Customer Reviews

Grateful Dead Scrapbook: The Long, Strange Trip in Stories, Photos, and Memorabilia

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The writer Ben Fong-Torres makes the difference in this book about the Grateful Dead. To date there have been dozens of books written about the band. This one is very special and different.

Fong-Torres started covering the band for Rolling Stone Magazine when he was a young reporter in 1968. He has been watching the band ever since. Ben became a Senior editor for Rolling Stone and was with them for many years. He was portrayed as himself in the movie ALMOST FAMOUS. He has also penned 6 books on a variety of subjects. Ben does a radio news column in the San Francisco Chronicle Datebook and he has a radio show on KFRC in San Francisco.

For the Scrapbook he did a complete history of the band starting when they were known as the Warlocks in Palo Alto. The history (25,000 words) wraps around great photos and art work plus it has many removable memorabilia pieces like a program and guest pass from their concerts in Egypt, schedules, letters, several rare posters, and even a bumper sticker. You can remove some of the posters and frame them - they would look great hanging on a wall in your house or office.

To make things even more interesting a CD with rare interviews with Jerry Garcia is included. This book is a treasure of information and insight into San Francisco's most famous and beloved band. It is truly a one of a kind feast for the eyes.

I purchased this scrapbook on the cheap and was very happy and surprised by it's contents. Under the slipcase is a 64 page volume with lots of inserts of fun Dead stuff that you get to play with. You get a bumper sticker that would look great on 64 Volkswagon Beetle, a press release from Dead Heads Newsletter # 20, Feb 1975, a program from the Cairo shows of Sept 1978, stickers, a flyer from the 20th anniversary show with Hunter's lyrics to "20th Anniversary Rag" a letter from Hugh Hefner after the band appeared on Playboy After Dark in 1969, a Christmas card from the band and a bunch more playthings.

The overview of the band is good (but brief) as this is not a huge book of information, this is indeed a scrapbook of interesting thingies to see and enjoy. This one is very different from other Dead books as this is a Dead playground of sorts to keep your die-tye fresh and bright. A fun stop for old Pranksters this Grateful Dead Scrapbook is....I really enjoyed this!
Four & 1/2 Stars!

PLAY DEAD!

I saw this sitting in a bookshop and being a sucker for both the Dead and concert memorabilia, this is sort of the ultimate visual, aural and tactile treasure box for me. The CD of interview excerpts is pure fun. Just listening to Jerry ramble on about the Haight, acid tests, and all things music is enough to pick this up, but then you get reproductions of concert posters, bumper stickers, and letters to and from the band. It's a completely different way to look at the history of the Dead. The book portion is a good read, but probably not going to shed a lot of new light on the band for those who have been into them for so long. To sum it up, like what you'd find in a Rock 'n Roll museum collection, but you can carry it around with you. I love it!

Got it as a gift ..love it..my friends got this one from grateful dead merchandising..includes dvd..well worth it...see it.., I do not think this version has DVD..Thanks

This was a Christmas gift from my nondeadhead partner...he shoots he scores...thx Tommy. One thing about being a deadhead and touring heavy in the 80's was well...most of my memories are in my head and heart. I didnt carry a camera back then due to certain activities and to tell the truth was hard enough to keep up with my ticket let along chronicle the madness.

The packaging is very cool but the binding has issues due to some cool inserts. Alot of the inserts are things I have not seen in other DEAD paraphernalia which was cool. Reading the Scrapbook unfolds like a nice hit of Owsley. Each chapter targets a different AREA of the Deads expansive settlings.

I havent made it thru the whole book but for the price its a winner!

lots of grate fan mail, pictures and interesting articles. This is a book I can enjoy anytime. I like to sit and put on a favorite show and flip through.

If, at times, your mind works like an excited 5th grader (as does mine - esp. when it comes to the Dead), you're going to love the visual aids and pull-outs contained in this book. While the work presents an abbreviated historical outline, its real value lies in goodies like the handbill, backstage pass, and program replicas - not to mention the bumper sticker! Real "ooooh" and "aaaah" value. For great chronologies of the band without the tactile diversions, check out Dennis McNally's "Long Strange Trip" and the Rolling Stone tribute, "Garcia".

This is a very cool scrapbook because it show cases their early years. But Borders was giving these away for $5.00!!!! Do not pay $30! buy the used version!

With new Grateful Dead books coming out all the time...its hard to figure out which ones to get...The Family Album is a must...a couple others...and now this one -- AWESOME book...glad I took another chance on a Grateful Dead book

I bought this book for my dad, who probably has every grateful dead thing known to man. Luckily, he didn't have this book. He loved it and I think he also enjoyed that you could pull items out of the book like a real scrapbook. The book came on time, and in perfect condition. I would gladly do business with this company again.