drummer myself I love this story but if I ever come accross a damura, I think i'll give it a wide berth!
Andy Aitken

United Kingdom on Mar 29, 2011

Junglies: I have to admit to a certain bias towards the Grateful Dead. Their music has comforted and beguiled me, it has been my joy and my delight, it has been my heaven, my hell and it's spirit lives on. My first written word experience of the band whom I hold so dear was a book by Hank Harrison given to me by one of my closest and best friends, Rib Chile Kyam.
Since Jerry Garcia's early and untimely demise has deprived us of his and the band's musical adventures there have been many books about this most legendary of America's rock bands, some good, some awful and most just plain and mediocre.
This new book, acclaimed to be the real deal as it is written by Dennis McNally the Grateful Dead publicist, is a joy to read and is a gripping account of almost thirty years of adventure and music. McNally is the author of a book on Jack Kerouac a fact which helped him land the job as the band's publicist. He writes here as a professional writer with good prose style and one which is almost pregnant with expectation, almost as if each sentence insists 'and then, and then...'
The structure of the book is relatively straightforward - in a historical progression with little asides along the...

United States on Aug 24, 2002