Amazon.com
What did Jamaican reggae singer Bob Marley and Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia have in common? A love for the Kebra Negast, holy book of Ethiopian Christians and Jamaican Rastafarians. Contemporary scholars date the Kebra Negast to the 14th century, but it retells the stories of much earlier Biblical times, one very important story in particular. According to the Kebra Negast, the Israelites' Ark of the Covenant was spirited away to the ancient kingdom of Ethiopia by wise King Solomon's own son, offspring of the union between Solomon and the exotic Queen Makeda of Ethiopia (a.k.a. the Queen of Sheba). Gerald Hausman, a consummate storyteller of native traditions, presents the core narrative of the Kebra Negast, from Adam to the rise of the Ethiopian Solomonid dynasty. On top of this, he injects his own encounters with Rastafarians during his travels in Jamaica--dreadlocked Rastas as modern-day Samsons, their unwavering faith in Jah, and a rare outsider's glimpse at the Nyabinghi ceremony. The combination of ancient tale and modern belief give Hausman's Kebra Negast the rich flavor of enduring truth. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
The Lost Bible of Rastafarian Wisdom and Faith from Ethiopia and Jamaica.
Customer Reviews:
VERY INSPIRATIONAL!.......2006-07-12
This book is an excellent read. I did not want to put down. It explained alot of what I felt was a bit unexplained in the bible. I have not finished the book yet but i Highly recommend it.
Decent Buy.......2006-05-05
I got this book a while back. It's a very nice book if you have a bad attention span, and you need what your reading to be simple. If your looking for the in depth historical version, then this probably won't be the book for you, but if you're looking for a real good Light reading, then this might be a good purchase.
A must read.......2002-06-04
The Kebra Negast is a must read for anyone on the path of black consciousness and understanding the truth of our place in the Bible. Reading the Kebra Negast really helped me understand Rastafari, I hate that I completed the book I wanted more. I wished women played a larger role and that the interpretation of doing God's will was a bit less damning like in all religions.
Let the reader beware.......2001-09-13
This version is not to be confused with the classic text of Ethiopian religion/mythology of the same name. This version contains excerpts from the classical ancient text and combines it with anecdotes and sayings of rasafarianism, which is itself a recent concept dating back to the days of Selassie's coronation in 1930 (another story altogther). Basically, this version tries to connect the classic text with modern rastafarianism. If you're interested in rastafarianism, you can go ahead with this. But if you're interested in an English translation of the actual Kebra Nagast (Glory of Kings), see the E.A. Wallace Budge translation or the Miguel Brooks translation.
Interesting read.......2001-04-21
My husband bought this right after he heard about it. He is heavily into Rastafarianism and wanted to check it out. He read the book in two days and has since lent it to several friends. If you are into this kind of stuff, it offers a lot of info on the culture and outlook.
Book Description
Since his pasing in 1981, Bob Marley's music, like tribal drumming, has been sending out a message of love and freedom for all humanity. Twenty years later, Julia and Robert Roskind traveled to Jamaica to learn more about Rastafari-the people and philosophy that inspired his music. Their life-changing odyssey through the towns, villages and mountains of this beautiful island, revealed not only the Rasta way of life but an ancient mystery as well. "RASTA HEART" is truly a journey into One Love. "Riveting... An incredible adventure that reveals the true essence of Rasta!" Dr. Dennis Forsythe author of "Rastafarians:The Healing of the Nations."
Customer Reviews:
Breath taking and life changing!.......2007-07-25
This book is an amazingly written book that has you wanting to read more. The views and interviews of the Rastas will have you spiritualy moved and emotionally involved. One of a kind book that could never be duplicated.
A Magnificent Journey.......2007-04-17
Enjoy and immerse yourself in the ways of a Rastaman. The author literally makes you feel like your right there smoking a spliff with the rastas during a reasoning(conversation) session. This book is extremely inspirational you truly feel the love coming through the book. I reccommend it to all looking to learn about Rastafari and take a look at living FREE out of babylon!!!
JAH!!! RASTAFARI!!
Excellent book; one reservation.......2006-08-29
After spending some time in West Africa where I came across many inspirational Rastas, I came back to America wanting to learn more about this lifestyle. I found Roskind's book to be VERY firsthand and informative; after all, he speaks with dozens of Rastas with a whole range of views on Rastafari and One Love. The book was brilliantly written (with a lot of editing errors, however) and a great read for someone who is a novice to this faith. However, I do have one reservation about the author himself. Throughout the book he and the people he interviews criticize Babylon and all its materialism yet during his many trips to Jamaica he stays at the finest resorts (Babylon), likely owned by white non-Jamaicans (Babylon), and he talks about how he spends days here and there snorkling, laying out, eating, etc. (Babylon). I am not trying to point any fingers, I would just assume that if someone was trying to minimize one's materialistic desires and really experience Rastafari than one would at least stay at less plush resorts - especially when in a developing country. Other than that, an excellent read.
