This book is a riveting look at the life of complex man, a man very much a product of (and contributor to) his time. It captures the feel and history of LA in the 60's and early 70's.

Morrison, debauched, naive, sympathetic, brilliant, cruel, a train wreck in waiting. He was many things....a phony he was not.

Don't let the length of this title put you off, this is a compelling story. Great writing and narration make this one of my all time favorite listens.

I grew up with The Doors and owned all their albums. I adored them but I had NO IDEA what was happening behind the scenes. This book is a real eye-opener. At times the endless recounting of drug/alcohol crazed events and never ending discontent among the band members is tedious. However, I was taken completely by surprise by a very sad and poignant ending that stayed with me for days and days.

This was one of the best books I have ever read. It made you feel like you were living in Morrison's head. It described his world well and did not paint a false picture of this man-legend. I highly recommend this to anyone who listened to Rock & Roll or Blues and grew up in the 70's. It also gives insight to younger folks of how music changed our lives back then.

I avoided the Doors' music as a teenager (during the 80s) and felt that the adulation directed at Jim Morrison was undue. Now in my 30s, I decided to give Jim's story a read and I've been very pleased with the choice! I suppose I still haven't decided whether Jim was a true talent or a fluke but I became engrossed in his story and just purchased the box set of the Doors studio albums. As a musician, I appreciated that the author described important musical elements of many Doors shows: the set list, the mood of the performers, the cultural setting and even the men who handled promotion. I was surprised to learn that Jim's obscenity trial was a farce and I was reminded of the intense, judgmental morality of the conservative elements of 1960s society. Whether you come to admire Jim Morrison or not as a result of this reading, I'm convinced that you will apreciate his daring, bold approach to challenging the American status quo.

I liked hearing about the scene and enviornment around the early years of the band - I was not alive so it gave me a picture of what it was like

jim--crazy @@@@@%^$#

a bit long but found out a lot about jim - one of my favorite singers - maybe more than I wanted to -- it was a good month by month history - very detailed - I felt sorry and envied jim all at the same time - quite a drunken ride - only for hardcore fans - you might bore if you don't love the music a lot

It was a long book but, it really kept my iterest.I listened to it all the way through in only a few days. It had a lot of info on Morrison I didn't know. He was an interesting person with a wild life...

This is a great history and detailed chronolgy of Morrison's life. However, it comes up short on explaining his thoughts and what actually
fueled his destructive behaviour. For the "whens" and "wheres" it is
excellent, but it is lacking on the "whys." We learn, as the title implies, much about his life and death. However, the legend remains as
mysterious as ever, except for the incomplete discussions of his antics and writings that propelled him to his legendary status. The reading is outstanding, but the treatment left me wanting to know
more, alot more. A thorough knowledge of The Doors music is essential for maximum enjoyment of the book.

Interesting book, but I found YouTube videos of interviews of Jim Morrisson, family and friends to be more informative and entertaining.

This was a great book for people who love to read rock biographies.

My favorite character was/is John Densmore - the only member of the band with common sense and a strong work ethic.

Had no idea Jim was such a raging alcoholic, a sad and tragic thing. This book gave me a new appreciation for their music.