It's rare that the very first book on a particular subject can stake claim to being the definitive source on that subject, but such is the case with Beatletoons; The Real Story Behind The Cartoon Beatles,by Mitchell Axelrod. Without a doubt, this is the only book you'll ever need to own about the Beatles Saturday morning cartoon series, which made a huge splash in the mid-60's, inspired the 1967 animated feature, Yellow Submarine, then disappeared into virtual obscurity for more than thirty years.

With the recent re-release of Yellow Submarine, Beatle fans around the world are suddenly rediscovering this gem of a weekly cartoon series which predated Submarine by three years and placed the animated mop tops in and out of all kinds of comical situations, ala Hard Day's Night. Author, Mitchell Axelrod has traveled far and wide to provide not only an in-depth look at the making of The Beatles cartoon series, but an inside look at the history of pre-digital animation, when each cartoon frame was sketched and colored by hand and photographed frame-by-frame.

Beatletoons traces the brief but successful history of the series from its inception at the height of "Beatlemania" to its demise with the arrival of the Sgt. Pepper era, when the Beatles new look and new sound became too difficult and controversial to be presented in cartoon form. Using original proposals, letters, and early memos between King Features executives, the book provides a captivating look at the business behind turning the hottest rock and roll group in the world into a marketable Saturday morning cartoon that would appeal to young and old alike.

Author Mitch Axelrod has been an avid Beatle fan since the age of three or four, when the Beatles cartoon series first aired. The series was a huge hit in America and in several other countries, but was never aired in England and was never, until recently, a very big hit with the four Beatles themselves. Perhaps for this reason, Apple Corps, LTD., the Beatles business company, has rarely licensed the cartoon episodes for TV broadcast over the years, with the exception of a brief, but successful run on MTV back in the 1980's. It was around this time that Axelrod began collecting cartoon episodes on video tape and eventually purchased the complete 16mm original film collection of all 76 episodes. From then on, Axelrod devoted himself to becoming a Beatle cartoon afficionado.

When he learned that many of the series animators, writers, and other contributors to the original series were still around and, in many cases, still very much involved in cartoon production, he set off on a mission throughout Europe to track these people down and get their stories. Many, he learned, played major roles in the production of Yellow Submarine, which was recently rereleased, but had even fonder memories of the original TV series. As he shared pints with John Coates, Norman Kaufman, and other unsung heroes of both The Beatles Cartoons and Yellow Submarine, he was treated to first-hand stories about the Beatles' reactions to the series, how animators had to recruit their teenaged children to learn which Beatle played which instrument, etc. And, as the icing on the cake, he even spent a few hours in the offices at Apple, the Beatles business corporation, discussing plans for a future re-release of the cartoon series.

So, Beatletoons is in no way another cheesy cash-in on the Beatles enduring success. The fact that the author shelved it for almost four years while waiting for a publisher who would handle it with the care and dignity he felt it deserved is a tribute to the fact that this book is a labor of love. And the fact that so many of the original participants in the series have lent so much support gives Beatletoons an even greater shot of credibility.

I highly recommend this book to all Beatle fans who think they've seen and read everything that exists about the Beatles. Beatletoons is a quick read that tells the entire story of a lost piece of Beatles history. Be sure to pick one up for the Beatle fans on your list this holiday season!

I remember waking up early every Saturday morning to watch the cartoon series of "The Beatles". When I heard of this book I just had to have it. Learning how the series came about and memories of the staff that worked on the cartoons was very interesting. Mitch has done an excellent job researching for this book. I read it in two days! The fastest I've ever read a book. I couldn't put it down. It also gave me the urge to pull out all my old Beatle Cartoons on video and watch them. I strongly recommend any Beatle fan or non Beatle fan to get this book! You won't regret it. This book is a must in any Beatle fans library......

What a great book! I wasn't even born when this cartoon originally aired, and I was 2 when the Beatles broke up, but I am a big fan of both the band and animation. I had vague memories of this cartoon, and most people my age did not remember it. I started to think I had imagined it! Then I found this book. It's terrific. Axelrod's enthusiasm for the subject is contageous, and the recollections and photos are so much fun! The author does a wonderful job of relating the series of events which lead up to the shows creation. I enjoyed reading about the people behind the scenes and their memories of working on this ground breaking show. Every episode is described, and he even points out little errors or curiosities that the viewer may find interesting. This book is a must for any Beatle fanatic or lover of animation.

