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  <title><![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Nov 30 09:40:35 -0800 2008</date_added>
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    <body><![CDATA[Brian Raftery is a karaoke connoisseur. Oh, I know -- if you're not a karaoke aficionado, this may seem to you a little bit like bragging that Colt 45 is your favorite aperitif. But Raftery is so enthusiastic about his hobby, and so effectively conveys its charms, that by the end of this book, you w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/38941773">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[karaoke virtuosos, people interested in the history of heavy metal karaoke, KJs]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Sat Mar 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[man, i thought i was into karaoke. the author of this book puts me to shame. i do not have a fifty-strong list of songs i will never get tired of singing at karaoke (appendix one). i have merely three: &quot;livin' on a prayer&quot; by bon jovi, &quot;your woman&quot; by white town, &amp; &quot;mother&quot;...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50920608">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Jan 13 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Dec 28 07:06:36 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jan 13 12:56:57 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[You would think I was the luckiest and most well-read girl in the world since I work in a used bookstore, right? I have access to ALL THE BOOKS. <br/><br/>Yeah, not so much. For the last 4 months, I have had the attention span of a hamster, and nothing can keep my attention. I ave a to read shelf ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41078130">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>49803303</id>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Mar 19 15:00:55 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Mar 19 15:11:53 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I am not really into karaoke (my experience tends to be at family functions with horrible backing tracks accompanying various footage of the Philippines), but do love me some SingStar. Either way, this book intrigued me and I love cultural studies, so I got it.<br/><br/>So great! I really enjoyed ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49803303">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49803303]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <id>197320</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jesse]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Dec 11 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Dec 10 12:20:25 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Dec 13 10:55:07 -0800 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Totally breezy, readable karaoke memoir. Entertaining, for sure, in a post-Klosterman way, though a little forced in places. I'll even buy the &quot;Changed My Life&quot; part of the title (Goodreads has it wrong). The chapters on the the karaoke history--its invention in Japan, its migration to the...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39797915">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39797915]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Dec 28 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Dec 28 18:24:27 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Dec 28 18:34:56 -0800 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Oddly, this is the second book I've read this week (after &quot;American Nerd&quot;) about people obsessed with a geeky hobby.  This one was much more fun, though -- the author is very funny and self-deprecating, and the subject was surprisingly interesting.  My only problem was that I only recogniz...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41133249">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41133249]]></url>
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  <isbn>0306815834</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">25</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>63</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Sep 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 01 13:44:07 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Oct 01 13:51:25 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Although the writing can be a little overly precious at times as the author attempts to pack one-liners into every page of the text, overall it's a thorough, absurd, hilarious peek into the history, culture, and evolution of karaoke.  <br/><br/>As a seasoned karaoke veteran myself, so much of the bo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73124071">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73124071]]></url>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sat Jan 17 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Mar 05 12:14:22 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Sep 19 18:49:14 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I first got to know Brian Raftery through his marvelous postings on Idolator (well, not him personally, but his writing) and since he left, I've always been happy when I've found his byline in the pages of <em>Spin</em>. So of course I was really excited for this book, and was pleasantly surprised when it ex...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48335633">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48335633]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[bruin]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1227551681m/5496481.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Apr 27 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jan 13 17:28:33 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Apr 27 16:37:02 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[why in fact, yes, colin, i did love it :)<br/><br/>i whipped through this in a day.  i *love* karaoke, and i adore that now i have a bit of history/random factoids about the birth of karaoke and its rise through the ages.  expect me to pull them out next time i host.  <br/><br/>after i finished ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42961507">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42961507]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>39767966</id>
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    <id>300318</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Anne]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Dec 10 06:21:35 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Mar 07 05:06:06 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Journalist traces the evolution of karaoke from its small beginnings to mainstream phenomenon. He intersperses his own (and family) experience with karaoke, with interviews of people who made karaoke equipment, ran karaoke places, enter in karaoke competitions, etc. It's a quirky history, but well p...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39767966">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39767966]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>51207702</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Marjanne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Salt Lake City, UT]]></location>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>63</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>3</rating>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[anyone interested in karaoke or modern culture]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 01 18:36:21 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Apr 13 12:50:27 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a fun book. I personally don't really have an affinity for karaoke or a desire to perform, but I enjoyed reading the authors experience with karaoke and the brief history. The biggest downside is that it's really based on the author's personal experience and interests. However, he did resea...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51207702">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51207702]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51207702]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>57073889</id>