A Beautiful Journey.......2006-01-06
Explore Jamaica and Rastafari in this wonderfully written book. Meet rightous Rastas and gain an overstanding of One Love. Take a journey to a wonderful land and meet some beautiful people. Give thanks.
Babylon is Falling.......2005-12-16
If you feel that society has or has not taken a peice of your mind, I would advise you to read this book. I do not feel that it is a book that you can read at once, or once for that matter. I think I am on my third or fourth reread of this book. Roskind takes the power of communication through the Babylon system to prove there is more to what the western world calls life. I picked up the book in a gear issue room from the National Outdoor Leadership School in Conway, WA. I began to read the book outside of civilivation and coming back in to society after reading the tales in Rasta Heart has me looking at the world with a new pair of eyes. As they would say in the book, one love.
Book Description
Published to coincide with the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death, Marley Legend celebrates the life and work of Bob Marley in an authorized and fully illustrated biography. In the same interactive format as the best-selling Lennon Legend, this innovative book features rare photographs and 20 removable facsimiles, including Marley's handwritten lyrics and concert memorabilia, even a private sketchbook. The package also includes a 50-minute spoken word CD featuring archival Marley interviews. Rock journalist James Henke relates the dramatic story of Marley's life, from his impoverished childhood in Jamaica's Trenchtown to his spiritual awakening through Rastafarianism, his multinational musical success, and his death from cancer at age 36. In addition to interviews with Marley's family and associates conducted especially for this book, Henke includes thoughts on favorite Marley songs from such diverse artists as U2's Bono, Sean Paul, Ben Harper, and Chrissie Hynde. Marley's message was one of love, peace, and equality -- and in words and pictures, Marley Legend shows why Bob Marley is, as Entertainment Weekly recently called him, "still the world's biggest rock star."
Customer Reviews:
A Must for the true Marley Fan.......2006-12-30
When this was opened at X-mas, brought the recipient to tears. All the goodies packed into the book are amazing & worth every penny!
A NICE CELEBRATORY OVERVIEW..........2006-06-04
This is a nicely packaged (and slipcased) celebration of a reggae icon with beautiful pictures and interesting tidbits...the gatefolds and pockets with little surprises might become tiresome after a few browsings but Bob Marley is one those performers whose legend only grows with time and he is entirely deserving of this elaborate book. It's not too deep but then there are plenty of good books to choose from...in the end, it's all about the music.
Amazon.com
Bob Marley, reggae superstar and pop culture icon, left an indelible mark on modern music. Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley delves deep into the life of the lionized leader of a musical, spiritual, and political explosion that still reverberates more than a decade after his death. Almost nothing pertaining to the life of Bob Marley is left out; the origins of Rastafarianism (the Ethiopian religion that was the keystone of his life), the roots of the reggae sound, the Jamaican political and social debacle that informed his lyrics--this is a comprehensive account of the life of the artist and the times that produced him.
Catch a Fire is assiduously researched; the details writer Timothy White presents of the King of Reggae's life are cinematic in scope and, at times, cumbersome. White includes much of his primary source material, ranging from full interviews with band members to unearthed CIA documents, and devotes a whole section to describing his exhaustive research process. The final product is rich with elements of spiritual tome, rock biography, and history text; it is a hagiographic epic--the story of a man and his legend. --Brendan J. LaSalle
Book Description
The classic biography of reggae legend Bob Marley, updated and revised for the twenty-fifth anniversary of his deathBob Marley left an indelible mark on modern music, both as a reggae pioneer and as an enduring cultural icon. Catch a Fire, now a classic of rock biography, delves into the life of the leader of a musical, spiritual, and political explosion that continues today.Under the supervision of the author's widow and with the collaboration of a Marley expert, this fourth edition contains a wealth of new material, including many revisions made by the author before his untimely death. An appendix to the new edition chronicles Marley's legacy in recent years, as well as the ongoing controversy over the possibility that Marley's remains might be exhumed from Nine Mile, Jamaica, and reburied in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where hundreds of Rastafarians live. The new edition also contains an expanded discography and is factually updated throughout. "Probably the finest biography ever written about a popular musician." San Francisco Chronicle"As close as rock journalism comes to transcendent literature."Playboy"White has a deep appreciation for reggae's immediacy, hypnotic power, and contradictions . . . An exhaustively researched labor of love." Chicago Sun-Times
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing - what about the music?.......2007-08-31
I was very disappointed with this book. After reading it, I have a pretty good idea of what Marley's childhood was like, a hazy picture of his adult life but no understanding at all of how a poor man from a third-world country was able to popularize a genre of music that was almost universally disdained, or considered a novelty, in the world outside of Jamaica in 1973.
