GRATE STUFF!

This trip makes for a great read, and it is a must read for anyone who has ever been a fan of the Grateful Dead. I was enjoying it so much, I skimmed through it a second time after finishing it. You don't have to be a Deadhead to get something good from this. McNally was a member of the Dead's inner circle (nicknamed "Scrib" for his writing), their longtime communications director, so he knows plenty about the band. "A Long Strange Trip" tells the whole story, beginning with Jerry Garcia's youth up to the band's dissolution not long after Jerry's tragic death.

I won't attempt a recap here, because so much happens - a lot of it is amusing, but there are plenty of serious moments as well. The book moves along at a good clip and covers all the bases in the Dead's world, touching on the music, the personalities, the ups and downs, the conflicts, the changes, the romances, the politics, the relationship between the band and its fans, et cetera. The author views his subject with loving but clear eyes; he knew very well that the band had its dark sides, e.g. drug and alcohol abuse was a major problem.

This is a classic rock read (and it is a crowded field.) If you have ever been curious about the GD and the stories behind this band's unique presence in American cultural life, you will surely enjoy this.

This is a documentation of every concert ever played and every thing of interest that might have ever been covered in the press.

It's a good reference book for someone who wants to have access to all of that information.

Not readable though. It might have been better as a historic timeline of all concerts and songs and notable happenings.

There are many resumes of people too. Anyone who comes on the scene gets all their credits it. You know, the kind of thing you read on the program of a play you go to where each cast member get a paragraph that is really a list of parts they played before.

We get told rather than shown. There was a hint of interest in Jerry having problems with women due to his mother. We get told this, but not shown. Jerry's love life is described as another list of women and children, not even all that extensive for a rock star, so that alone doesn't explain this mysterious woman problem. But that's the most depth we get into the person.

Interesting detail about the life of Jerry Garcia and the Dead. Dennis McNally doesn't clean it up much, he gives it to the reader straight, no touch of grey here!

McNally has all the scholarly chops of a true historian -- as he should since he earned a PhD in History at UMass Amherst before started following the band in 1978. At that point, DESOLATE ANGEL, his dissertation-turned standard bio of Kerouac had just been published. Although he spent the next 30 years with band -- half of that with Garcia -- and has more stories than he will ever have time to time tell, this book maintains its academic rigor throughout . . . so much so that you may find it tedious unless you like that kind of thing and never tire of Dead. I fall into both caregories. McNally is also a truly good guy, with enormous integrity and good sense. The kind of guy, and the kind of writer, you want on your side.

There certainly was a lot of info on the Dead, but this was not all that well written. Took a long time to make it through this.

Just finished this after catching a Santa Clara show and as I approach the 30th anniversary of my 1st show in a few months. The nostalgia is strong right now but I found it a very approachable read.

5 stars just ain't enough. If you love The Dead, you'll love this trip. Just Deadly!

excellent

This was fun. I think Phil's book was a little better. But I appreciated the behind-the-scenes passages in this one. A little wordy.

It took me forever to read this book!

Definitely something only a Deadhead can truly appreciate.

I wish the book spent more time on the late Seventies. This is a monumental time in their live performances and only lasted a part of one chapter?

Also, there is way too much of a focus on the early years. I understand that there was a need to know where the world's greatest touring band found it's sound, but it doesn't make for a balanced read.

Still, if you are looking to find out more about the band, you will.

I ended up listening to shows that corresponded with the time period I was reading. This was a great way to experience the book. I'm more of a 72-74 kind of head, with a little 77 thrown in for good measure. This book forced me to listen to more sixties and nineties dead and I know have a deeper appreciation for some of the shows from the 68-71 the period.

Overall a well-written documentation of the formation and demise of my favourite band.

Doesn't get more official than Dennis McNally. Watched 'Magic Trip' (2011) about the Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters (The Acid Tests) and 'Long Strange Trip' on Amazon at the same time reading the book.