Favorite/Best Beach Boys-related book?

[Paulos]

Catch A Wave and The Complete Guide would be my recommendations for someone just getting into the Beach Boys world.

Whilst we are talking books, I picked up the book I Just Wasn't Made For These Times: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds by Charles L. Granata which appears to be the exact same book as Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds by Charles L. Granata, anyone know why my version has a different title?

[Alan Smith]

Essential:

The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience Timothy White 1994

Oh, Cool!  An honoured guest recently suggested parts of this book were speculative versus factual, which confused me; I had enjoyed the BB detail AND the SoCal history/context (heavy going first read, illuminating and beyond on subsquent reads), and other posters had considered it a worthy article.  I guess the lesson is to stock up on, then draw upon, a variety of the good stuff.

How Deep Is The Ocean? Paul Williams 1997

Just finished re-reading this one, shoulda mentioned it - a great left of centre book, "I believe you anyway" is superb, get it if you can

[metal flake paint]

I remember there was a series called Busy Doin Nothing but I can't track it down or remember who did it.

A California Music production spanning five volumes in excess of 200 pages each, circa 1998. Included was a separate booklet index for easy reference.

[MBE]

I remember there was a series called Busy Doin Nothing but I can't track it down or remember who did it.

A California Music production spanning five volumes in excess of 200 pages each, circa 1998. Included was a separate booklet index for easy reference.

Ah thanks for refreshing my memory. Those are the only major ones I never found.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

FAQ and the Badman book are indispensable and should be close at hand when reading any of the other books!

The Real Beach Boy and Dumb Angel are my favorites simply because Dennis is the most interesting Beach Boys for me.

But I have to say I'd put Heroes And Villains at the top of this list because the Beach Boys story is so insane that reading this book is bound to make anyone who reads it obsessed about the band.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The Badman book is far from indispensable. Way too many errors and misleading entries.

[SG7]

Nearest Farway Place. The history about the families is fasinating. A lot of things made sense after reading it. Plus Timothy White was a great person to do a book on them.

[Myk Luhv]

This seems as good a thread to ask as any: Are there any books that deal with The Beach Boys as far as the mythology surrounding the band -- their own roles, consciously or not, in constructing this Southern California myth (or ideal if you prefer) as well as their place within that myth itself -- is concerned? I'm maybe thinking of the SoCal myth as an imagined community or as a piece of living folklore or something along those lines perhaps. It seems the White book (which I've not read) would be one (the only?) place where this is discussed at some length, although I recall some sections of Carlin at least touching on this facet of the group. Anything to help solidify my vague meanderings would be much appreciated!

[KokoNO]

Heroes and Villains is the best. It's action packed! 

I mean, what other books talk about Dennis banging underage chicks and the boys, ahem, pulling out when they're younger? 

Still, I think it cuts off circa 1986 or whatever. Not only is that before the band's greatest triumph ("Kokomo"), but it also excludes the Mike/Bruce years. However, I've concocted some very bizarre and mildly erotic stories involving the two's adventures over the last couple years. Maybe I'll write about it here sometime? 

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Peter Ames Carlin's Catch a Wave - brilliantly well researched and written, a really well balanced account. I find i agree with almost every single thing he says, particuarly that Johnny carson is the high point of Love You.

[NHC]

I really like Nearest Faraway Place, particularly the overall historical context and detail. I loaned it to Gary Usher Jr., who was managing a record store on Guam and playing guitar in an alt rock band, I guess you'd call it, (great player, BTW) at the time, and he felt the parts about his dad were generally OK.

[MBE]

Peter Ames Carlin's Catch a Wave - brilliantly well researched and written, a really well balanced account. I find i agree with almost every single thing he says, particuarly that Johnny carson is the high point of Love You.

I like it until the Landy era ends. After that it just seems to be too politically correct on things since 1992. I like the early part with only a few mid seventies stories pushed back into the early seventies marring it. I give it a solid B+ but not quite top tier.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

The Badman book is far from indispensable. Way too many errors and misleading entries.

I know, I know, but I still consider it indispensible for all the great pics/info/and for all that it DOES get right!

[metal flake paint]

Not books strictly speaking, but indespensible nontheless, the following fan publications containing contemporaneous clippings of articles/interviews provide a wealth of information:

The Beach Boys -
The Early Years
The Later Years
The Middle Years
The Middle Years revisited
Brian Wilson- A Tortured Life
All compiled and edited by Kingsley Abbott

Brian Wilson- Beached or Bouyant, by S.K. Productions

Beach Boys Artifacts Vol. 1-3 by Gary Zenker

The Beach Boys - The Early Years, by Alan Clark

The Phil Wilc0ck Archives Parts 1 & 2, by Phil Wilc0ck

[Andrew G. Doe]

The Badman book is far from indispensable. Way too many errors and misleading entries.

I know, I know, but I still consider it indispensible for all the great pics/info/and for all that it DOES get right!

Problem with that is, you need to know more than the book lays out to know what IS accurate. Which renders it pretty useless except as a picture book. 

[Wirestone]

Peter Ames Carlin's Catch a Wave - brilliantly well researched and written, a really well balanced account. I find i agree with almost every single thing he says, particuarly that Johnny carson is the high point of Love You.

I like it until the Landy era ends. After that it just seems to be too politically correct on things since 1992.

I.e., it treats Brian and his family sympathetically and with a modicum of human decency. Can't have that!