I would have expected more discussion of his music; specifically how he and Chris Blackwell adjusted the arrangement of Marley's reggae songs to appeal to a broader audience, as well as how Marley's music evolved over time. I know from watching VH1's "Classic Albums", that process was critical to Marley's success but I don't even get an inkling of that in this book.
Instead the book has way too much on Marley's childhood (140 pages into it, we have only followed Marley up to the age of 14!). This book also has too many vague, cryptic references to conspiracy theories about the CIA, Ronald Reagan, the Jamaican government, etc.
On the bright side, the book does a good job of describing the superstititious world of poor Jamaica, full of demons and ghosts, etc., which helps explain the popularity of Rastafarianism.
Good book - lot of detail..........2007-07-25
Okay, I read all of the book and learned a lot more about Bob than had preciously known, but I was disappointed by the lack of details on the making of the music. I was hoping for more details about the inspiration for a lot of Bob's music and this book did not have it.
I am currently reading "Exodous the Making & Meaning of Bob Marley & The Wailer's Album of the Century." This book goes into a lot more detail if you want to learn more about the music. I would recommend it over this book.
Still "Catch a Fire" is a good read if you want all the details of Bob's life.
The Dream Of Lasting Peace, World Citizenship.......2006-12-30
The book title is also the name of the 1973 debut album on Island records for Bob Marley and The Wailers that brought the lyrics and sounds of reggae to an international audience.
Originally published two years after Marley's death from cancer, the biography remains a great read due to the exhaustive research by author Timothy White.
White had interviewed Marley from 1975-1981 and projects the development & growth musically, spirtually and politically in his life. White also interviewed musicians, friends, family members, music industry executives and poltical leaders, along with the typical research - newspaper articles and other media outlets - and not-so-typical - CIA documents concerning Marley.
There are also sections on Jamaican history & politics, the history of reggae & Rastafarianism and how White did his research.
Marley projected a militant spiritualism in his music that will remain timeless. Catch a Fire gives the reader an understanding and appreciation on why Marley's message means as much today as it did so many years ago.
A Biography of more than just a Singer.......2006-10-25
For those of you who have heard Reggae and like the music you should like this book. Undoubtly Bob Marley is the greatest Raggae artist who ever lived, so it is not unusual that people are going to want to know more of his life. The book seems to be fair and objective. Sometimes it seems the writter is a little to sterile in his discription of Jamaican life. Having been to Jamaica I realize how unique Jamaican culture is. It was interesting to read of Bob Marleys mystic background. For a hardcore fan this might not be enough, but for somebody just wanting to know a little more you'll enjoy it.
Bob Marley Lives.......2006-05-06
"Catch a Fire" is an excellent book on the life of Bob Marley. The author did a good job of exploring the life of this truly great man. I had always thought that I knew about Bob Marley but reading this book revealed a lot of new insights into his music, his message and his rise to stardom and greatness. In particular, I got a better and deeper understanding of the background and history of Rastafarian movement as well as life in Jamaica.
This is the best book so far written about Bob Marley. It provides a comprehensive coverage of this remarkable man and includes other great people like Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer as well as Bob Marley's family, particularly his kids.
If you love Reggae music and/or you are a Bob Marley fan, then this book is for you.
Book Description
Bob Marley is a universal spirit moved by the hand of Jah. But he is also a farmer, a father, a teacher, a player, a wanderer, a musician forever fighting in Jah's army...
"You can just imagine if everyone on earth did have one day where we just put all our minds together regardless of where the force is, as long as it's positive, and just meditate for even a hour that day."
This precious book, fully illustrated with 25 archival color and black and white photographs of Bob shows how he draws inspiration from his daily life. Here are sixty ways we can heal the world while healing ourselves. Here are sixty visions that cover the world like the waters cover the sea. Here are sixty seeds to plant, one at a time, in the human heart. A must have for Marley collections and a welcome companion for all who value the wisdom of a true prophet of peace.
Customer Reviews:
One Love.......2007-06-13
A wonderful little book. So much passion, so much love. Thank you for sharing.
60 Visions: A Book of Prophecies.......2007-05-31
This book is wonderful and the design is gorgeous! I truly love the Prophet Nesta and I appreciate his children's creation of this book. It sits on my nightstand, accessible and strengthening.
The legend lives on.......2007-05-13
This book is written in broken english so it may be a bit difficult for some people to understand completely. But its message is important, interesting and contemporary, and it carries the spirit of the beloved tunes of Bob Marley. May his soul rest in peace.
treasure.......2007-03-16
This little book as an absolute treasure for Bob Marley fans. It ahs a lot of photographs and wrods from the great singer himself. I wish there were more books like this out there!
