"But we desecrate at the touch, and touch defiles..."
I'm quite frankly amazed at all the high ratings of this book. Sure there are a decent amount of tidbits here and there that shine some light on a few of the many mysteries behind the project, but the retention of mystery is part of the appeal. The chase is better than the catch. There is a passage in this book that reads: "[...] and the fact tht [sic] DEATH IN JUNE is for Douglas P. a very, very personal experience, many of the lyrics will defy any interpretation. Their strength lies in what personal meanings and conclusions we can draw from them. But does this book, with its very being, and its interpretations of lyrics thus constitute an act of defilement?" The answer is yes. It's so poorly written, I can't even begin to describe it. How old is this guy? 15? I was only ever able to read a chapter a day at best before I couldn't take it anymore. It's also mentioned in the preface that some of the interview sources used are known to be fake. What gives?
The book chronicles the history of the band from the earliest days up until the end of 1994 (with the release of 'Rose Clouds...' on the horizon), and there is a quick chapter on CRISIS at the end. There are some good archival photos and scans of magazine/newspaper clippings throughout, on top of the scattering of aforementioned "oh, huh, cool, didn't know that" moments, but I must say this is for completists only and definitely not worth anywhere near the price it fetches on eBay. A better idea would have been to collect and reprint all of the interviews this book quotes so often and simply expand upon those when necessary. At the end of the day my advice is to just be mindful of your money when you're seeking this one out and to not expect very much of it.