I just wanted to tell everyone out there, who is going to or has read the book, its the best book ever. I know Aaron Carter, hes my really good friend,I love him. It was well written and put together very nicely. Everyone out there should read it. I love you Aaron!

Who knew you could do so much reading in one summer? This is the only book I have bought/read over the summer, and let me tell ya, its really good, I read it in a little under 2 days. This is probably the best Aaron Carter book you will ever read since it is a true life story written by the one who knows him best! Mom, Jane Carter, who is also the author of Nick Carter's book The Heart And Soul Of Nick Carter. I recomend this to Aaron fans and also the lonely hearted ones who have doubted Aaron's succsess may need to think twice about critisizing Aaron because of his young age, hey, he wont be this young 4 long! It tells his whole life story including how he was just a 6, going on 7 year old frontman headbanging and screaming covers of Greenday along with his teenage bandmates for a local rock school band, Dead End and what he thought of it. This will surely settle some rumors and untrue stuff you might have heard in the past.And answer some questions like Why soes Aaron want to attend regular school? Why is cotton candy a no-no? Whats it like to be a twin? and many, many more! It is also filled with a color photo insert and some black and white photos at each chapter! Enjoy!

Hi, i am Aaron's number:1 fan and ive LOVED him since he was 7 when his first little web-page came out...I have followed him growing up and untill this book came out I thought I knew every-thing a fan could know about him, but I was wrong this book takes you threw his wonderful life and growing up and family and being on the road...There are breath-taking picture that stole my heart, and a quiz at the end...This book is the best book I have EVER read and it stole my heart, Jane Carter you ROCK.... Aaron Carter you ROCK my world and youve stole my heart....

It's not the typical scenario addressing the known issues, attributes and impact of Rock Royalty from music's Golden Era, i.e., circa 1967-1977 but more an affinity to the internal maladies of the first great band of The Psychedelic years. Jeff Tamarkin captures the myriad of personalities, power struggles, the bi-product bands such as Hot Tuna, SVT, Jefferson Starship, Kantner, Balin & Casady. Perhaps a mirrored report such as the Dennis McNally book on The Grateful Dead and the various escapades outside the parameters of the music genre. The road less traveled leads from Washington, DC, Chicago, and other demographic licals to the ever popular and notorious 2400 Fulton Street mansion and Grunt Records. This is a more chronicled report on the various personalities, liasons, recreational drug use of the day and the insight of someone who has spent years in researching the facts of a living legendary band.
As they continue to expand the parameters of their chosen genre, the book is an enlightening text that unravels the complications of five gifted musicians, the addition of the first diva in Rock n Roll, and how all ahve evolved into the 21st century. Kudos and plaudits to Jeff for avoiding the tedious, useles rhetoric of most parables of those most emulated and admired as the youth of America in the sixties and seventies and his uncanny knack in showing that even our selected Gods of choice are not as atypical as we might like to invision.
As they live and breath, we also do the same and the demise of one is as pain staking and demoralizing as any death within our own family sturcture.
The affinity to counter culture and those who helped construct it, the music that lealed a generation and the survivors of the day are all the culmination of one of the great books of the genre in the last twenty years......as the syntax of the day would imply..."This book rocks"...

For anyone interested in the history of pop music and/or culture during the last half of the 20th century, the story of Jefferson Airplane is a great one to be familiar with... With its roots in the early 60's and a hitmaking career that lasts into the 90's, to follow Airplane's storied career is to take a tour of decades of popular music eras that they themselves helped to define.

Many band biographies are merely chronologically arranged trivia books, with an appeal that ultimately does not extend far outside of a circle of hardcore fans. Tamarkin's extraordinarily well-researched book rises above this by painting a richly textured picture of the culture that Airplane (and its various offshoots) sprang from and contributed to.

