PositivePittsburgh Post-Gazette\"Mr. Giddins chronicles the recordings on a microscopic level ... At 700-plus pages, Swinging on a Star is no quick, breezy read. Mr. Giddins includes ample historical context, so much that in places his lengthy digressions slow the narrative ... As it stands, Swinging on a Star defines and solidifies Crosby\'s stature as a transcendent American original, beyond his annual Christmas revival.\
Ed Ward
RavePittsburgh Post-Gazette\"...he blends storytelling with a vibrant, organic chronicle of the music’s birth ... Scrupulously avoiding the dry, tedious academic pontification favored by some rock critics, Mr. Ward begins by examining rock’s primary components: blues, folk, jazz and country music as it developed during Prohibition, the Depression and World War II ... He offers compelling mini-portraits of artists and music business types ... a book like this is indispensable. Mr. Ward’s warm, welcoming voice allows him to both inform and entertain.\
Peter Guralnick
PositivePittsburgh Post-GazetteMr. Guralnick, who’s chronicled American roots music for decades and authored the definitive Elvis Presley biography, makes no claims of objectivity in this penetrating, exhaustive work. A longtime friend, he co-produced a 2000 Phillips documentary, and his close relationships with the family are a vital part of his narrative.
