The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hi all! I'm a fairly new fan of the Beach Boys. I've been listening to some of their songs for all my life, but I really got into them after I watched Love and Mercy last year. I got super interested in their history and especially about Brian! I'm excited for his book that's coming out this year but until then, does anyone have any good books to read about them? I'm kind of generally knowledgeable about them (mostly about Pet Sounds/Smile stuff) but would love to get more information and don't really know where to start. Thanks in advance!

I have both Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys: the Complete Guide to Their Music and Catch a Wave. The former focuses on the music of the band (and solo), and it has entries for every album, song, and miscellaneous bit of music that was available up to 2004. The latter is an excellent biography of Brian. I recommend both.

I'm with Bubs, especially with Catch a Wave.  Great bio. 

I'd also add John Stebbins's Beach Boys FAQ.  Its a nice look at the entire history of the band, album reviews, and even a little bit of humor (ie. Beach Boys image issues and why it's "fun to hate Mike Love"). 

I would highly recommenced this one: The Lost Beach Boy: The True Story of David Marks one of the founding members of the Beach Boys. One of the best in my opinion.

David Leaf's The Beach Boys and the California Myth

There are many books out there, but these 5 books will provide you with a thorough and balanced summary of the band.  After reading them, you will be well-versed in all things Beach Boys.  My suggested list should be read in the order as presented below:

The Beach Boys and the California Myth - David Leaf

Catch a Wave - Peter Ames Carlin

Becoming the Beach Boys - James B. Murphy

Beach Boys FAQ - Jon Stebbins

The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band on Stage and in the Studio - Keith Badman

I forgot to mention The Beach Boys in Concert!: The Complete History of America's Band On Tour and Onstage. It's an incredibly detailed and meticulously researched Beach Boys travel log. Jon Stebbins' and Ian Rusten's (collaborative) work deserves a mention wherever Beach Boy books are talked about.

Be careful; nearly every source uses lyrics that Brian Wilson didn't write to analyze his psychology.

David Leafs book is excellent. I have not read em all but I really like Timothy White's "The Nearest Faraway Place" It was published in 1994.

jet without wings

That's the best book IMHO.

COMMENT to axebear:  Anyone asking about the Beach Boys is going to get my recommendation to check out the study-videos at http://www.swdstudyvideos.com and just start viewing and listening. At this website is also my book on Recording The Beach Boys, which is about just that topic. Otherwise, trust the fans on this website to give you good recommendations and guidance. ~swd

Speaking of which, I came across this (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223533269_A_psychobiographical_analysis_of_Brian_Douglas_Wilson_Creativity_drugs_and_models_of_schizophrenic_and_affective_disorders) awhile back.  

Although a little outdated by today's standards, Look! Listen! Vibrate! Smile! by Domenic Priore is one of the best books about the SMiLE myth out there. Gotta pick that one up for myself some day...

Timothy White's "The Nearest Faraway Place" is also worth reading...if you really want to get way back into the family history.

Best is Kingsley Abbot's collection of essays and articles, Back to the Beach. A guide to the albums worth looking at is AGD's Complete Guide. A history of the background to the band is Timothy White's Nearest Faraway Place. Probably the best on Brian is Peter Carlin's book, Catch a Wave. Becomng the Beach Boys and The Lost Beach Boy are really good on the origins and early years, Best book on Dennis is by Jon Stebbins

Although Paul Williams' How Deep Is The Ocean? may not be a first choice, it does contain an ecstatic review of the GV: 30 Years box set entitled "I Believe You Anyway". Worth the price of admission alone, in my opinion. 
 

Well, I kinda rate these written ramblings... and they're free to download to boot !  ::)
www.facebook.com/beachboysalbumsleeves

The Wilson Project is a great book if you can find it at a palatable price...

 Also, if you join Audible (audio book website) you get a free download just for registering. Catch a Wave and 50 Sides of the Beach Boys are on there and great for listening to in the car, you get to keep the downloads for life when you quit Audible as well.

Oh yes, The Wilson Project. I also highly recommend it. For those unfamiliar: The Wilson Project is essentially an annotated diary that details Gary Usher's session work w/ Brian (and Dr. Landy) in 1986/87. There's some amusing (and depressing) anecdotes shared in it. One of my very favorite books.

The 2013 reissue is available for $32 http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Wilson-Project-2013-Edition-Beach-Boys-Brian-Wilson-/291280811349?hash=item43d1b07555:g:w0EAAOxyB0VRveM5