The Deadhead's Taping Compendium: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1986-1995

If you went to or collect shows from late '80s to early '90s, this book is for you. Much of the work here is similiar to the previous books, although if you have a preference for '70s era, you will be dissappointed. I found the commentaries quite enlighting, yet not as majical as the commentaries found in the prior books. Perhaps the shows were better? There are many reasons to buy this book, for the tapes, but what I found fascinating was the way they give Garcia the thumbs up for his efforts during the last painful days of his life.

I can't add much to what's already been said in reviews to Volumes I and II. I LOVE THESE BOOKS. If you are any kind of Dead fan you will too. I have a special attachment to Vol II as it covers the period during which I saw the bulk of my shows; the newer fans will delight in seeing their shows reviewed. It is fascinating to read about the Dead's final years.

This is mainly a book for deadheads. But not only. It's fascinating to read the varied styles and insights of so many people, so different, all absorbed in the same music. The writing and editing are good, and actually make it a pleasure to read about many radically different and creative versions of the same songs. This makes the book extremely interesting, but anyone interested in the culture and mindset of the sixties would enjoy this as well; it perfectly captures the zeitgeist of that era refracted through later years of deep analytical perceptivess. And all the pictures, commentary, and anecdotes make this endlessly fun to read. For anyone who went to concerts, got high, and wore bell-bottoms, this is a great book! And for anyone who is curious about why their parents endlessly reminisce about that period, this is a great book. Again, its diversity of opinion, balanced judgments, reflective insights, and sense of fun make this a lasting pleasure.