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Summary: Ray, please stop taking drugs
Review: I think the drugs have seeped too far into Ray Manzarak's brain. The man is clouded. Trying to get through his mythological and Dionyssian explanations for Jim Morrison and the music of the Doors is laughable at best. Not only that, while I used to think that Ray was the most articulate member of the band, I am shocked when he writes with such lack of elegance and class. With his comparisons to various gods and spirits and dieties maybe Ray should have been an anthrolopoligist. Sadly, I think the aura of the Doors, and the heavy drugs have fried this man's feeble mind.
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Summary: I HAD A VISITATION OF ENERGY WHILE READING THIS BOOK
Review: Thank you Ray for writing this book.Myself not having been the biggest of doors fan,but always fascinated by the Man behind the myths.I found myself locked into every word you wrote,I could really feel the love you have for Jim.What I got most out of the book was how JIM MORISSON WAS NOT AN EVIL MAN ,he had an illness and he was powerless over It.The times want to paint the picture of a evil minded ROCK STAR!.When Jims true loves in life were exactly opposite.it was a different time Ray and thank you for telling your story....Now when I pop in my DOORS cd the MUSE fills my spirit!!!
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Summary: A BOOK ABOUT THE DOORS THAT WAS AWSOME TO SAY THE LEAST!!
Review: I read LIGHT MY FIRE by RAY MANZAREK and I was totally blown away!!! This book went into a lot more detail on how THE DOORS became the rock legends they are today. From the first time MANZAREK meets JIM MORRISON to JIM MORRISON'S going away to PARIS what happens to JIM MORRISON and THE DOORS in between that time I won't say just read and find out and have a blast I know I did. This book is definatley better than any movie or book on THE DOORS before it that's for sure.
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Summary: Just when you thought that you read everything on the Doors,
Review: Ray's has even more. He presents many good stories about the early days with jim such as some of the TRIPS they had together and getting their early gigs and begining recording. Ray goes off a litttle TOO MUCH about Oliver Stone's movie. HEY RAY if you went to graduate school in LA why didn't you do the movie.
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Summary: This book was the best "Doors" book I've read so far!
Review: Manzarek did a fantastic job recreating his life with The Doors, and mainly Jim Morrison. He took the reader where no other author has before. He gave incredible insights into his philosophy of what the Doors were all about. I've read many other books about the Doors, No One Here Gets Out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman, Riders On the Storm by John Densmore, numerous magazine articles, and all of Morrison's poetry books, just to name a few, and no other Doors book even comes close to comparing to Manzarek's version. He puts to rest many of the myths and rumors that have plagued the Doors throughout the years. I read the book in less than a day, and would recommend it to any SERIOUS Doors fan. SPECTACULAR!!!!
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Summary: a groovy,kind of psychedelic pot--head read
Review: A few comments from two dedicated doors disciples from Melbourne,Australia. It was great to hear from Ray at last; his intellectual,semi-stoned style was most entertaining and enlightening man! How many times did he write dionysus!!! anyway, it was cool to hear about the influence that Dorothy had on Ray's life and destiny. We always thought that John was a d***head; a w***ger too. Hey! but what is Robbie doing now! Lets hear your words man!! What a wild time to have lived in; everything was new, there were paths that hadn't been followed and experiences never dreamed of! Unlike today where eveything has been done!! What a downer!
Rating:
Summary: a groovy,kind of psychedelic pot--head read
Review: A few comments from two dedicated doors diciples from melbourrne,australia. it was great to hear from ray at last, his intellectual,semi-stoned style was most entertaining and enlightening man! How many times did he write dionysis!!! anyway, it was cool to hear about the influence that dorothy had on rays life and destiny. We always thought that john was a dickhead, a whinger too. Hey! but what is robbie doing now! Lets hear your words man!! What a wild time to have lived in! everything was new, there were paths that hadn't been followed and experiences never dreamed of! Unlike today where eveything has been done!! What a downer!
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Summary: Another flawed story of the Doors
Review: Ray Manzarek's "Light My Fire" might have been an enjoyable book, if it weren't for his repeated left-wing commentary and just plain old ranting and raving. Some of it is rather enlightening, however - a great example of the hypocrisy of liberalism. For example, Ray tells us that we should love thy neighbor, smoke a joint, relax, be tolerant, etc. And yet, we have to endure his harangues about the "evil police", "fascist Ronald Reagan", "racist jock John Wayne", and so on. Not to mention his numerous (and sometimes downright nasty) tirades concerning Oliver Stone and his film "The Doors". Hey Ray, what's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?Probably most ridiculous is Manzarek's attack on America's "frenzy of consumerism." Gee, Ray, where do you think you'd be if the millions of Doors fans hadn't "consumed" all that Doors "product" over the years? Not to mention that he was the first one to go along with using "Light My Fire" in a Buick advertisement. It's a nice thought, but you can't have it both ways. Not all is lost, however. Manzarek is quite adept at reproducing the feeling of the moment, and at times the reader gets swept up in the excitement of the Doors' early days, when things were starting to take off for them. But that feeling is quickly derailed by the aforementioned editorializing and often self-righteous attitudes of the author. It really disturbs the flow of the story, and ruins an otherwise entertaining book.
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Summary: What a waste of paper. The group deserves better.
Review: I'm sure that there's a good story here about the Doors, but trying to read through Manzarek's tale is like trying to read through a dirty glass...it keeps getting muddied with his "intellectual superiority. And if you don't believe it, he will tell you by letting you know that his IQ is "only 135" while his girlfriend's and Morrison's was higher. At least half the book is Manzarek's fawning over his "Dionysus" (Morrison) and the other half is some existential crap about the karma that surrounded the band. Still, there are some interesting tidbits about the group and their experiences, although, I think Manzarek sanitized it in fear that Morrison's image would be tarnished (You should enjoy him tearing into Stone's film on the group.) Don't bother buying the book...just borrow it from the library before it goes out of print.
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Summary: OUTSTANDING!
Review: Ray Manzarek's book is by far the most phenomenal account of the Doors that has been written to date. Ray gives a wonderful account of the neighborhood in which he grew up, along with his musical up-brinings. Along with this, Ray gives a very _real_ feeling to the stories that he tells. Always with a tone of mysticism and a sense of the greater whole, Manzarek tells his stories with intelligence and wit in hindsight of the events he experienced in his lifetime with the Doors. There are several aspects of the book that bring new insight into the Doors' career and their creative process. Ray describes how the rehersal sessions progressed along with the Doors' method of composing songs in the studio. Ray's apperception remains clear and unmistakable throughout the entire book. It is very touching to hear the story of his relationship with Jim Morrison and the interrelations of the rest of the band members. Ray's personality and flare for writing is self-evident within this book as well. "Light My Fire" provides a great telling of Ray Manzarek's musical career with the Doors and, moreover, it is a _must_ read for any Doors' fan. This is a perfect book for anyone who has ever been curious about Ray Manzarek and his background, and how he views the astonishing and magnificent events of his life through his own eyes. This percipient book provides an outstanding compte-rendu of the history of this band told by one of the four primary elements that makes up the magnificent "diamond" that is the Doors.
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