The title is "Prince: Life & Times", by Jason Drapner, and it's current through last year. Lots of good color photos, and it discusses albums (Prince albums and protege albums alike) as much as history and timeline. It was just $25 at Barnes & Noble, and it's a quality book.

eaglebear4839 said:

I heard it was crap, as much as Thieves In The Temple was (released last year I think.)

I saw it too, a few days ago at Barnes and Noble, but couldnt make myself pay $25 for it, and that was from the discounted area....

I'll wait and check back in a month...

but it did have some nice (and different) pics..

More info on this book please - I have been trying to find it for ages and want to know if it is worth the hunt.

Swa

Swa said:

http://search.barnesandno...1906002183

Swa said:

The "hunt" involves buying it online via Barnes & Noble. Sheesh, some of you people...

But hey, if you want to, I can buy it for you, bury it someplace and send you a clue after you pay me $77.

I've read all the stories and seen all the pictures, they're all the same.

BartVanHemelen said:

Yeah, google is a lot cheaper...

I actually found this book to be very good, as far as unofficial Prince books go. Many stories that I had not heard before and more up to date info. Great pictures, many we have seen but many we have not. No matter what book comes out, it will not change the whole rise to fame Chris Moon story blah blah that did happen but at least this went up to the Musicology time. I also felt that it was written in a fair manner in that it was critical when needed and handed out praise when needed but was mostly neutral and just reported the information. Well worth the $25.00 IMHO. Much much better than 21 nights which I will probably never look at again.

BartVanHemelen said:

Bert, isn't it tiring to still have your head up your butt after all these years? "You people" ? REALLY Bert? REALLY?!?!

eaglebear4839 said:

I like it better than the 21 Nights book lol.

eaglebear4839 said:

does it have anything different from all the other books???

i think this book is great. its an oversized book so the pics are big and clear. its in date order so you can see what was going on around that time of each album. and it was cheap. clearance for like $11. the cover is velvate too. the very hard core fans that have read everything there is may not find any new hidden bit of unknown info, but to regular fans there is a ton of info in here to match the many huge pics. by far the best prince book out there that i have seen. and the worst book is 21 nights. only got that one because it to was only $11 and i wanted the CD which was not all that.

Bottom line- Get this book!!!!

BartVanHemelen said:

Ok so i had tried through Amazon and done a few google searches to no avail. Being here in Australia we don't have Barnes & Noble so was unfamiliar with them. But thank you for ever so politely letting me know where I could get a copy.

Swa

it falls apart easily and seems very generic to me

eaglebear4839 said:

I have it too, I don't know if it is accurate, but I like that it is documented chronologically.

I highly reccomend this book. Its waaaay better than 21 Nights. Received both books for Christmas last year and read every page of it. I only flipped through 21 nights once and listened to the cd in it once. Not impressed at all. Life and Times has a great cover and the photosgraphs are many of which I have never seen before. Many muisc and times highlights and behind stories of all his proteges. Check it out for sure.

I really like this book. It is what it set out to be - a fair, up-to-date, non-biased look at Prince history. It's not kiss-ass, and it's not hyper critical. The layout invites browsing, and the text and graphics are on par with most coffee-table books. The cover is garishly covered in purple velvet. It's priced at the cost of a hand-full of magazines, so you can get it on the cheap. I recommend it highly, for what that's worth.

It's titled Prince: Life And Times (hardcover) in the US and will tentatively be released in Europe as Prince Chronicles (softcover). There doesn't seem to be a release date anymore, though. http://www.amazon.co.uk/P...1906002185

AU and UK folks might try eBay and get the US hardcover copy.

BartVanHemelen said:

Bart made a joke! And a good one at that!

Nice book.

Graycap23 said:

It certainly looks nice, but is it a good read?

nurseV said:

I have not read it yet, but it seem 2 cover cover a bit. I've only peeked at it.

Graycap23 said:

Thanks Graycap23 I think I'll pick it up

nurseV said:

I think it's worth it. If I could onlt get some time 2 go thru it.

Mmm, I need to get that. I'll buy it after I get paid.

I really wanted this book, but its not in the UK yet

This book came out at the end of last year. I bought it around New Years and it was already discounted. I think I got mine for $12.00

The book itself is horribly edited. Obvious spelling errors like "The Ht and Run Tour."

As far as substance, I don't think anything in there is too controversial. The author acts a little to authoritative about his subject and it's obvious he has pieced together accounts of Prince's career from other sources instead of performing intensive investigative reporting.

It's worth it just for the pictures though. A lot of great pictures, and some nice fold out picture collections.

Also, there's a lot of "side stories" where the author will dedicate a page to The Time, or Vanity 6, for example.

Again, it really doesn't break any new ground on the "Prince Story" but, it's a good starting place, and again, the pics are good.
[Edited 5/12/09 13:49pm]

nurseV said:

I haven't gotten around to read mine yet, Ive had it since January, In my opinion its size makes it difficult to read, you cant really just sit down on the couch with it since its the size about the height of the 21 nights book. I like the Symbol guitars that are embossed on the cover too.

eaglebear4839 said:

I saw for about 12 at the B&N I went to

ruxpen said:

One of the things I'm finding curious about the book is the big pics - not only are they better because of that, but they capture his human side (baggy eyes, funk face, etc.)