I came to this book as a 26 year attendee of and 17 year volunteer for Burning Man.
Over the years, whenever I have heard someone begin a sentence with "Burning Man is..." I reflexively cringe, because, more often than not, what comes next will be a statement that may be true, but not complete. It is easy to say A thing that Burning Man is (a Big Party in the desert, a spiritual event , an outrageous outdoor modern art museum, a family reunion) but it is far more difficult to try to boil down this unique event into a single, all encompassing thing.
In this book, Caveat Magister doesn't TRY to boil it down...rather he opens it up...like the proverbial onion and its layers...he peels back and explores many of the different aspects of the event, along with their contradictions, idiosyncrasies, good, bad and ugly parts and helps us navigate both the tiny spaces and the 1,000 foot view of what Burning Man is...or maybe, what it may be.
As someone who has tried (and often failed) to adequately express to others what I believe Burning Man is, I found this book a joy to read as it does what I have often tried to do far more deftly, and considerately than most of the other books on my "Burning Man Shelf".
By sharing tales and anecdotes of Burning Man interspersed with musings on many of the aspects of the event, including some of it's sacred cows, Magister weaves a far more complex yet approachable and digestible examination of Burning Man than most of the other books...and again, most importantly, he doesn't try to simplify Burning Man into one simple thing. He lets it be all of those things that it is...amazing, disappointing, great, small and most of all, inspiring.
A highly recommended read for anyone who has gone, or wanted to go, or just wanted to find out even some of what Burning Man is all about. Or partially about. Or...just a little bit about...
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Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2019
In the summer of 2006, I jumped in an RV in Vegas and made my way to my very first dirt rave in Black Rock City. Since then, I’ve gone on to be the Project Manager of Burning Man Information Radio, ran a 100+ person theme camp to regional burns on the east coast, threw 1000+ person burner events 6 blocks from the Nation’s Capital, did the soundscape on the Man one year, and have developed deep and meaningful relationships with an incredible community of people across this planet, including the man who wrote this book that will be released to the world tomorrow. That’s really just the cliffnotes version of what’s happened since the first time I stepped into that vacant heart of the wild west. To be utterly blunt, it has completely transformed my life in all the best ways possible. Caveat Magistar, one of the great thinkers of this culture I’m so deeply embedded in, explores exactly this phenomenon of integration and transformation, and the importance of it within the greater society of which we live in. Through extreme levels of nepotism and blackmail, I was able to get my hands on an advance copy and can quite honestly say this is by far the best book written about this thing in the desert that I’ve put my eyeballs onto. Caveat’s words stick to your soul like ravers to furry boot covers (or is it the other way around?).
Caveat explains the inexplicable and he does so successfully, skillfully, and with just the right dose of humor and snark. It's a brilliant read. Burners will enjoy it, but so will any reader who is fascinated with meaning and purpose in modern society. Congratulations Benjamin!
Caveat explains the inexplicable and he does so successfully, skillfully, and with just the right dose of humor and snark. It's a brilliant read. Burners will enjoy it, but so will any reader who is fascinated with meaning and purpose in modern society. Congratulations Benjamin!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2019
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Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2019
