Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson
by Peter Ames Carlin
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Book Summary Information
Author: Peter Ames CarlinEdition: Paperback
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2007-06-26
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Rodale Books
Book Reviews of Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson
Book Review: Rewriting History
Summary: 4 Stars
What makes this particular biography unique is the fact that it was written with the consent and participation of Brian Wilson. Trying, as it would seem, to set the record straight, or at least correct some of the falsehoods perpetuated by his physician/guru Eugene Landy, who purportedly had a very strong influence on "Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story."
Peter Ames Carlin explores the history of the Beach Boys through their leader (at least for the first decade) and he writes as an obvious fan of the group and their music.
In writing of Brian's gradual coming apart, he give amples time and space to the other members of the group, who in Brian's absence, continued to write and record some of the Beach Boys best and most creative albums. Yes, "Pet Sounds" is a masterpiece, but what about "Sunflower," "Friends," "20/20?" These albums stand on their own as fantastic contributions to the world of music.
Mental illness is a grey area, and thankfully, Carlin doesn't put Brian on the couch and try to dissect why he is the way he is. Of course, Brian's relationship with his father, his wife, and the other band members is looked at, but Carlin doesn't attempt to explain away what is essentially a state of being, a creative mind that buckled under the weight of the world.
I haven't read any other Beach Boy or Brian Wilson biographies, so I can't compare or judge based on what isn't here. On it's own, this book provides an extremely insightful look at one musical genius and the history of the Beach Boys through that lens.
Obviously, for any fan of the group, for anyone who truly appreciates the Beach Boys legacy and not just their "fun in the sun" albums, this is a great book.
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