BOOKS

JUNE-JULY 2009

REVIEW

Grateful Dead

"What a long, strange trip it's been."

Author: Michele C. Hollow

Enslow Publishers, Inc., specializes in "educational nonfiction books for children and young adults, who will access these materials in schools and public libraries." Grateful Dead by Michele C. Hollow fulfills this promise with an introduction to the Dead for the children and the grandchildren of those who danced in the aisles of crowded theaters, or on the lawns at open-air concerts attended by hundreds, and hundreds of thousands, of whacked out, wasted, wanderers listening to high voltage rock and roll under diamond skies. Okay, so you don't remember that, but this book has lots of pictures to remind you.

Band members are introduced by name and age, with a bit of background including how the members met, what they were doing at the time they met -- basically when and how they got on or off the magic bus. Trials and tribulations of the members, including early deaths of several band members, the changing world after the end of the Vietnam War, the changes in the drug culture of the '60s and '70s, the influence of art on Jerry Garcia's music, and so on, with events leading up to the present, all are covered.

Hollow interviewed several of the group's members and close friends, including Jane Healy, Bob Weir, Dennis McNally, John "Cub" Ganrahan, Megan McWilliams and David Gans, and quotes from many other articles, books and interviews. As an introduction to the Dead, this book will serve young readers unfamiliar with the band, its people, music and the times. But if you grew up listening to the Dead's music,  or spent a summer or year following them from gig to gig, memorizing lyrics and licks, you probably already know much of the lore you'll find here. If you're a collector of "Deadmobilia", you may even want to add this late riff to your library shelf.