Gregor Gregorec Gregorec itibaren La María, Caldas, Boyacá, Colombia itibaren La María, Caldas, Boyacá, Colombia

At heard this author speak on the Commmonwealth Club and I was very impressed. The book was a huge disappointment. This is a very self-centered guy with narrow vision and limited goals. Finally on pg. 143 he finally writes: Our goal is simple: to create an automated vehicle for generating cash without consuming time." What happened to meaningful economic goals that also contribute to improving the world? Are the only currencies of the NR (new rich) time and mobility? Where doe family, friends and community fit in? There was some interesting travel information. Maybe this would be more successful as an adventure/travel book?

The book investigates and loosely tries to explain why all of America's unique music forms were born in the triangle formed by New Orleans, Memphis, and Nashville. Jazz, Blues, Rock, and Country were all started here by people from here. He sort of writes off hip-hop crudely as being largely derivative which is highly debatable. Anyway it is pretty staggering to contemplate that all of these original American forms originated in the "Mojo Triangle". The author's extremely loose thesis is that the land's history (lots of floods, wars, etc.), inhabitants (music-loving Indians, slaves, creole/carribean), and just inherent spookiness and character provided the fuel and catalysts necessary to innovate and produce artistically in a unique and powerful manner. The author doesn't really spend too much effort in "proving" this one way or another. Largely, the book is a collection of stories about the influential people, places and times that produced such an amazing amount of musical culture. How Elvis got discovered, how Louis Armstrong got his first cornet, did Robert Johnson sell his soul at the crossroads? Fellow Drive-by Truckers fans will be amused to see that Patterson Hood 's dad David Hood is featured prominently in the chapter about Muscle Shoals (he played bass in the classic Muscle Shoals studio band). I'd recommend this book highly to fans of roots music who want to see how it all ties together.