Awesome Book.......2006-02-21
This book is awesome. It put together very nicely and with a touch of class. The pictures are incredible and the quotes are better. A perfect choice for Bob Marley fans!!
Product Description
'Walk Good' is an adventure travel story chronicling the experiences of the author in Negril, Jamaica. It's an escape to the sunny beaches, the seas and the mountain back roads of the island. The culture of the island, including the food, the music, a smattering of history and the character of the people form the backdrop of the story, which includes a visit to the notorious Hedonism resort, a scuba dive in the waters off Negril, a mass nude wedding on the beach in Runaway Bay and a trip to Bob Marley's mausoleum in the high hills of St Ann's.
Customer Reviews:
Jamaican Travel Stories.......2007-10-05
This is a good adjunct travel book for folks traveling to Jamaica. The author shares anecdotal stories of his experiences on the island, many of which uncover the many mysteries of this fascinating culture. Book focuses primarily on the Negril area, on the west side of the island. Interesting and revealing travel reading, yeah, mon!
Walk Good Is Good.......2007-04-02
Great book for anyone who is interested in visiting Negril or has been
Walk Good is a must read for Jamaica Fans.......2007-02-12
I read Walk Good, written by fellow Negril-aholic Roland Thomas Reimer, on two successive trips to Negril. On the first trip I read it cover to cover, and on the second I went straight for the dog-eared highlights trying to decipher the code of names changed to protect the not-so-innocent.
Walk Good is a two-hundred and sixty-two page vacation. You go to the airport, you take a trip on "The Road to Negril," and you meet myriad unique characters all along the beach in Negril. Roland uses the literary device of an extended Negril vacation with many vivid flashbacks, and a few interludes into Jamaican history to tell his story.
I loved how the book spoke my language; the language of a guy who loves Negril. The book's dedication lists my friend Rob Graves, and all the boardies of Negril.com. Hey, I'm one of them! And Roland was one of us, although I was yet to discover the Negril.com Message Board when the book came out.
The Jamaicans are described realistically, but if you haven't been to Negril you may think some things are over stated. I assure you he's spot on. Roland treats the Jamaicans with respect, an important commodity for people who "get it," and something Jamaicans can smell as soon as they meet you.
When I talk to my Negril-nut friends, the subject is often a question our friends and families constantly ask: "Why do you keep going back there?" Walk Good, in giving the reader an "in your bones" feel for that little strip of land on the tip of Jamaica, answers that question.
So I recommend buying the book, taking a flight to Negril Jamaica, and reading Walk Good on the beach.
Wonderful Negril.......2006-05-13
Negril is a special place, and Reimer's book takes you there. It brings back lots of sweet memories. If you want a great novel set in this magical place, take a look at "JAMAICA GIRL." Jon Michael Miller's novel shows you the real Jamaica, far behind the walls of the famous all-inclusive resorts. You will see the struggles and the joys of a wonderful people, as well as meet Rosalind Juliet Mitchell, a fabulously brave and resourceful protagonist, on her search for love and freedom. It is by far the best book about Jamaica I have ever read. A wonderful story, suspenseful, sexy, funny, disturbing, and quite moving. Wonderful characters. And a great message about the power of love to transform one's existence. A great read for a vacation, or, even, a vacation in itself.
Longing for Negril.......2003-02-01
If you have been to Negril, this book takes you right back. If you have not been to Negril, you will have to go after reading this book. Since I've been there, reading about all the adventures took me back. I could feel the sun on my back, the sweet cool breeze and taste the red stripe. Excellent job in describing all the happenings and all the people. The people are real and are instantly recognizable. Wonderful book and one I will keep forever and read often.
Book Description
Bob Marley was one of the greatest musicians of our time. While much has been written about him, here is a unique, intimate, and honest portrayal written by his wife Rita, who talks about their strugglesboth before and during his rise to fameas well as their dreams, fears, and ultimately, her husbands losing battle with cancer while at the height of his career. This stirringly honest, no-holds-barred account of life with Bob Marley reveals a different, deeper side of the beloved musician that will be sure to strike a chord with his legions of faithful fans.Rita does his legacy a great favor by humanizing him and his astounding musical gifts. Rolling Stone Her writing carries a distinct patois and a directness that makes the book a breezy kind of read. The Hamilton Spectator
Customer Reviews:
The woman behind the man.......2007-08-20
I really enjoyed this book as I read it at the time of the 30th anniversary of the marvelous album "Exodus." Rita Marley reveals a different side to the Bob Marley story, seperating myth from the man,fact from fiction and adding to the legend of his life with unknown tidbits. Her first person account deals with her life primarily as she was Bob Marley's wife. I was unaware of the hardships that they endured before "making it." Their early years were quite trying. Than later when they achieved a certain success it seems Mr. Marley needed the attention of many other women but Rita dutifully stood by her man. I enjoyed the book and her account, in Jamaican-style-English of Bob Marley's rise to International fame. If you like Bob Marley you need to read this book for a better understanding of the man and his music. Rita Marley is to be commended for her contribution to the Bob Marley legacy.
