So Many Roads

September 15, 2015

Rolling Stone contributing editor Browne marks the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary with a selective and uniquely presented biography that stands out among the myriad profiles of the iconic jam band. Each chapter centers on a single day in the band's career, with Browne using details culled from curator David Lemieux's archives as well as new interviews with surviving band members and a wide array of friends, associates, fans, and journalists to illuminate what made those 17 chosen days particularly interesting, noteworthy, and even career-altering. Browne spends as much time covering the Dead's postglory period as he does the well-documented early 1970s commercial and critical peak, providing insight into how Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and bandmates coped, or failed to cope, with critical and commercial success after the group evolved from a young psychedelic rock outfit into a wildly lucrative music and merchandise corporation and a globally recognized brand. Sean Runnette's smooth, relaxed narration successfully conveys a wide variety of voices but is a poor fit for the more contentious and dramatic moments. VERDICT This long but engaging account offers a fresh perspective for well-read Deadheads and an accessible, albeit far from comprehensive, introduction for newcomers. ["It's hard to imagine a better book for a Dead neophyte to start with": LJ 5/15/15 review of the Da Capo hc.]--Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

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