[Alan Smith]

Not books strictly speaking, but indespensible nontheless, the following fan publications containing contemporaneous clippings of articles/interviews provide a wealth of information:

The Beach Boys -
The Early Years
The Later Years
The Middle Years
The Middle Years revisited
Brian Wilson- A Tortured Life
All compiled and edited by Kingsley Abbott

Brian Wilson- Beached or Bouyant, by S.K. Productions

Beach Boys Artifacts Vol. 1-3 by Gary Zenker

The Beach Boys - The Early Years, by Alan Clark

The Phil Wilc*ck Archives Parts 1 & 2, by Phil Wilc*ck

Hey Metal Flake - is it easy to acquire such items as listed, I am curious... Also , think if within someone's name, it's OK to say c*ck - cheers - Alholio Fuchen-Kunt

[metal flake paint]

Not books strictly speaking, but indespensible nontheless, the following fan publications containing contemporaneous clippings of articles/interviews provide a wealth of information:

The Beach Boys -
The Early Years
The Later Years
The Middle Years
The Middle Years revisited
Brian Wilson- A Tortured Life
All compiled and edited by Kingsley Abbott

Brian Wilson- Beached or Bouyant, by S.K. Productions

Beach Boys Artifacts Vol. 1-3 by Gary Zenker

The Beach Boys - The Early Years, by Alan Clark

The Phil Wilc0ck Archives Parts 1 & 2, by Phil Wilc0ck

Hey Metal Flake - is it easy to acquire such items as listed, I am curious... Also , think if within someone's name, it's OK to say clock - cheers - Alholio Fuchen-Kunt

I'd imagine that they'd be difficult to obtain today as I ordered them immediately when advertised in various fanzines.

[D409]

Back To The Beach : A Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys Reader compiled by Kingsley Abbott

[Mark H.]

Sentimental favorite is David Leaf's book - got me all ramped up on SMiLE in the late 70s and that passion hasn't faded.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Mine too - back in the day the fan buzz was huge as it was the first major book on the band, and I still recall the sheer delight of getting it and reading it all in one sitting back in 1978. However, with 20/20 hindsight (the most exact science known to man), there are errors, myths not just perpetuated but actually created, and the viewpoint is seriously skewed.

[The Shift]

Absolutely correct Andrew. Yet it helped steer me, and I suspect many others, on to the path to Beach Boy obsession, and the spirit of the thing was well-meant, I believe.

Other scholars like yourself have come along since and corrected many of those skewed elements, as is the nature of historical research, but I'll always be grateful to David for writing what for the likes of us might be seen as one of the early gospels of the old testament. Most religions are based on myth and legend, after all!

And now I'm hearing there might soon be a new place of worship in Toon Heartland…

My own fave books, for the record, would include AGD's music guide, Peter Carlin's ’Wave, Kingsley Abbott's Back to the Beach (and his Pet Sounds book, which I thoroughly enjoyed), Jon S's FAQ. Jon's Real BB & Lost BB are fine additions, and BW's flawed WIBN is required despite all the errors, flubs etc etc.  Have also been enthralled by MacParland's The Wilson Project. Back in the day it was Leaf's book, Tobler's book and the 25th anniversary book that I'd read myself to sleep with.

My well-intentioned sister bought me a copy of Good Vibrations by Jacqueline Gold many years ago. Completely unrelated to the BBs but enjoyable nevertheless…  any one else got that classic?

[MBE]

Not books strictly speaking, but indispensable nontheless, the following fan publications containing contemporaneous clippings of articles/interviews provide a wealth of information:

The Beach Boys -
The Early Years
The Later Years
The Middle Years
The Middle Years revisited
Brian Wilson- A Tortured Life
All compiled and edited by Kingsley Abbott

Brian Wilson- Beached or Bouyant, by S.K. Productions

Beach Boys Artifacts Vol. 1-3 by Gary Zenker

The Beach Boys - The Early Years, by Alan Clark

The Phil Wilc0ck Archives Parts 1 & 2, by Phil Wilc0ck

I guess I've done well finding these as I am only missing.

The Middle Years revisited

Brian Wilson- Beached or Bouyant, by S.K. Productions

The Phil Wilc0ck Archives Parts 1 & 2, by Phil Wilc0ck

Jon Stebbins wrote about Brian today honestly in FAQ but what Carlin wrote ended almost like PR. There has been no fairy tale ending. I'm hardly saying Brian's in hell Ala 1978 or 1988 but it's not this ideal situation that makes critique off limits. I like most of the book, but I'm being honest by saying I feel the last four chapters or so go along with the program. Enough to where I think they aren't worthy of what Carlin did before which was quite good.

[MBE]

Mine too - back in the day the fan buzz was huge as it was the first major book on the band, and I still recall the sheer delight of getting it and reading it all in one sitting back in 1978. However, with 20/20 hindsight (the most exact science known to man), there are errors, myths not just perpetuated but actually created, and the viewpoint is seriously skewed.

I liked it a lot too back in 1990 when I got it, but now I think it isn't worth searching out. Though he's fine on Brian's music during certain periods (others are way under rated ala "Wild Honey"), he's lousy in that he makes Brian this poor helpless victim of everyone around him. Marilyn even got trashed. Also he's half hearted when discussing the rest of the group and even nasty. Had he not sold this as a Beach Boys book I still wouldn't like it but at least it would have been obvious in its bias from the start. It really should have been called "Brian Wilson and a Myriad of Myths".

[hypehat]

Whilst we are talking books, I picked up the book I Just Wasn't Made For These Times: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds by Charles L. Granata which appears to be the exact same book as Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds by Charles L. Granata, anyone know why my version has a different title?

Whilst I don't know about the differences, I just want to add a friend found this for me and it's rather nice - not anything groundbreaking, and his relationship with some of the songs is a bit weird (he keeps slagging off Sloop John B as 'out of place', which is a peeve of mine) but it's a charming read and quite well researched.