Rita had plenty 2 Cry About...........2006-09-28
I read this book this past summer and loved it - it was the first book i read about bob & i am glad i chose her book first....Rita went thru alot, i definitely see bob differently - i sense she did sugar coat the book at times, the book makes me respect Rita more and bob less. His woman had plenty of reasons to cry.
Great Book.......2006-07-10
No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley is an awesome testimony of a woman of strength and virtue. I am a huge Bob Marley fan and Rita Marley told her story with love, passion compassion and truth, concerning her relationship with Bob Marley. Through her story she makes you feel as if you want to comfort, applaude and cry with her all at the same time. She reveals the very core of her struggles with Bob, his fame, his affairs, the business, the family and his death, and her life after Bob. And she writes not as a bitter woman but a woman who knew her destiny and her role as the wife of Bob Marley. I LOVED IT!
STRONGER WOMAN THAN I CAN EVER BE.......2006-04-06
THIS BOOK WAS EXCELLENT! THE STRUGGLES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH TOGETHER LETS YOU KNOW JUST HOW STRONG THEIR LOVE REALLY WAS. BEING A JAMAICAN WOMAN MYSELF, I KNOW HOW OUR JAMAICAN MEN CAN BE. BUT RITA HAD ALOT OF HEART STAYING WITH HIM ALL THESE YEARS EVEN THOUGH HE BLATANTLY FLAUNTED HIS WOMEN IN HER FACE. THE ONLY GOOD THING WAS HE MADE THEM PLAY THEIR POSITION BECAUSE NO ONE COULD TAKE HER PLACE. THIS WAS THE BEST AUTOBIOGRAPHY I HAVE EVER READ!
Wonderful tribute to a woman's love.......2006-03-01
This is a wonderful book. An initimate portrayal of Bob and Rita Marley's life from poverty to worldwide reknown. Its insights into how Rita dealt with marital infidelity and frequent absences from Bob Marley are also very interesting. Rita was one strong woman! Highly recommended whether you are a reggae fan or not
Average customer rating:
- What is it you say most?
- 56 Thoughts from 56 Hope Road
- Pretty Good Stuff
- The Prophet Among Us
- True Bob
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56 Thoughts from 56 Hope Road: The Sayings and Psalms of Bob Marley
Manufacturer: Hampton Roads Publishing Company
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The Kebra Negast: The Lost Bible of Rastafarian Wisdom and Faith from Ethiopia and Jamaica
ASIN: 0971975809 |
Book Description
Bob Marley began writing lyrics in the early 1960's and he continued to produce them until his passing in 1981. Critics have called these songs the best of the millennium. Yet,few readers have ever read Marley's magic on the page. For the first time, his eldest daughter Cedella has made a selection of her father's most prophetic and personal poems, insights, and conversational messages. Here are meditations to soothe the soul and thoughts to penetrate the mind. Here too is an encapsulated life of Bob Marley, the man. In his spare writings we can see the ebb and flow of his journey as an artist and a humanitarian. Packaged for purse and pocket, this colleciton is sure to find a place in everyone's heart.
Customer Reviews:
What is it you say most?.......2007-05-17
Since life is just an illusion to reflect back at ourselves, I am glad to have the chance to ponder what Bob Marley thought and spoke most of. I agree with a lot of them, but not all. This is definately a book of "less is more". Makes me want to write "me own". Maybe he knows his name now, "51" or if he comes again "56" will we know him? "55" He's the rainbow too.
56 Thoughts from 56 Hope Road.......2005-07-20
Some are lyrics....which are good, but would have liked to see more quotes.
Pretty Good Stuff.......2005-06-29
Personally, I enjoyed this booklet. It contains some very thought-provoking quotes from the don gargon, Bob Marley. What a way to capture these thoughts, Cedella and Gerald! Nice work entirely.
The Prophet Among Us.......2004-12-07
After the 60s, the movement for a better world faded into the 70s, and dissappeared entirely in the 80s. At least in the USA. God and his disciples were still alive and well in Jamaica. Instead of fishermen, they were musicians. When you listen deeply, you'll hear the message clearly. Bob Marley carried the truth for our times. That torch still burns in his music and the writing that came afterward. Read 56 Thoughts. It will touch you, move you, and enlighten you. 56 Thoughts is a book you will never put down. It will go with you every where because it is pure soul from a philosopher who knew what he was talking about.