Tamarkin also succeeds in bringing strong insights into the music with his critical assessments. Here, even the most casual reader can glean why the author would try to iron out such a sprawling, Wagnerian epic... The people who made such music MUST have a fascinating story to tell. They do, and Tamarkin conveys it brilliantly -- setting the bar a little bit higher for music journalism in the process.

I have been looking forward to the publication of an authoritative book on Jefferson Airplane for a long time! Ten years ago (in my review of 'Jefferson Airplane Loves You' in Holding Together #16 in fact), I urged Jeff Tamarkin to use the wealth of inteview material he had amassed in researching the Box booklet as the basis for a full-length biography of Jefferson Airplane. If I'd had the time and the contacts, it's a project I would love to have undertaken myself. Tamarkin did have those opportunities - and it would appear that he's made the best of them, for at long last the book that he's written is out in the world.

It runs to over 400 pages, including 16 pages of black and white photographs, some of which have not been published before. It has a foreword by Jan Wenner and an introduction by Paul Kantner. Tamarkin then proceeds, over the course of thirty five chapters, to tell the tale of the turbulent flight of the mighty airmachine - essentially from its inception in1965 until the Airplane re-union of 1989. In order to do this, he has interviewed most all of the (surviving) key participants in the turbulent tale - not only all the band members from the various incarnations of JA (and HT/JS) but many of the managers, producers, back-room staff and friends of the bands as well - and some of these he's interviewed more than once. (In fact, excerpts from some of the early interviews did appear in Relix magazine a few years ago.) He's taken all that information, some of it conflicting - as people's recollections and opinions inevitably differ - and has tried to make sense of it, forging it into a readable narrative of shape and substance.

But after all the hard work on Tamarkin's part and the eager awaiting on ours, what you want to know is: is it a good book (in terms of style, content, veracity and explication)?

The short answer is yes - at least on three and a half out of four counts; (I personally would have liked to read way much more analysis and interpretation - "the why of making music," as Kantner terms it in his introduction).

What Tamarkin has produced is in fact a very good book. It's a highly readable account of the life and times of the band. The story is built up chronologically by introducing the key players one at a time, in each case supplying enough background to explain how they got to the point where they founded/joined Jefferson Airplane and in some cases how they came to exit it as well. For anyone previously unfamiliar with the detailed history of JA's inception and early days, this will make fascinating reading. Coverage of the remaining five years of Jefferson Airplane gets a slightly less comprehensive treatment and the life and times of Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship (then SVT, Vital Parts and so on) even less so - though Tamarkin obviously does hit the key events and seismic shifts in some detail.

What they did and what happened to them is entertainingly and faithfully narrated (the Matthew Katz legacy, the sexual pairings, the drug busts, the troubled relationship with RCA, the changes in personnel, the escalating craziness, the gradual emergence of Hot Tuna, Grace's alcohol intake, Marty's uncomfortable role in Jefferson Starship, the collapse of JS to Starship et cetera) and this is tied to the cultural and political events of the years as well (the rise of Hippie, the death of Hippie, assassinations, anti-war activities, the increasing polarisation of American society through the sixties, the long shadow of Republicanism, MTV and the rise of the global media jukebox). On the level of what happened it works well and there are many instances where Tamarkin is very insightful in relating external developments to what what was going down within Jefferson Airplane. He also provides many interesting details along the way: I did not know that Balin's submitted artwork for 'Surrealistic Pillow' was blue, not pink; that "Fat Angel" was inspired by Mama Cass Elliot; that Jorma was strung out on heroin during the Airplane reunion; who the inspiration was for Paul's song "Revolutionary Upstairs Maid." This is fascinating stuff. It also has a lot of very funny stories - Hot Tuna's Jamaican escapade and Reality D. Blipcrotch's vision for the 'One' album to name but two which actually had me laughing out loud. Naturally, there's also a wealth of great quotes; and generally these have been blocked out from the text for emphasis.

Of course, much of what is written will not be new to hardcore Airplane fans and obsessives; nonetheless it is very valuable to have the whole story laid out end-to-end like this and to read verbatim Paul's or Marty's or Jorma's or whoever's comment on a certain event or individual. I enjoyed it and I'm sure that for anyone less steeped in knowledge of Jefferson Airplane /Hot Tuna/ Starship, 'Got A Revolution' will be compulsive and enlightening reading.

Tamarkin rounds the whole saga out with a 'where are they now' section which is quite fascinating as it brings us up to date with what happened to over forty of the key and minor characters subsequent to 1989 (for the core crew) or whatever point they ceased to be directly involved in the flow. He then provides some useful reference sections at the end: a bibliography, a discography and a list of online sources/resources and an index.

Everyone who loves the music of JA will want to read it and will come away with a better understanding of how it all happened. So thank you, Jeff Tamarkin, for your devotion to your subject, for your love of Jefferson Airplane and for your perseverance in bringing this book to life. For too long there has existed a hole on the musical bookshelf between The Jam and Elton John - this book handsomely fills that gap. I'm off to read it for a second time.

I'll write a fuller review in the Airplane/Starship fanzine Holding Together.

The 2 people that posted negative reviews of this book must be INSANE! First off, this is truly the holy grail of all KISS books for all KISS fans. Never before has such a complete look at the live history of KISS been done. You get rare set lists, incredibly rare and amazing photos and fantastic stories from the people that were there! Not the fake nonsense that Gene and Paul spout but REAL stories, good or bad! Its a wonderful read that takes you along for the ride in the KISS world. Its too bad KISS themselves couldnt put out a quality product like this.

For the gentlemen that felt the book lacked info or was factually incorrect, please do a little research. The Australian/Police issue has been well documented in newspaper reports and even TV reports which are widely available among real KISS fans. As for the photo quality. If you look carefully, many of the photos are not there for quality but for the simple fact that they are RARE photos. Some good examples are Ace on the platform in 1977 and Gene in his RARE Dynasty costume. These are photos that prove or disprove KISS myths that have festered over the years. They also relate to a specific account or detail contained within the associated chapter. Any real KISS fan would realize that.

If you are happy with incomplete and revisionist KISSTORY, then settle for the official publications and tell all rags that have been published in the recent past. If you want THE book on THE band, then pick this up. I promise you a better KISS book will not be found. Kudos to the authors!

After reading online that someone was attempting to assemble a "complete touring history" of the hottest band in the world, Kiss, my interest was immediately sparked. I had no idea what the book looked like, or what exactly it contained, but I didn't care. Being a die hard Kiss fan for several years now, I figured I'd get my money's worth. I wound up getting that and then some. This book, cowritten by Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs is absolutely incredible. This is a Kiss fans dream come true; I've never seen anything like it. Everything you could possibly ask for is here. Details of every Kiss tour and every individual concert are explained in great detail. Insightful comments are given from members of Kiss' management, and others close to the band, as well as an occasional comment from band members themselves. And don't get me started on the pictures....Some of these have never been printed before until now, for example a picture of Ace right after one of his infamous car accidents which left his face in bad shape. This picture has him in makeup, but only half of his face is painted due to the injury. Casual fans are saying "what's the big deal?" but ... hard Kiss fans know that this type of stuff is just plain cool. Every set list for every show is included, as are the name of the venues and opening and headlining acts that shared the bills with Kiss. 288 pages, 3 pounds, it's a monster! God knows how long it will take me to get through the whole thing, but one thing is for sure.... this is must have for any Kiss fan. Hear the REAL stories behind every concert, things that you may have never heard before and may shock you! All in all, this is a great pick up for any Kiss fan, especially fans who purchased the box set and enjoyed the book that came along with it. I would compare it to this in the fact that they are both extremely informative and chock full of great photos of the band. So, if you're a true member of the Kiss Army, stop reading this and go get the book NOW. You'll be glad you did.

Over the years, there have been various books written about KISS. Some by journalists, some by those close to the band, and some by the band themselves.

This book is by far the best book yet about KISS. The amount of work and research put into this book is just mindblowing. They manage to track down and have stats on nearly every single KISS live show ever performed.

If you're a fan and have never read a book about the band, start here. If you've ever considered getting a book about the band, this is the only book you'll ever need.

