This book is a unique perspective on the Dead experience. Told from the seat of the pants experiences of a random fan…one gets accessible insights into the whole long, strange trip. The Dead never did anything by the book, always cutting their own way through the jungle and this author does the same. A great book for Deadheads and non-deadheads (me)…have recommended to friends who all loved it, too.
Many of us have heard the quote, “The Grateful Dead were not the best at what they did, they were the only ones who did what they did”. This remarkable book is equally unique.
In addition to sharing a plethora of fun and poetically scribed experiences that parallel ones us ‘frequent-flyers’ can totally relate to. The author weaves in deep ideas about community, morality, and existential questions about the fundamental purpose of life that often accompanied our show-related journeying. These ideas are touching and easily accessible and seem so very relevant to our turbulent society today.
The book made me laugh, cry, and smile…I highly recommend this book to those of you who were there and to those interested in vicariously sharing in the experience.
A personal journey that has universal appeal for anyone craving simpler times, introspection, and good vibes laced with music history, neatly crafted anecdotes and surreal photographs. You'll want to read it more than once.
Amazing book!! Like a time capsule this book brought me back out on tour all those years ago. Well thought out layout with all of the artwork. I read parts of my own story following the dead around in these pages. Highly recommended!!
I had the immense pleasure of reading a thoughtful and heartening account of a life lived within the orbit of the Grateful Dead. Much like the journey of the band itself, it was at times happy, ponderous, funny, adventurous, sad, dark and redemptive. Everyone should give this a read!
This book is like a walk down memory lane for me. I followed the Dead for ten years. It was a formative experience for myself and for my wife. It influenced us both in ways that are still unexplainable. It's often difficult to even attempt to explain what that experience was like or why we jumped on the bus…especially to people that have never considered doing such a thing and think us crazy to follow a band and give up normalcy and the American dream to seek happiness, passion, freedom and awe of the universe.
This book has been an absolute pleasure to read. I've laughed out loud on several occasions. My wife laughed and wept. Each page has an amazing photograph (also by the author).
The art is exquisite and psychedelic at times. The chapters/stories are fantastic and vibrant and full of the juice/koolaid that Dead Tour was. It's a book that I will keep on my shelves and in my heart and read over and over again. I highly recommend this book to any who have danced on the golden road and to those who missed the bus all together. After reading this treasure…you’ll want to start over at the beginning and ride the bus all over again.
This book reminded me of my youth, following a rock and roll band across the country. That band? The iconic hippie band know as The Grateful Dead. You won't find stories about Jerry Garcia or Bob Weir passing joints or taking acid together. What you will find is the story of a rock fan and deadhead giving his perspective on what that band meant to him.
It's a pretty book too with a lot of great pictures, most of them abstract, to get your mind in the right frame. If you were a deadhead, or want to know what it was like to be one, you will enjoy this book.
Enjoy the ride.
This book took me back to some AMAZING times in my life. The artwork is fabulous, and Romualdi's stories made me feel like I was right there, the detail and energy that comes from the pages is incredible. A wonderful addition to my library. Bought several more as gifts!
This book was a delight to read. The connection of ideas between the photography and each individual story added a completely new and interesting layer. It’s difficult to place this book in one genre, as it has aspects of short storytelling, memoir, photographic journalism, adventure, and psychedelic testimony.
The short stories are told in a lighthearted way, reflecting the spontaneity and naïveté of the author at the time at which he experienced the events, but each one contains deeper meaning with applications for all people, not just die-hard Grateful Dead fans. Would recommend to anyone looking for an interesting perspective on life as a whole, or just for something fun to read!
This book is a must read, bound to become a classic of the period. Whether you were part of the movement, a spectator, or just a person curious about the counter-culture of the late sixties and seventies, Romualdi’s crystal clear writing brings to life memories that many of us lost a long time ago. With poignancy, wit, and wonderful photography, the author puts the reader back on the road, which at that time seemed safe to adventure upon.
Truly couldn't put this down! As a Deadhead of 40 years, this book spoke to me like no other. The combination of photography, narrative, and nostalgia made for a beautiful journey of peace, love, and music. Non Deadheads and those of us in the family will all love this book. Great gift!
Though insatiable Deadheads will enjoy this articulate and gorgeous photo-reminisicence, others might well wonder why bother. But Romualdi’s gift is to explain to the rest of us just what THAT was all about. And he does so beautifully.
With amusing and well-told stories, self-reflection, and stunning photos that shift between shimmering moments in Nature and his own psychedelic and colorful swirls of paint and pixels. A quick read for the stories, a keepsake for the imagery.