True Bob.......2004-12-03
This book by Cedella Marley sets the record straight in one-line and short off-the-cuff wisps of light and dark, humorous and serious wisdom that Bob Marley was famous for. I read it once a day, twice a day, three times a day, as Doctor Jamaica recommends.
Book Description
Bob Marley was a reggae superstar, a musical prophet who brought the sound of the Third World to the entire globe. Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley goes beyond the myth of Marley to bring you the private side of a man few people ever really knew. Drawing from original interviews with the people closest to Marley – including his widow, Rita, his mother, Cedella, his band mate and childhood friend, Bunny Wailer, his producer Chris Blackwell, and many others –– Legend paints an entirely fresh picture of one of the most enduring musical artists of our times.
Customer Reviews:
DON'T DO IT!!!!!!.......2007-06-14
Do not, I REPEAT, Do NOT waste your time or MONEY on this so-called book.
This man knows nothing about Bob, Rasta, OR BLACK CULTURE. It's an insult
to us who are Rasta, Jamaican and fed up with Americans USING Bob for their gain. This is why true Rasta, only reason and Follow Jah. We not
on their path to glory fame money.
One day a voice will emerge chosen by Bob himself to speak the REAL TRUTH,
and that will become the true story.
Too much SAID, not enough WISDOM Foolish man, soon find hiself wit other
fools. Now, I waste my time no more.
Bob trust nobody: we tired of this. Jah bring Truth.
Disappointing and unimaginitive.......2007-01-05
Initially, I was excited to read "Before the Legend" after I saw Mr. Farley promoting it at the Harlem Book Fair. Upon finishing the book (which was an arduous task for its mere 204 pages), however, I was extremely disappointed and regretted both the effort and the $15. Admittedly, I had never read anything written by Farley before but was aware that he had been a music critic and editor for Time magazine. According to the back insert of the book, he currently works as an editor for the Wall Street Journal. In my estimation, he should stick to editing because he is a very poor and unimaginative writer.
Firstly, I am a Bob Marley fan and truly believe that he is, undoubtedly, a LEGEND. Bob Nesta Marley lived an extraordinary and fascinating life. Sadly, Mr. Farley's writing is not congruent with this. This is either because he is a poor writer or was not inspired by the subject matter (the latter I find hard to believe because Farley was born in Kingston). His attempts at creativity are sometimes just plain silly: "The music was as lean and hungry as a roadside goat" (139). Other times his cliffhangers come off boring and trite: "The reggae singer Bob Marley would die at age twenty-seven, but he would be reborn--as a rockstar" (184). I purchased the book because I thought the concept was novel. Many books have been written about Marley, but most fail to examine his life before he made it big. I must credit Farley with some of the research and interviews he conducted concerning Marley's youth, as I learned a few new tidbits. Also of interest was the section devoted to Marley's conversion and involvement in the Rastafari movement. Rastafarianism has always fascinated me and, although I learned nothing new about the religion, the section devoted to Bob and Rita Marley's spirituality is interesting.
I can only recommend this book if you are a true Bob Marley fanatic and are looking to either learn anything new you can (which isn't much in this book) or to add it to your collection. If you are the casual fan, however, there are better biographies out there. The author's writing style is too boring and unimaginitive and will fail to impress most readers.
HE IS TRUE!!!.......2006-12-03
THE WHOLE BOOK IS ALL WHAT INSPIRES ME.
BOB MARLEY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST LEGENDS IN THE WORLD
AND HE STILL LIVES AS I'M CONCERN.
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY,THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME CLOSER
TO HIM MORE AND MORE THROUGH YOUR WONDERFUL WRITINGS.
I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS BOOK SINCE THE RELEASE DAY AND
I NEVER THOUGHT OF DOING THE REVIEW.BUT NOW IS THE TIME.
I ENJOY EVERY PAGE OF THIS BOOK AND IT'S REALLY AMAZING
HOW A WRITER CAN TOUCH MY HEART THIS FAR.
I'M MUCH MORE MOVED BY MUSIC BUT I NEVER THOUGHT FOR A
SECOND A BOOK COULD WORK ME TOO.HE REIGNS FOREVER AND BOB
MARLEY WILL ALWAYS STAY MY NUMBER 1(#1) OF ALL TIMES.
KEEP WRITING AND DOING YOUR THING CHRISTOPHER...
JAH BLESS!
Great read about Marley before "Exodus".......2006-08-22
I got wind of this book when an excerpt was published in - of all places - the Wall Street Journal. It turns out the author, Christopher John Farley, is an editor at the Journal, which probably explains how it ended up being excerpted there.