The cover of this book is not the most inviting, but please don't let that fool you. Lyrics, 1962-1985 by Bob Dylan is a must-have for anyone in love with this man's work. When I bought my first copy of this book, I was far from being a Dylan fan. I simply wanted it for the poetry. While I didn't much care for his music, I always enjoyed Dylan's prose. This was quite a few years ago, and since, I have come to appreciate his music as much as his words. This has to be the most comprehensive book consisting of the art of Bob Dylan. It includes not only almost every published lyric from his vast repertoire, but many of his drawings, which, until the original publication of this book, probably never saw a proper forum for display to the public. Craig Grossman, Minneapolis, Minnesota

I love this book. Dylan's output covering a 23-year span is right there in front of you. Whether you read the lyrics as they are or read while listening, any Dylan fan will soak up this wonderful book.

Interestingly enough, I have loaned this book to people who can't stand Dylan, but appreciate him as a writer. Their appreciation for the man and his talent always increases as a result. Sometimes this leads them to buy the discs, and they're forever hooked.

As much as I love the book, it is badly in need of an new edition covering Dylan's work since 1985, which includes at least 12 discs worth of work. But taken as it is, this book is priceless. Buy it.

This book is incredible. If you own more than one Bob Dylan CD, you should rush out to buy this book. Why? Simply put it gives you the words, clearly and plainly. When you put that together with the music, its as if another world has opened up to you.

Plus, this book is put together in a really nice way. Not only does it have all the lyrics, but it has lyrics to songs that maybe the diehard fan has heard on bootleg or live or on albums like biograph. It takes these gems and tells you which recording session they were a part of, which is really nice to know.

Well, what can I say ? This books tells it all, it's a real pleasure to read the "adventures" of Oasis, it seems like it's a novel...Oasis IS the best band since the Beatles, and this book will tell you why, it's entertaining, never boring, informative, funny...It has it all, brilliant... From their difficult childhood to Top of The Pops, this is the exact story of Oasis, I've never read a book that fast, once you begin reading, you can't stop... If you don't have it yet, go and buy it...

When I first heard about the book I went straight to the bookstores to find it. After I got a copy I was attached to the book about their lifestyles and kind of things they do fun. The fights between Noel and Liam were exciting as the band's get drunk all night until the next dawn. It shows what the band Oasis is about and what happen in their past. Tells through the Gallagher Bros. sadistic lives to their success in the careers with help of friends, family and band members. Follows through band members such as Guigsy, Bonehead, and Alan White lives including producer, manager, and friends such as Johnny Hopkins, Mark Coyley, and Paul Weller as well. This book tells what Oasis is about. Their die-hard habits of partying, drinking, smoking, and shooting up drugs also included in this book. After reading the book, you want to go back for more and makes you want Live Forever. Highly recommended for Oasis fans

I really enjoyed this book. It was terrific to read how Noel and Liam Gallagher triumphed over a tough childhood to become successful musicians. Not only does this book tell the Oasis story in full, but it includes some terrific photographs. Being a HUGE Oasis fan, I must say that this book describes just about anything you want to know about the band, their music, and their lives. I would recommend this book to any Oasis fan.

The Art of painting animals on rocks is a gem! Lin Wellford is brilliant to imagine such portraits on rocks. By following her selection of rocks, to picking the exact paint brushes, I have started my own business of painting peoples' own animals on rocks! I did not know I had the talent until I used photos of my mom's dog that had passed away and Lin's guidelines. My mother thought she saw her little pomeranian curled up under her desk and was so overwhelmed at the likenees. That is what this book will do for you! And the gifts you can make for others. Buy her second book, Painting More Animals on Rocks for mor detailed portraits! A MUST FOR ANIMAL ART LOVERS!

This book is awesome! I am a novice to the world of painting. I first got the book about 3 years ago, and have since painted many, many rocks. My family will often call and request that I paint a certain animal for them. The instructions are easy to follow and are written in such a way that once you have mastered one animal, you can easily see how you could adapt it to another. I am anxious now to try the sequel to this book and indeed start painting more animals on rocks.

This step-to-step guide is the best I've ever seen! I bought this book a year ago, and I knew nothing about painting on rocks. This book turned me into a pro- my first rock was a rabbit, and it turned out wonderful! Ever since then, I've been painting rocks and buying her latest books- they are always great for new ideas and inspiration, even if you are a pro!

