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Recommend to me a good Motown book?

drbrownscelraydrbrownscelray 648 Posts
edited September 2008 in Strut Central
Is there a definitive book on Berry Gordy and Motown? Good writing and some backstory is definitely preferred to just a list of release dates masquerading as a book (think more "Divided Soul"1than like that awful Curtis Mayfield bio). Thank you and plaese.

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  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121Is there a definitive book on Berry Gordy and Motown? Good writing and some backstory is definitely preferred to just a list of release dates masquerading as a book (think more "Divided Soul"1than like that awful Curtis Mayfield bio). Thank you and plaese. b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121b,121It has yet to be written...
  • RerogRerog 569 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121Is there a definitive book on Berry Gordy and Motown? Good writing and some backstory is definitely preferred to just a list of release dates masquerading as a book (think more "Divided Soul"1than like that awful Curtis Mayfield bio). Thank you and plaese. b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121Heavy co-sign on the horribleness of that Curtis book. I forced my way through the first 100 pages then just gave up. So fusking boring. It does look nice sitting on my coffee table though.b,121b,121Any good one on him worth picking up?
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Z: this is less a history of Motown proper but is a history of Motown against the backdrop of Detroit and its politics and is a really fusking great book:b,121b,121"Dancing In the Streets" - Suzanne Smithb,121a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Street-Cultural-Politics-Detroit/dp/0674005465"1target="_blank"1http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Street-Cultural-Politics-Detroit/dp/0674005465
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121Is there a definitive book on Berry Gordy and Motown? Good writing and some backstory is definitely preferred to just a list of release dates masquerading as a book (think more "Divided Soul"1than like that awful Curtis Mayfield bio). Thank you and plaese. b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121b,121It has yet to be written... b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121As many books on Motown as have been written by now, from insiders and outsiders, you must be a hard cat to please. By now, there have been a THOUSAND Motown books on the stands, ranging from respected writers like Nelson George to former artists telling their side of the tale.b,121b,121However, here's one book by an outsider (and friend of mine!) that I can heartily recommend:b,121b,121img src="http://lagondwanaland.com/manchester_soul/Soul_Books/Motown-the-Golden-Years_Bill-Dahl_Front.jpg"1b,121b,121Featuring great rare photos, and bios of relative unknowns like Carolyn Crawford, in addition to the usual crew like Smokey, Stevie, etc.. Also...the book intentionally stops at 1972, so you're out of luck if you're looking for info on DeBarge, Bruce Willis, or Boyz II Men. But as far as Motown's glory years (let's face it...), this book does a good job.b,121b,121Never heard of this Curtis bio you mention...
  • drbrownscelraydrbrownscelray 648 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121Is there a definitive book on Berry Gordy and Motown? Good writing and some backstory is definitely preferred to just a list of release dates masquerading as a book (think more "Divided Soul"1than like that awful Curtis Mayfield bio). Thank you and plaese. b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121Heavy co-sign on the horribleness of that Curtis book. I forced my way through the first 100 pages then just gave up. So fusking boring. It does look nice sitting on my coffee table though.b,121b,121Any good one on him worth picking up? b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121Man I kept hoping against hope that this book would get better as it went on, but it did not. Here you have the fascinating life story of one of the greatest musicians ever and it's just page after page of "in 1965 he put out a deleted single featuring Phil Upchurch playing a red guitar". Scintillating.
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    the Motown book that has a blinged-out hand on the cover was decent
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,889 Posts
    "Standing In The Shadows of Motown"b,121b,121a href="http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Motown-Legendary-Jamerson/dp/0881888826"1target="_blank"1http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Motown-Legendary-Jamerson/dp/0881888826b,121b,121Jamerson-R but gives you a great insight into the real engine that made the hits. Good to cop for the classic basslines beign played1by today's players too.
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121the Motown book that has a blinged-out hand on the cover was decent b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121ok, they changed the cover for the paperback - the title is Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power b,121b,121there's alot of music biz dirt in there
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121Is there a definitive book on Berry Gordy and Motown? Good writing and some backstory is definitely preferred to just a list of release dates masquerading as a book (think more "Divided Soul"1than like that awful Curtis Mayfield bio). Thank you and plaese. b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121b,121It has yet to be written... b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121As many books on Motown as have been written by now, from insiders and outsiders, you must be a hard cat to please. By now, there have been a THOUSAND Motown books on the stands, ranging from respected writers like Nelson George to former artists telling their side of the tale.b,121b,121However, here's one book by an outsider (and friend of mine!) that I can heartily recommend:b,121b,121img src="http://lagondwanaland.com/manchester_soul/Soul_Books/Motown-the-Golden-Years_Bill-Dahl_Front.jpg"1b,121b,121Featuring great rare photos, and bios of relative unknowns like Carolyn Crawford, in addition to the usual crew like Smokey, Stevie, etc.. Also...the book intentionally stops at 1972, so you're out of luck if you're looking for info on DeBarge, Bruce Willis, or Boyz II Men. But as far as Motown's glory years (let's face it...), this book does a good job.b,121b,121Never heard of this Curtis bio you mention... b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121Nelson George isn't really respectable
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    I saw that Tempations movie on VH1 last night.b,121b,121Just saying.
  • PABLOPABLO 1,921 Posts
    Dennis Coffey's book has several great tidbits and is a quick read.b,121I've been wanting to check Jack Ashford's as well.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121b,121 By now, there have been a THOUSAND Motown books on the stands, ranging from respected writers like Nelson George(...)b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1 b,121/font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121Nelson George isn't really respectable b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121I meant as far as writers go in the real world. I wasn't talking about the Soul Strut opinion. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" 21
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