Books on Burning Man

Scout · Post by **Scout** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 11:24 am

I just read "This Is Burning Man" by Brian Doherty
This is not a commercial for his book.
I would like to hear other people's opinions on it.
I enjoyed it, the book filled in some holes and opened new ones.
I've been to BM 6 times and will be returning.

Scout
from the meat inspection center
www.schlonghappy.com

buckethead alien · Post by **buckethead alien** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 11:55 am

Check out the comments on:

http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0

I have a copy of the book I might send out as a perpetually circulating version if anyone is interested.

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:25 pm

Oh, I am, I am BHA! I've read a couple reveiws of the book, but haven't tackled it myself yet. But I want to, for sure!

buckethead alien · Post by **buckethead alien** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:45 pm

So my idea was that I'd send my copy out on the condition that whoever received it passed it on to another person who wanted to read it, who would pass it on and so on and so on. Maybe along the way it could get marked or decorated by everyone who reads it and eventually it would make it back to me. Maybe on the playa in ought-5.

You could buy the book to support the author as well if you choose.

GE, I think I have your address, but maybe you want to PM me just to be sure.

tisha2 · Post by **tisha2** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 3:08 pm

I want it next, GE!

My kids have a book called SHAMLANDERS, by Betty (& son, I think) Paraskevas. It is a kid's book about a dream, but the way it reminds me of the playa is freaky!

buckethead alien · Post by **buckethead alien** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 4:20 pm

tisha2 wrote:I want it next, GE!

My kids have a book called SHAMLANDERS, by Betty (& son, I think) Paraskevas. It is a kid's book about a dream, but the way it reminds me of the playa is freaky!

Wow. This may work!

Weird, the Paraskevases live around here. Their first stuff, a cartoon about a bug named Manny Mosquitos was pretty great.

- Bucket

See you in The Bar later.

ronski · Post by **ronski** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 7:02 pm

I'm about halfway through it-- actually got it from the public library. Pretty great work in my opinion. Mostly the history of how everything came to be, the influences of people like John Law and Chris Radcliffe, and the threads of connection with orgs like the Cacophony societies, Suicide Club, Church of the Subgenius, etc. I keep coming on refs to things that happened early on and are now a part of the BM culture-- like goats being brought to one of the early ones and now you have the Chupacabra Polizia, or Starf*cks being part of the original Helco strip mall in '96. Or how far back the gun culture went, and how that originally helped relations with the Gerlach locals. Makes sense, fills in gaps with the extended in-jokes that make up the event.

Boy, I would have liked to have been there for '96. Anyone who was there, I can understand their comments about "it's just not as good anymore". But things change.

Doherty's writing is pretty consistently good too. I used to read his essays on the Reason blog, and this is the same style. It's obviously a labor of love but he stays just detached enough. If the event doesn't crash and burn completely and evolves into something enduring-- whatever that means-- this book will be a seminal record.

Oh-- and I just saw "The Gangs of New York" on cable the other day. When watching it I had this weird association of the Daniel Day Lewis character with the picture of John Law in the book. The two images are now forever connected in my mind. I wonder if Law was good at swinging a butcher knife....

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 9:12 pm

I had the pleasure of being able to spend a few minutes with a Mr. Vincent Huang from Tokyo while serving drinks on our art car. He allowed me to peruse his book on Burning Man. It is mainly art ... it was fascinating. He is working on a second volume. He is a very nice man and I completely enjoyed spending a few moments talking with him. He comes to BRC every year from Tokyo and brought others that I think were family members with him this year. They were dressed in very traditional Japanese clothing on the Playa.

I wish more people would publish the art of BM.

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:22 am

You got it, Tish!

Once I'm finished, I'll get your addy from you and it'll be on it's way...

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:51 pm

okay Tish; pm me with your addy, and i'll shoot the book right on over to you...

tisha2 · Post by **tisha2** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:30 am

I got it!! I got it!!! I have it right here in my hot little hands!!! complete with real live pix of BHA and Guinie!!

i love this.... who wants it when i'm done???

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:46 am

I do! I do! I'm all about some edumacation, being so profoundly a nobie. And I'm a real fast reader. And I promise to pass it on. And I promise to add a little sumn to make my mark. Please? I feel like a great big sponge, so give me something to soak up! Somebody slap me if I just stepped out of line....

tisha2 · Post by **tisha2** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:48 am

you got it baby!! pm me with your address...i should be able to get through it by mid-next week finding spare moments around work/kids/life.

yay!!

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:51 am

I put that pic in, special just for you, Tish, since I knew it had two of the things about me that you love: my hat, and my breasts!

Woo hoo!

(giggle, I think you'll love it...)

buckethead alien · Post by **buckethead alien** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:53 am

Now I want my book back, wah.

tisha2 · Post by **tisha2** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:53 am

heh heh heh...

i'm looking at Guinie's breasts right now.... heh heh heh....

GuinivereElise · Post by **GuinivereElise** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:54 am

tee hee!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:55 am

hey can i get it after that? ive been looking all over for a copy of it...i dont think any bookstores out here on the east coast have it..

-Duke

Rian Jackson · Post by **Rian Jackson** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:59 am

ok, fine, i'm after Duke!!

hooray!!

buckethead alien · Post by **buckethead alien** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:09 am

You cats know the drill, right?

Read.

Decorate.

Pass on.

Somebody gets the book back to me at BM05, and then we do something <i>interesting</i> with it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:11 am

sounds like a deal to me...im not gonna decorate it tho...im just gonna dribble a little liquid on a random page...one day in the future someone will be licking the book and have a nice suprise

-Duke

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:13 am

oh btw who do i need to send my address to?
-D

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:20 am

That would be me!

Alpha · Post by **Alpha** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:27 pm

I recommend underlining the word ESKIMO.

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:34 pm

Underline eskimo, what, is this some kind of insider thing? Are you making fun of me? Because in case you didn't know, I HAVE INSECURITY ISSUES! Do you wanna take this over to conflict respirations?

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:35 pm

Not respirations, resolution! Damn shorthand program

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 1:44 pm

ESKIMO...
damn why is that familiar? was it that movie 'heather' ?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 3:04 pm

LamplighterDuke wrote:hey can i get it after that? ive been looking all over for a copy of it...i dont think any bookstores out here on the east coast have it..

-Duke

Most bookstores (even the evil chains) would be happy to special order it for you.

Count Sockula · Post by **Count Sockula** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:54 pm

My mom called today to tell me she's got it! I'll swing up to Jacksonville tomorrow after I pick up the girls. Yay! I'm so excited!!!

gigglesnort · Post by **gigglesnort** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 10:05 am

I got it! I got it! Didn't make the drive the other day cause my littlest was throwing up. My mama drove it over to me this morning. Wow! I'm starting to suspect maybe you guys really are real after all......how exciting!