Appetite for Destruction: The Days of Guns N' Roses

Man this book is such a guilty pleasure for me. I love how Sugerman can weave Rimbaud/Baudelaire, William Blake, William Burroughs, Jim Carroll and Axl Rose. A lot of us were living on the nighttrain to the "Palace of Wisdom" back in 1989. That was my season in hell with GNFR as the soundtrack. Although Axl has revamped them as a karaoke group, it makes you wonder what might have been. Guns and Roses was truly onto something legendary if they didn't implode. But hey wasn't it inevitable. No one in music today is even close to the insanity of pre-illusion Guns. Only the Lizard King's Homer could mythologize the late 1980s of the Sunset Strip. RIP Danny

As a huge Guns 'N Roses fan, I was slightly disappointed that the book did not contain more biographical information on the band. However, I did learn many interesting facts about G 'N R that I had not previously known. Despite that, the bottom line is that this book contains so much more in terms of intellectual presentation. What the book lacked in G 'N R insight, it made up for with a brilliant blend of mythology, philosophical ideas, and historical references. This book has definately enhanced my knowledge in the areas that it touched upon, such as the effects of drugs and alcohol on the creative process, the origins of rock 'n roll, etc. If you are a Guns 'N Roses fan who merely wants the gossip on their private lives, this is probably not the book for you. On the other hand, if you want to expand your overall horizons, it is a must-read.