Bob Marley is really the great popularizer of Reggae in Europe and the U.S., going back to the late 70's and early 80's. He was the rage when I lived in Jamaica from 1977 to 1979. His album "Exodus" was a hit at the time.
Marley died in 1982 of brain cancer, at the age of 37. The cancer may have been induced by the vast volume of ganja (that's marijuana) he ingested in the form of giant spliffs in the prior 15 or 20 years.
Since his death, his popularity has grown exponentially. The album "Legend", kind of a "Bob Marley and the Wailers" greatest hits album is one of the all time bestsellers worldwide. And "Exodus" was named the "album of the century" by Time Magazine.
In fact, the book is very good, very enjoyable. It takes you from Marley's birth in 1945, discusses his family, the fact that his mother was black but his father was mostly white, his life as a poor boy in Kingston, and his musical aspirations. The author Farley was born in Kingston himself but raised in upstate NY and attended Harvard. He interviewed all the major people who are still living and knew Marley well. And there is an extensive bibliography.
There's a whole heap of stuff about Jamaican culture, about the influence of slavery on the culture, and the author paints a nuanced picture of life in Jamaica in the 50's and 60's.
Marley was very much a man of his culture. A sincere Rastafarian, married at 21, at least seven children by four different women. Able to survive by his wits in a culture where many of the artists and producers carried guns as a matter of course.
Marley spent a good deal of time in the U.S. In fact he was a member of the UAW! He worked for several years in Delaware in a car parts factory. This all before the big breakthrough in 1972, when he produced on Island Records (through Chris Blackwell - Island Records was a British label) his first big album, "Catch a Fire".
So the book is a fine looking glass into Jamaica, it's culture, and the group, Bob Marley and the Wailers. There were a number of people who moved in and out of the Wailers, but the two who were there the whole time were Peter Tosh (shot dead in his own house in 1987) and Bunny Wailer who is still making music in Jamaica.
The book inspired me to get an early album of the Wailers. A collection of ten of their early songs, the "Millenium Edition". Good, but a rough album, in the sense that the songs were all produced in Jamaica, without exactly state of the art production facilities. More importantly, they lack the rock influence, which was probably crucial to driving their popularity overseas. I also got another copy of "Reggae Bloodlines" a great book from the late 70's - great text, great pictures - off Amazon, second hand. I am surprised this book wasn't in Mr. Farley's excellent bibliography.
Brigid and I are fans of Marley. In April 2005, while visiting Jamaica, we stopped in the tiny village of Nine Miles to see where Marley was born. We were on our way from Runaway Bay on the north coast to the town of Mandeville where we had met and been married in 1979.
There's a museum and a kind of shrine there, where he is buried. We didn't go in but simply had a look in the gift shop and chatted to the museum "guides." It's an interesting trip if you want more out of Jamaica then just beaches and Red Stripe beer.
The beginning of a legend.......2006-07-14
As the title states this book is primarily about the early days and beginning of Bob Marley's musical career. Fans of Marley know most of this information already but it's still enjoyable to read.
The book starts with Bob being born in the country and his eventual relocation to Trenchtown. We read about his family roots and how he came to be interested in music with his friends. Eventually he formed the Wailers with them.
Some of the more fascinating information in the book is the revealing of Bob and the Wailer's early struggles. They recorded over 200 songs and toiled in the music industry for 10 years before they finally got their big break with Catch a Fire. Prior to this they were continually denied getting paid what they deserved by record producers and were broke most of the time. Another area that is captivating is Farley's account of the history of reggae and even its influence on rap.
For those of you interested in the spiritual side of Marley there is discussion of Rastafarianism. After all, you can't really separate Bob and his spiritual aspects from his music.
Overall, this book is pretty brief at just over 200 pages and I found a few aspects disappointing. I was a little disappointed at the abrupt ending of the book. I felt that I was reading about the development of Bob's career, his life, and his message up till Catch a Fire and boom the book was over. Obviously, the book is about the rise of Bob and not his whole life but it seemed like the author was under time constraints and had to just finish in a hurried fashion. Christopher Farley has writing ability and you can tell his Harvard education comes into play. However, with this writing skill, why not expand it and give us more to chew on?
Despite the few minor setbacks this book has, as a music fan you'll enjoy it. Not only do you get to read some about the history of reggae and Jamaica but you also get to read about one of the most influential artists of all time. Some would even argue one of the greatest men of the 20th century. You can never go wrong there.
Book Description
Follow the Sacred Journey to Create One of the Lasting Musical Masterpieces of Our Time
Bob Marley is one of our most important and influential artists. Recorded in London after an assassination attempt on his life sent Marley into exile from Jamaica, Exodus is the most lasting testament to his social conscience. Named by Time magazine as “Album of the Century,” Exodus is reggae superstar Bob Marley’s masterpiece of spiritual exploration.
