Broken Summers

by Henry Rollins

Book Overview

In 1993, three young boys were murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. In what was widely considered a witch hunt, three older boys were convicted of the killings. Ten years later, Henry Rollins used his considerable cultural chops to raise money for their defense fund and for DNA testing, which could help clear them. His vehicle? The acclaimed CD "Rise Above" and a world tour. Broken Summers details the rehearsing of Black Flag songs he hadn't played...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1880985756
• ISBN13: 9781880985755
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: 2/13/61
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The grit dirt and feel of the road

Henry Rollins is not your drugged out space case of a musician. Join him as he writes in breathtaking painful clarity about his neurosis, his thoughts and life on the road. Amped only by an abundance of caffiene, it's an intense ride of focused agression, anger and anguish. If you're a fan if it's a must read. If not - it might open your eyes to someone old school that manages to be brave and new.

henry can do no wrong

Henry Rollins can not write a bad book, i've read every single book he has written and they are all good. He writes how he feels and sometimes it makes you feel better. His situations are outragious and lately his books have had alittle Rollins humor he's the man and you should buy this book, and every other book that was writen by Henry Rollins.

Henry's Best Book

I just finished reading Broken Summers and this is by far, Henry's best writing. I have read just about all his other books and this one stands out as being the best written. His writing has improved 100 percent. Henry gets very retrospective in his journal entries which I really liked. You get to see a more mature yet still trying to grow up Henry in this book. He is so honest and revealing from his early days in Black Flag, hanging out in DC, all the people around him who have died, surviving in today's music industry, to still trying how to deal with a relationship. If it's been a while since you read a book by Henry or if you never read anything by him, this is the one to get. No, you won't always agree with him and there will be times when he will annoy the hell out of you but that's what Hank is all about. He even admits to disagreeing with himself!

One of his best!

Unless you're a mindless patriot (remember, however, that REAL "patriots" ask questions and challenge bad leadership!), this book is fantastic. Inspiring, intense, poetic at times, thoroughly fascinating, ultimately even (gasp!) optimistic.For a brief background on the book's nonfiction setting: Our society certainly has major problems, as can be evidenced by the joke of a justice system in certain unenlightened communities. Henry didn't just talk about the wretched treatment of three innocents in West Memphis -- he recorded an astonishing Black Flag tribute album called Rise Above and donated the proceeds to the West Memphis Three's defense fund (i.e. DNA testing of the evidence found at the scene of the crime). This book largely chronicles the making of the album and subsequent tour (which was also undertaken to benefit the WM3), and it's written with active, interesting language. It's difficult to put down!Of course, if you're a mindless patriot and you refuse to acknowledge how things really are, then you probably shouldn't be reading a book written for smart people.You rule, Henry.

One of Henry's better books

By now, Henry knows the drill...and if any of you have been reading his journals (going back to the days of Black Flag in the book "Get in the Van"), you get a sense of what the guy is like. At least certain facets of him...in any case, this book is a must-read. Henry hasn't grown softer with time, but he has definitely grown up. That's not a bad thing...but what we see here is a man who has figured out the secret to making himself happy. He revisits a bit of his past, but doesn't do it in a nostalgic kind of way...instead, he gets some closure with his days in Black Flag by helping out the West Memphis 3 guys through a record and tour, and to see Rollins put both together makes for a fascinating read. As usual, he makes us laugh, he pisses us off, and he shows us the more human side of someone who obviously does his best to lunge at life like a trained attack dog. But it's also inspiring and proves that we could all use a bit of an edge in our day to day lives. Henry, thanks again for doing what you do. This is one book that I will be reading again in the very near future.