The grand story as only an insider could tell it. Everything you could ever possibly want to know about the greatest band to ever set foot on this earth.

My motivation in reading McNally's history of the Dead stemmed from the curiosity I had regarding their first-half of the 1970s musical style. One who is familiar with the Dead knows their style during this era to be a mix of electric and acoustic, with a strong bent toward folk/rock as well as "cowboy" and Appalachian music. Sadly, few paragraphs within the 620 pages of text touched upon my points of curiosity. So, because of this, I ultimately felt disappointed with the book. There were other reasons as well: McNally's unwillingness (or inability) to speak beyond the surface level on anything regarding the Dead's philosophy toward life, music, drug use, life, spirituality, their place in rock, influences, etc. The book is essentially a shallow chronology with little real substance that would keep a mild-to-medium Dead appreciator such as myself engaged. I enjoyed learning the obvious - the origins of the band's name and artwork motifs, Garcia's biography (even that obviously essential element to the book is underwhelmingly treated), the rise of the band, etc.
McNally worked for the Dead for over 20 years so he obviously had a lot of first-hand understanding of the various personalities and motivations of the band's members. Unfortunately, a sense of that does not truly come across in the course of 620 PAGES! By the end of the book I truly disliked every band member, including Garcia, and found them to be rather hollow. Their convictions as a band seemed to be few and inconsequential. Their convictions as individuals were more scant - essentially summed up by an attitude of self-absorption and self-destruction. When this is your attitude and you have come to no longer produce good music, you have transitioned into becoming inconsequential. The zenith of the band was 1970-1973. Before and after this they essentially sucked.
I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone, not even a Dead Head.

An amazing, blow-by-blow account of the life and times of the Grateful Dead. McNally takes a "fly on the wall" approach, giving you an intimate view of the group with very little, if any, editorializing. A fitting counterpoint to Rock Scully's chatty account of his time with the group. Highly recommended.

The Dead's and Haight's history without layers of legends and anecdotes.

Wow. What a long strange read it's been. This was the epic rock and roll band biography. I have to give it five stars because it inspired me to dig deeper into the Dead and the individual members music more than ever and as a result of that growing in my own understanding of music. If there is anything you learn about the Dead in this book is that it is all about the music. Really man, no matter how much psychedelics, fame, women, personal drama, hangers on and more came through there lives when they hit the stage the music always had the potential for magic.

A beautifully done synopsis of a story beyond words.

Bias aside, this book is and excellent history of the world's most un-rock rock band. Well-written, fact-paced, and full of humor, this book could easily appeal to non-fans interested in rock history, and the immense effort involved in producing/managing headstrong musicians. Unlike other authors of Dead biographies, McNally doesn't make you feel like he's saying "man" every 15 seconds and snapping his finger while delicately balancing a filthy bong on his knee. It's a historical account written by a meticulous scholar, man.

Great historical view of The Dead

Really in depth, could have been more detailed if that makes sense. The book would get to talking about what seemed to be the makings of a really good band story and then skip right over it for the next chapter.

A very engaging and interesting history of the Grateful Dead, their ups and downs and their context in American culture

A good book for the fan or anyone who wishes to learn more about the band. There are so many reviews here you have got the idea of the book. I liked how it told the aspects that were not as well known besides the band itself.

I didn't follow the Grateful Dead around the country and I only saw one live show. I'm a big fan of the Dead, however. I owned all of their recordings on vinyl at one point or another. I have enjoyed the improvisational freedom of their music since hearing it for the first time in 1967. Their influences (Jugband, Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country and Bluegrass) have provided the starting point for many of my investigations into the various facets of American music. This book traces the Dead's history from the very beginning through Jerry Garcia's early demise. There are also individual biographical sketches of each band member from childhood. Although I enjoyed the book immensely, there is a lot of focus on personal and family aspects of the Dead that a lot of people who aren't ardent fans might not enjoy quite so much.