This book has instructions on what kinds of rocks are good to use and bad, examples of rocks the author (Lin Wellford) has painted, step-by-step clear instructions on how to paint Ladybugs, Snakes, Turtles, Rabbits, Calico Kittens, Grey Pursians, Yellow-striped Tabby cats, Raccoons, Foxes, Owls, and examples of how to do mother and baby(s) pairs, double animals, and even examples and tips on how to paint other animals! Also, in the back, there are instructions on how to sell your rock art!

Beware, this is not a high-brow re-evaluation such as Revolution In The Head. Instead, Steve Turner has written an entertaining, humorous and well-informed lowdown on all self-penned Beatle songs. The narrative is of the sort you might find a kindly hippie-uncle giving his wet-behind-the-ears nephew when asked, "so who were those Beatle guys?' We get to hear plenty from Paul who's clear memory of how and why the songs were written sometimes clashes with what John or George had to say. These two are sometimes quite dismissive about the songs whereas Paul seems far more even about it all.
Light is thrown on the old chestnuts; Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, Helter Skelter, Lucy etc. Charles Manson's ravings are included. Boy, he could see apocalypse on a blank page.
The book mirrors the way the guys honed their songwriting skills and matured from the lightweight fun of the early songs into depth and genuine insight from Rubber Soul on.
In conclusion, Mr Taylor has joined the pantheon of great Beatles chroniclers, Hunter Davies, Philip Norman and Ian MacDonald and produced an utterly glorious 'let me take you back...'

I have read most of the books on the Beatles and this one is my favorite. It has great photos, is easy to read, and tells the story of the Beatles through each of their songs. I especially liked the update with "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love," from the Anthology. This is a great gift for any real Beatle fan. There is more packed into this 224 page book than you could ever imagine. This book is a true joy!!!... You got to get this one!!!

Steve Turner gives the background story behind every Beatles song on all their officially released albums up to Abbey Road. Other books make the same claim, but this one's the best! To me, the most fascinating entries are about John's autobiographical songs, such as 'In My Life' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever.'

The story behind 'A Day In the Life' is riveting and is partly based on a personal tragedy for Paul.

Find out what John's inspiration was for 'Tomorrow Never Knows.' Does Dr. Robert really exist? 'She's Leaving Home' is based on a true story Paul had read about in a newspaper. Which was the first Beatles song not to be about love? Learn how much of an influence Dr. Timothy O'Leary was. Who's Ocean Child ('Julia')? Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is behind a few songs, but not always the way you might think! A song based on a conversation with Peter Fonda? You bet! What's the story of the sitar in 'Norwegian Wood,' and just who is the mysterious woman in whose bathtub John slept? I could go on and on!

The text is very well researched, and includes quotes from people who were involved with the Beatles.

The photos are excellent and add to the realness of the songs. See Eleanor Rigby's gravestone, Matt Busby (from 'Dig It')and the man who 'blew his mind out in a car.'

AHDW is thorough, accurate and FUN to read. If I could, I'd give it 10 stars!

I found this book after reading an interview with Tina Turner in Enlgand in which she discussed her life and the Buddhist practice she credits with helping turning her life around, Soka Gakkai. This book is the most inspirational life-story of a living person I've ever read!

I've since re-read this book a few times, as well as other books that are related to the Buddhism she mentions in the text. At first, it was hard for me to believe someone like Tina could also be a Buddhist, but now that I've read more about it I completely understand.

I'm so glad Tina mentioned in the interview about Daisaku Ikeda, the leader of Soka Gakkai and a prolific Buddhist author as well. I also found a wonderful book about this Buddhism at Amazon which I highly recommend - it's called "The Buddha in Daily Life" by Richard Causton.

Tina is the greatest! A true rock and roll Buddhist Goddess! Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo...

I found this book after seeing a Larry King Live interview with Tina Turner in which she discusses her life and the Buddhist practice she credits with helping turning her life around, Soka Gakkai. This book is the most inspirational life-story of a living person I've ever read!

