Jesse James: The Man and His Machines

c'mon outlaw, stop whining... your marketing machine is impressive, but your fans realize there is more than the fun-but-shallow spin seen on tv.

This book is well written, filled with great photos, and is very fair. Frankly, I don't know what the fuss is about! Did Jesse not get offered a big enough cut? LOL I respect Jesse a great deal, and have found in him a great role model and inspiration, since I want to become a bike builder myself. This book was cool because it cut through James' public bad-ass persona and showed the side of him that I admire: a perfectionist craftsman, a genius marketer, and a tireless worker. It is fascinating to read how this guy came from meager means to become a world hero of cult proportions. If I was Jesse, I'd be flattered by this book. But as I said before, it probably comes down to money, and who got what.

Few people who are fans of Jesse James or his TV shows "Monster Garage" and "Motorcycle Mania" are ever provided an inside look at the lifestyle and the man behind them, but this book more than delivers! I've always wondered what it would be like to attend one of Jesse's parties, go for a ride with his gang on the L.A. Freeways, or just get a glimpse into the West Coast Choppers workshop. The author and a talented team of photographers takes us deep inside the custom chopper world, leaving no stone unturned. Short of buying your own $80,000 Jesse James chopper, this is the way to go!!!

This book was a pleasant surprise. I expected it to be either a sordid tell-all type book or a slobbering fan's paen to his beloved Jesse. Instead I discovered a well-written, intelligent, honest, and entertaining biography. It is not perfect. The author errs on the side of caution, not discussing the darker elements of James' life, but such sordid details seem beneath the author. If the quote in the above review is an example of Mr. James' writing ability, this is the book to buy.

This book catches the essence of Mr. Jesse James, the host of TV's Monster Garage without being too obsequivious. Lots of insight into the creative process behind some of the most sought after custom chopper currently on the market. Who would've known that Jesse James, the television personality started his career as a barroom bouncer. Filled with hundereds of candid personal photos and hard to find rare pictures of Jesse's early custom motorcycle creations. A must have!