Sometimes A Great Notion

Phil's Book and Garcia: An American Life are my favorites.

Searching for the Sound was the best overall read for me

Currently reading Garcia by Jackson. I just ordered Phil's book a few days ago and when that gets here and I finish Jackson's book I will start on it.

Deadbase

Gotta say Searching for the Sound is my favorite.

I read "Home Before Daylight" by Steve Parrish. Most Deadheads would enjoy this book because Steve Parrish (longtime roadie and close friend of Jerry Garcia) does a great job of telling interesting stories through an equally interesting perspective. This book shows you how human the Grateful Dead were. Definitely worth reading if you decide to look beyond the music.

Box Of Rain is also a good book, but it's good in a non-story kind of way. I didn't know that Mexicali Blues was written in Middletown, Connecticut until I read this book...

Man, I've read several. I just finished "Searching for the Sound" and about to reread "Garcia: An American Life" - which I think is my favorite next to Dennis McNally's "What a Long Strange Trip"....

McNally's and Blair Jackson's are the best of the bunch. Phil's was fine, Scully's tabloid trash, Gans' first book back in '83 was good. Haven't read too many others, and don't plan to.

I, actually liked both of Hank Harrison's books.

Blair Jackson: Garcia

I learned about Jerry Growing up, His choice words For John Lennon one night and how his Silver age Comicbook collection was going thru probate court.

and many other strange discoveries.

Skeleton Key: a Dictionary for Deadheads by David Shenk and Steve Silberman
Garcia: an American Life by Blair Jackson
A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead by Dennis McNally
Conversations with the Dead: The Grateful Dead Interview Book by David Gans
Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead by Phil Lesh
Dark Star: An Oral Biography of Jerry Garcia by Robert Greenfield
Garcia: A Signpost To New Space by Jerry Garcia, Charles Reich and Jann Wenner