REVIEWS+

The Doors

A Lifetime of Listening to Five Wilds Years
by Greil Marcus
The Doors: A Lifetime of Listening to Five Wilds Years. PublicAffairs: Perseus. Nov. 2011. 240p. ISBN 9781586489458. $24.99; eISBN 9781586489465. MUSIC
COPY ISBN
Hard to believe that the Doors were around for only five years; their music was and remains so outsize. Distinguished rock/culture critic Marcus aims to get beyond the very long shadow of Jim Morrison. Not just for Sixties types.
The poetic lyrics and haunting melodies of the Doors created a distinctive sound in the 1960s, and the life and death of Jim Morrison, the charismatic, outrageous lead singer, have prompted numerous books and the Oliver Stone movie The Doors. Longtime fans will be excited to see new material written on the band but may be ultimately disappointed with this addition from well-known critic Marcus (Lipstick Traces; Invisible Republic). He attempts to focus solely on the music and present a new story, but his narrative is disjointed, as particular songs send him on rambling dissertations about everything from pop art exhibits to Charles Manson.
VERDICT Doors fans will not find new material here. Better choices remain popular titles like Chuck Crisafulli's The Doors: When the Music's Over, Ray Manzarek's Light My Fire, and Stephen Davis's Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend. Still, completists will be looking for Marcus's latest. [See Prepub Alert, 5/23/11.]—Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL
Reviewed by Barry Zaslow , Jun 15, 2011
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?