Jim Morrison: Dark Star [Paperback]

Dylan Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1992

An illustrated biography of the lead singer of The Doors discusses the Jim Morrison myth, the music he created, his alcoholism, his self-image, and his mysterious death in Paris in 1971. Reprint.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Here is yet another book about Jim Morrison. What has Jones done that Morrison's other biographers haven't? First, he includes tons of photographs , with many shots in color and many available for the first time, e.g., family portraits. There are also plenty of shots of the Lizard King smiling, which we don't see too often. Second, Jones devotes considerable space to Morrison's grave site in Paris's Pere-Lachaise cemetery, usually so mobbed that Morrison seems to have as many followers as Jesus Christ. The description of this adolescent and subculture mecca is enough to make one wonder about Morrison's continued power. In fact, Jones's comments are often harshly critical of the man and his work. This criticism will be almost a relief to the many seasoned fans who have begun to suspect that Morrison was not as great as they had thought. Yet at times even Jones becomes so adulatory that his book loses its balance as fair criticism of a major late-20th-century pop culture figure, and falls to nothing more than what you would expect--idol worship. Still, Jones has his finer moments. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/90.
- Louis Cone, New York
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Viking Studio Books; 1st Edition. edition (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140168338
• ISBN-13: 978-0140168334
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #917,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Photos, Bad Writing., June 7, 2001

By 

Mr. Fellini "Fellini" (Orange County, California United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jim Morrison: Dark Star (Paperback)

This a strange book for me indeed. I loved the photos, especially those of The Doors performing, but the writing is bad and depressing. Dylan Jones fails to do anything to capture the essence of Jim Morrison's art and instead writes a book that basically paints a depressing picture. It appears he takes a lot of gossip as truth (though Morrison was known for his "wild child" activities) and I don't understand why so much effort was put into such a gorgeous-looking book when the writing burns the main character. Jones obviously does not understand or feel anything about The Doors considering he called "Waiting For The Sun" a disappointing work and trashes a great song like "Not To Touch The Earth." I'm also surprised he has so many pictures of Morrison at concerts when he totally trashes his moves and wild performances on stage. This is a weird book in that it has so many great pictures, it is a photographic record, but the writing does not strive to dissect The Doors art, it only focuses on the negative aspects of the life of Jim Morrison. I very much more enjoyed the biography "Break On Through" which was smoothly written and treated the bad stuff with style and really dissected Morrison's work. Great photos, disappointing book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If you like Jim Morrison, you won't like this book, March 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Jim Morrison: Dark Star (Hardcover)

Jones' contempt for Morrison oozes out of every page. It is so vicious, you will be left wondering why he subjected himself to the seeming torture of typing Morrison's name

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Morrison is an Unparalled Musician and Thinker, April 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Jim Morrison: Dark Star (Paperback)

I bought this book and had it finished in one week. Thomas does and excellent job of describing the life of Jim Morrison, AKA the lizard king, it was one of turmoil and confusion. But Morrison was quite an intellect and poet. Many of the Doors songs spawned from books Morrison had read and he had an unquenched love for the beat generation works, mythology and philosophers. On stage he was an amazing showman and gave the fans what they wanted. But all too many times he would become unruly and downright deplorable. Yet he still was a tremendous thinker, and was the perfect image of a rock and roll star. He truly was a remarkable poet and writer, it is too bad he left the Earth so soon.