Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Irish singer/songwriter from East Belfast is now 47 years old. And though he has been on the contemporary music scene since his debut with the group Them in 1964, he has remained an enigma, refusing to make himself a target for the press or fans. This book is not really a biography as much as a pictorial review of his career; Turner ( U2: Rattle & Hum ) is more adulatory than probing. But for a figure of Morrison's complexity--his music is grounded in R&B, black spirituals and, lately, a kind of Motown fusion, while his faith has swung from Protestantism to Dianetics to a form of pagan mysticism--a photographic portrait is perhaps as revealing a look as fans can hope for. And the photos here are enchanting: entire contact sheets of an album cover shoot with his then-wife Janet Planet and their daughter when they lived in Woodstock; views of Morrison's childhood Belfast haunts that figure with continuing prominence in his new work. And perhaps most telling are the archival publicity photos of the young, slender Morrison that convey a smoldering ambition behind a sullen exterior. A complete discography makes this book a necessity for fans of the Irish Rover.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Profiles the popular musician, tracing his evolution as a singer from his childhood, through his early days as a blues singer with ""Them,"" his solo career, and hits such as ""Gloria"" and ""Moondance."" 20,000 first printing.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First Edition edition (November 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670851477
• ISBN-13: 978-0670851478
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,828,258 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, July 11, 2009

By	Toby - See all my reviews

I can't believe nobody has reviewed this book. Not even a picture of the cover! I had a copy years ago and found a new/used one again. So it was a pleasure to re-read. It's a classic and contains some beautiful illustrations and a very sympathetic account of Morrison's career. Morrison was not kind to the author at the time the book came out, but I ignored that. There are a number of excellent interviews herein but it's the prose that is most engaging. My only criticism is that maybe it's not long enough but, that said, it's an illustrated book. I think it's a tribute to Turner that he chooses to dig up so much new information. In a book like this, it probably wasn't expected that he do new interviews and hone such a well written text. Let's hope it comes back in print sometime soon, perhaps with an update. Highly recommended - don't miss it!