The Boy Who Cried Freebird by Mitch Myers

A book titled "The Boy Who Cried Freebird: Rock & Roll Fables and Sonic Storytelling" sounds like a winner. Author, Mitch Myers has an impressive list of credentials, making him an the ideal person to compile the materials needed for the book. In addition to being published in a variety of print media, Myers' pop commentaries have been broadcast on the National Public Radio show All Things Considered. His commentaries have also been published on websites and he maintains the Shel Silverstein Archive in Chicago. Myers' tells readers, in his introduction, that he is he is a "child of the '70s" and the book is a "love letter to the music and popular culture of the twentieth century". The Introduction ends with a quote:

"I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free your mind, but it's like trying to tell a stranger about rock & roll."

The quote is from a popular tune, "Do You Believe In Magic". The song was recorded in 1965 by The Lovin' Sppnful and written by Jon Sebastian. The Prelude is titled a Rock & Roll Fable. It tells the tale of the boy who cried Freebird. If you are a rock fan, you do not have to be a 70s child to know the Lynyrd Skynyrd tune. Following the prelude are 40 some chapters. Each tells a rock 'n roll story or fable. The tales are culled from print or oral story telling. "The Boy Who Cried Freebird" contains stories about Tina Turner, Phil Spector, getting locked in Tower Records overnight and mysterious CD listening experiences. They vary in length from very short to several pages long.

I am no stranger to rock & roll and I do believe in magic. Yet I found this book to be dull. The only tale that I liked was The Mix Tape Murder Mystery, although I figured out who the killer was early on in the story. I will not offer a rating for the book, because I am not a child of the 70s. (Although, I do know exactly where I was and what I was doing when Lynryd Skynyrd's plane crashed killing 3 members of the band.) Others might find the collection of fables and true stories fascinating.

The book ends with an Index, Credits and a lengthy thank you in the form of Acknowledgements. The 296 pages also include an Afterword. The Credits inform the reader which stories are true and often what song inspired the writing. "The Boy Who Cried Freebird" by Mitch Myers was published in 2007 by Harper Collins Publishers. It is available online from Harper Collins for $25.95.

Note: Shel Silverstein is Mitch Myers uncle. Silverstein is well known for his children's books, such as "Toys In The Attic". Myers' uncle also wrote music and lyrics, including songs made popular by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue".