I read this book several years ago. It is still with me. I find it creeping into my views at the least likely moments. As a marketing professional myself, I am keenly aware of Mander's tales of how media is routinely manipulated to produce a "world view", compatible with the needs of industry under the pretense of "best case scenarios." Though it is obvious, few people understand that thier views are almost entirely the product of political and media forces that have been working on them since childhood. Invariably, those forces are predisposed to the cause of industry. What, if anything do we actually 'think', that hasn't been funded to be thought about, by one industry or another? What passes for 'good taste' or an 'intelligent viewpoint' didn't get to become that by accident. Given the enormous budget it takes to produce any kind of "share of mind" in this culture, does anyone one really think opposing points of view to those of industry, have any chance whatsoever, of being heard in this society? If you do, I pity your ridiculous, pathetic, humourous delusion. But to catch a glimpse, just look at the garbage you throw out every week if you want to see who you really are. Do you really know where it all goes? Do you really understand why so much waste has to be produced just to get you to buy things? Do you even care?

If perchance, you have even the slightest sense that there is something deeper within you. An indigenous soul lurking somewhere beneath the years of corporate-paid info-strata you've been layering, this book will help fortify the feeling. You still will have miles to go. But this book, for some, could play an essential role in helping to awake from the deep slumber corporations pay so heavily to keep us in.

This really is the very best of the recordings available by FM. However, should anyone from Warner/Reprise ever happen to read this - the recording quality is hissy and the track line up is an appalling jigsaw job on the original UK album. Two tracks are missing altogether and Oh Well has been stuck right in the middle. The original UK LP track line up was fabulous, and makes sense of the songs and jams. The only way, currently to replicate it is to buy the Japanese English Rose CD and to make a compilation of the tunes in the right order. Reprise, why won't you clean this thing up?!!!!!