Vivien Goldman was the first journalist to introduce mass white audiences to the Rasta sounds of Bob Marley. Throughout the late 1970s, Goldman was a fly on the wall as she watched reggae grow and evolve, and charted the careers of many of its superstars, especially Bob Marley. So close was Vivien to Bob and the Wailers that she was a guest at his Kingston home just days before gunmen came in a rush to kill “The Skip.” Now, in The Book of Exodus, Goldman chronicles the making of this album, from its conception in Jamaica to the raucous but intense all-night studio sessions in London.
But The Book of Exodus is so much more than a making-of-a-record story. This remarkable book takes us through the history of Jamaican music, Marley’s own personal journey from the Trench Town ghetto to his status as global superstar, as well as Marley’s deep spiritual practice of Rastafari and the roots of this religion. Goldman also traces the biblical themes of the Exodus story, and its practical relevance to us today, through various other art forms, leading up to and culminating with Exodus.
Never before has there been such an intimate, first-hand portrait of Marley’s spirituality, his political involvement, and his life in exile in London, leading up to histriumphant return to the stage in Jamaica at the Peace Concert of 1978.
Here is an unforgettable portrait of Bob Marley and an acutely perceptive appreciation of his musical and spiritual legacy.
Customer Reviews:
The Book of Exodus:The Making and Meaning of Bob Marley and the Wailers' Album of the Century.......2007-01-16
Our daughter was very happy to receive the book. It was what she wanted for Christmas.
Present for my Marley-afficiando husband.......2006-12-23
He loves it. Said it had enough fresh-take or new info that it kept him interested and reading all the way through.
My added comment is he read it through a time of having to work 80-hr weeks, so it must be good.
Accurate Coverage of Mid 70s Kingston.......2006-08-22
Having spent much time in Kingston in the mid 1970s, this book accurately reflects the politics and gestalt of the time . Ms. Goldman's attention to geographical detail is one of the strong points of the book. The book is right on in terms of its intellectual context, as well as its more anecdotal style.Relly, this is one of the better books on Marley, Reggae, and Jamaica.
A MUST HAVE!.......2006-06-08
Simply put, this is a book full of indispensable knowledge. Vivien Goldman again (Soul Rebel-Natural Mystic)has put out a truly remarkable book about the great Bob Marley. This era in Bob's life has not been written about too much and Vivian recounts it with such fine details and first hand accounts that the reader can't help but to be extrememly thankful that she finally put it all on paper. The cover price alone is well worth it for the rare rare RARE picture of Bob with Claudie Massop, Tony Welch and Earl Wadley as they talked to Bob about the One Love Peace Concert.
Of all the books out there about Bob (and I have read just about every single one of them) this is without a doubt a true must have. Of the 50+ books written about Bob there are 7 must haves and this is one of them.
Music Writing At Its Best.......2006-06-05
It is convincingly argued that the pop album has become an effectively arcane form. But even in a digital age, certain albums continue to both define and transcend their creators. Sgt. Pepper, What's Going On, Astral Weeks, Blood On the Tracks... the list invites nerdish debate. But one title can never be excluded; Bob Marley and The Wailers' Exodus was the product of a specific time and place and remains the most extraordinary single work of the Third World's most extraordinary musical voice.
Vivien Goldman was one of the key writers during the Golden Age of British music journalism when the punk explosion inspired the intense gut-intellectual talents of the first post-sixties generation. Unlike many of her colleagues her love and understanding of black music has continually defined her work and The Book Of Exodus is perhaps the best thing she has done.
This is at once memoir, critical analysis and history. Vivien Goldman takes the reader into the studio as Exodus was created. A palpable sense of the immediacy of that process, the atmosphere (well fumigated with the herbsman's wares) and personalities involved come vividly to life through the eyes of the young fan-reporter. Most movingly, Goldman's own ability to connect her life as the North London-raised daughter of German-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust with the Trench Town experience that formed Bob Marley is at the heart of the book. This is no falsely crafted analogy. It is above all a spiritual link, the "Flash Of The Spirit" which has made the core African musical experience one of the world's most unifying cultural forces.
For anyone who wants to understand something of Marley's greatness and gentle charisma, Vivien Goldman shares her privileged experience of hanging with the man and his colleagues in both Jamaica and London. This was an artist whose words and music have inspired more people worldwide than maybe any other pop musician and yet the man who emerges here is a very real person living in a very real time. Goldman gives us a vivid sense of both.
Everyone with more than a passing interest in Marley and The Wailers should read this book. It will send you back to the music, reggae's shining hour, with renewed love and understanding.
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