daveinyourface's review against another edition
1.0
This should have been an Amy Winehouse Bio as she was the authors main focus and the book is predominantly about her. This comes off as 5 partially half assed bios and then one well researched AW bio that either must not have gotten Winehouse estate approval or the publisher didn't think would sell on its own.
Other books which only had chapters on the 27s went into much more depth in regards lore and theories about the group. Sounes doesn't even mention the origins of the "27 curse" with Robert Johnson and the legend of him selling his soul to the Devil.
Additionally when it came to "doubts" about the official version of how these stars died, Sounes disregards them as quickly as he brings them up. Most of the time he refutes these theories or doubts with an attitude as simple as "but the official version says that's not the case" or "mind you this person/these people were drunk or on drugs." All of these are covered in a paragraph or two at most, where as entire books have been written about the conspiracy theories and doubts.
Other books which only had chapters on the 27s went into much more depth in regards lore and theories about the group. Sounes doesn't even mention the origins of the "27 curse" with Robert Johnson and the legend of him selling his soul to the Devil.
Additionally when it came to "doubts" about the official version of how these stars died, Sounes disregards them as quickly as he brings them up. Most of the time he refutes these theories or doubts with an attitude as simple as "but the official version says that's not the case" or "mind you this person/these people were drunk or on drugs." All of these are covered in a paragraph or two at most, where as entire books have been written about the conspiracy theories and doubts.
sara_collier's review against another edition
4.0
This was a lot better than I though it was going to be - I was expecting a fairly sensationalist, cash in on Winehouse's death tacking on the myth of the 27 club and some of its other members. Instead, Sounes begins by looking at whether the 'club' has credibility - finding yes there is a peak at age 27 of musicians dying - but expressing reservations that the myth has been inflated.
He gives equal time to exploring the rise, sometimes fall and reasons for the untimely demises of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. I don't like any of these artists enough to bother with a biography looking at just them so this was a good way of doing it. Amy's dad Mitch does not come out of this well I have to say!
He gives equal time to exploring the rise, sometimes fall and reasons for the untimely demises of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. I don't like any of these artists enough to bother with a biography looking at just them so this was a good way of doing it. Amy's dad Mitch does not come out of this well I have to say!
chaotic_aesthetic's review against another edition
5.0
A truly phenomenal read. I'm baffled by all the research and effort which has been made to commemorate the lives and talent of Amy Winehouse, Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison & Kurt Cobain, aka the "6 main 27s", as well as the 27-Long List of musicians. I would recommend this book to so many people, regardless of them knowing or liking the musicians mentioned in general, because of the eye opening storyline, interviews and images.
Thank you!
Thank you!
jaborch's review against another edition
3.0
Originally titled Amy, 27 this book is a quick biography of Amy Winehouse's induction into the 27 Club. Sounes frames Amy's story with the lives and deaths of 5 of the club's most prominent members: Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain. A fast overview of six lives lived to hard and taken to short.
eceaydin's review
4.75
Çok kapsamlı bir kitap. Tek eksik noktası beyaz çakmak teorisine hiç değinilmemiş olması.
boringjanine's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book.
Sadly I didn't really like it.
I won this book in the giveaways and I was very excited to get it in the mail. I even planned to read it regardless of if I won it or not, I already had it on my hold list at the library.
Going into this book I was expecting it to be mostly about Amy. I did understand there would be parts about the other big six, but I was not expecting the amount that there was. The author wrote just as much about the other big six individually as they did on Amy. For Amy's name to be out in front as the title I felt a little mislead.
The book did provide a lot of information on all of those in the 27 Club, so if you are looking to hear about the big six then I would recommend this book. I was just looking to read about Amy more then the others.
Sadly I didn't really like it.
I won this book in the giveaways and I was very excited to get it in the mail. I even planned to read it regardless of if I won it or not, I already had it on my hold list at the library.
Going into this book I was expecting it to be mostly about Amy. I did understand there would be parts about the other big six, but I was not expecting the amount that there was. The author wrote just as much about the other big six individually as they did on Amy. For Amy's name to be out in front as the title I felt a little mislead.
The book did provide a lot of information on all of those in the 27 Club, so if you are looking to hear about the big six then I would recommend this book. I was just looking to read about Amy more then the others.
babiafi's review
4.0
Short biographies of the 'big 6' members of the 27 Club with a particular focus on Amy Winehouse. I hadn't read anything about it before and found it a great introduction to the topic, without turning into a full biography of any single artist. 4 stars because of some inaccuracies, but overall an enjoyable and interesting read.
More...