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    <id>162034</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jamie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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    <rating>3</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun May 31 15:24:36 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat May 23 12:18:58 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun May 31 15:24:36 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A quick and entertaining read about the development of karaoke in America and abroad, from the perspective of a karaoke junkie.  I especially enjoyed learning about the production of karaoke backing tracks (mostly made by Sound Choice) and tacky videos.  The author asserts that the rise of karaoke i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57073889">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57073889]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>44951000</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Chris]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>63</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <date_added>Sat Jan 31 09:14:50 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jan 31 09:16:58 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've never done Karaoke (&quot;empty orchestra&quot;) and never thought I ever wanted to learn more about it, and this book has changed both that and made me passionate about something I've avoided for decades. Pretty persuasive, huh? More importantly, truly shrewd writing with sweet doses of gentle...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44951000">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44951000]]></url>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <date_updated>Tue Aug 04 12:17:17 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I cannot dislike any book that makes fun of Don Henley's ego and credits Max Martin as part of the reason karaoke took off in the U.S.  And yes, I mostly read it because it mentioned Backstreet Boys, and I like to keep up on how others define their sociocultural impact on the world, but I read the w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58081942">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58081942]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Anna]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Jan 04 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Dec 30 22:00:42 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jan 05 23:02:17 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Even if you never feel compelled to pick up the microphone and sing to a room full of strangers (or your friends), this book will draw you in and give you a glimpse of the people and culture that drive karaoke today. (<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://blogcritics.org/archives/2009/01/05/212419.php">more</a>)]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41369595]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Lyn]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jul 27 21:25:23 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jul 27 21:33:47 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I know that some of my more &quot;serious&quot; music friends have a hard time understanding my love of karaoke. This book explains it all.<br/><br/>A must read for those who love pop culture as it relates to music and of course, fans of karaoke.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65222429]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Nov 28 12:50:31 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Nov 28 12:51:23 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've read this book three times now. Once to myself. Then out loud to boyfriend. Then again in various states of hungover in bed for a laugh. One of the best pop culture appreciation books, not to mention history of karaoke.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79216584]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79216584]]></link>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Feb 15 15:59:50 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Feb 15 16:06:23 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Docked a star for its harrowing account of &quot;Cold As Ice&quot;-gate – a moment that will live on in frosty infamy. Bumped back up a star for somehow involving Abe Lincoln.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46450733]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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  <average_rating>3.75</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jan 26 13:12:36 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 11 04:47:21 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A really enjoyable read; the perfect blend of memoir and cultural history. <br/><br/>&quot;With the exception of live music itself, karaoke may be the most direct form of music appreciation that exists&quot; (p. 75)<br/><br/>Which is not to say that I'll be getting up on stage any time soon.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life]]>
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    <![CDATA[Armed with a keen eye and a terrible singing voice, writer Brian Raftery sets out across the globe, tracing karaoke's evolution from cult fad to multi-million dollar phenomenon. In Japan, he meets Daisuke Inouye, the godfather of karaoke; in Thailand, he follows a group of Americans hoping to win the Karaoke World Championships; and in New York City, he hangs out backstage with the world's longest-running heavy-metal karaoke band. Along the way, Raftery chronicles his own time as an obsessive karaoke fan, recalling a life's worth of noisy relationships and poor song choices, and analyzing the karaoke-bar merits of such artists as Prince, Bob Dylan and Fugazi. Part cultural history, part memoir, Don't Stop Believin': How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed My Life is a hilarious and densely reported look at the liberating effects of a good sing-along. The first chapter is online here:<br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1" title="http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTDlx3EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=brian+raftery#PPA9,M1">http://books.google.com/books?id=IhqSOTD...</a>]]>
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  <date_added>Tue Mar 24 10:32:46 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Mar 24 10:33:29 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[the best karaoke based book i have ever read<br/><br/>excellent appendices listing what songs to sing]]></body>
    
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