|
|
Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jan 10, 2012 9:49:10 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jan 10, 2012 9:49:49 GMT
Mr Mojo Risin’- The Last Holy Fool:
by David Dalton
The endless fascination with why a young man of above average intelligence with the world at his feet should want to self destruct is continued with this book - the quintessential referral biography of Jim Morrison. David Dalton provides novel insights into what motivated Jim (the idea that art transforms an audience) and explores ideas which are hitherto unchallenged. He questions how, for instance, the group ‘were always in synch (musically) even in the outer reaches of indulgent behaviour and random impulsive craziness on the part of the lead singer’ when there was reported so much resentment from the other three at being forced to tolerate Jim’s excesses. Most of this book is an allegoric narrative of (American) life with numerous allusions to Classical literature (not all of them obvious) and some wonderful descriptive phrases. He refers to Jim’s antics on stage as ‘Jim-nastics’ and the group as psychonauts with Ray as the organ-grinder and Jim “with the soul of a sideshow freak”. Mercifully he refrains from personal judgement based on hearsay (unlike other bios) and criticism of Jim preferring to reflect instead, and with refreshing originality too, as in “the most famous image of Jim (the naked to the waist photo) is so persuasive that it over-rides and dominates almost everything else about him”. I love everything about this book design, style and the beautiful photographs. I really believe Dalton actually liked our man. If you want to know what made Jim tick then this is the definitive answer– read it!
Sue Jeffries from Walsall.
|
|