I've since read and re-read this book a few times, as well as other books that are related to the Buddhism she practices. At first, it was hard for me to believe someone like Tina could also be a Buddhist, but now that I've read more about it I completely understand.

I'm so glad Tina mentioned Soka Gakkai and Daisaku Ikeda in the interview, because she didn't directly discuss them in this book. I also found the BEST book about Tina's Buddhism at Amazon.co.uk, which I highly recommend - it's called "The Buddha in Daily Life" by Richard Causton.

Tina is the greatest! A true rock and roll Buddhist Goddess! Nam-myoho-renge-kyo...

In Short this book is one of the best I have ever read. Tina is one of the most influential rock stars in history as she should be. The book sends a powerful message about what it takes to survive! Tina, you are a wonderful person, you realised you only had one life to live so you've lived it and what a life it is!

While this book has over 400 pages, it didn't take me long to read it. In fact i had a hard time putting it down. Boy George who has charmed us with his music ever since the early eighties, tells his story with such candor and the witt that he is famous for. I think after all these years and all that he has been through, he still hasn't lost his sense of humor. Between talking about his long time heroin addiction to his romance with drummer Jon Moss, George shows us in Take It Like A Man that he is more than just a pop superstar, but a human being with a heart and soul. George if you ever happen upon these pages, just remember that we love you and wish you the best always.

I recently went to see Taboo, Boy George's semi-autobiographical musical about the 1980s club scene. It was then that I first became interested in his life and wanted to know more than the musical showed. I knew little about his life, as I'm not old enough to have read those infamous newspaper headlines. To be completely honest I wasn't that interested in George before I saw Taboo, I'm very heavily into my rock music...bands such as Placebo,Hole,Nirvana,Tool, PJ Harvey etc...and as Culture Club were a pop band and George is now doing his DJ thing I thought it wasn't really my cup of tea. I first bought a copy of this book for my sister's birthday as she saw Taboo with me and said Boy George's story was really interesting. When it arrived in the post I decided to have a quick read, just to see if it was as good as all the reviews on Amazon said. Well, once I started to read, it was almost impossible to stop and wrap the book up. I was hooked and knew that I would have to order my own copy. So I did. It's very rare that I find a book that captures me and interests me as much as 'Take It Like A Man'. I read at every available opportunity, sometimes reading until 2am because I just couldn't wait to see what happened next. The book is written quite like George is sitting next to you, talking you through his life, the tone is friendly and inviting willing you to read on. George also laces the whole thing with a fantastic bitchy humour, even in the harrowing chapters about his drug addiction. I was very interested to read about his days as a punk, singing with his ex-boyfriend's punk band 'Theatre of Hate'. I also found I was able to really relate to many things George spoke of such as experimenting with punky clothes,hair and make-up from wearing bondage trousers to listening to bands like The Clash and The Cure. Reading about the adventures of the wonderful Phillip Sallon and the ever-dramatic Marilyn was nearly always hilarious! There were also many times when I felt so sorry for George, for example when he detailed his incredibly stormy relationship with Jon Moss and the messy ending to the affair. By the end I was in tears, but I also had a big smile on my face: Here was someone who was honest and had just as many weaknesses as everyone else but somehow people expected him to be massively strong in times when anyone would have broken down. However he got through it all, he battled and the ending was full of real hope and therefore extremely uplifting. What I've gained from this book is so much respect for this man,it's odd how you think you would have hardly anything in common with someone and then suddenly you realise that you have more in common with them than you thought possible. Okay so chances are I won't be rushing out to buy a Culture Club album anytime soon but I'm immensely glad that George is still alive and well. I look forward to a sequel in the near future.....

After reading this book, I came away thinking fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. Boy George's life seemed more interesting and exciting before the onset of fame! Maybe that's because George lived by his wits during his teen years, often living in "squats" with other punks during the late 70's. The chapters describing these years have a certain edge that the later chapters lack. There is drama in all the chapters, never fear! After George became famous he got fat turning to comfort food whenever Jon Moss rejected him, THEN he got really skinny turning to heroin after the final bust-up with Moss. All the little and big dramas are told with the wit we expect of Boy George. Even with all the trials and tribulations of drug addiction, the way George runs his mouth cracks me up. ...