Rock 'n' Roll Radical: The Life & Mysterious Death of Dean Reed

by Chuck Laszewski

When East German police pulled American Dean Reed's body out of a lake behind the Iron Curtain in 1986, fans and government officials around the world speculated wildly about who caused his death. The... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592981151
• ISBN13: 9781592981151
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Bookhouse Fulfillment
• Length: 261 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

The Biography of a Man Both Famous and Obscure, At Once

Dean Reed is someone more Americans should know. He (1938-1986) was an American rock and roll star. . .everywhere east of the Iron Curtain. He was also a film star, well-known throughout Eastern Europe, Communist Asia, Central and South America. And he was a practicing Socialist, as well. Author Chuck Laszewski does a fine job of providing a thorough overview of the how's and why's of Reed's life---including why this very American boy turned Red at the height of the Cold War, and why regardless of this fact, Reed still called himself "a good American". The book is well-paced, insightful and entertaining. Laszewski doles out facts like a good mystery novelist, keeping the reader in suspense until the end. Dean Reed died under mysterious circumstances in East Berlin in 1986. The circumstances of his demise have been the cause of much speculation ever since then. Laszewski addresses all of the conspiracy theories objectively and with fine detail. At the end, he provides a theory of his own, based on as much information as is available, bringing his book to a satisfying conclusion. If you enjoy a good page-turning mystery, biography, history or rock and roll, you'll find Rock n' Roll Radical to be an enjoyable read. I know I did.

What a Life

Rock 'n' Roll Radical is a fascinating look at the life and death of an international star. The author has skillfully blended the star side of Dean Reed - hungry for fame and applause - with the activist - hungry for justice and human rights. Played on the global stage against the backdrop of the Cold War, we witness the life of a Colorado cowboy filled with women, protests, Communism, arrests, movies, espionage, torture, and rock 'n' roll, all culminating in a body found floating in a lake behind the Iron Curtain.

Contemporary History and Mystery

Rock and Roll Radical provides a fast-paced and well researched biography of a relatively unknown American "radical"-Dean Reed. Reed, while virtually unknown in the U.S., was a very popular movie star and "rock `n' roll" singer in South America and the former communist bloc countries of Eastern Europe. Reed participated in and witnessed many of the significant political and social events emanating from the late 1950's to the 1970's. Learning of Reed and how events shaped his actions and opinions provides the reader with a broader view of contemporary history. Surrounding this entire story is an excellent narrative that compels the reader to turn to the back of the book to learn more about the mysterious circumstances of Reed's death in East Berlin.