Phil Collins pulls no punchesmdash;about himself; his life; or the ecstasy and heartbreak thatrsquo;s inspired his music. In his much-awaited memoir; Not Dead Yet; he tells the story of his epic career; with an auspicious debut at age 11 in a crowd shot from the Beatlesrsquo; legendary film A Hard Dayrsquo;s Night. A drummer since almost before he could walk; Collins received on the job training in the seedy; thrilling bars and clubs of 1960s swinging London before finally landing the drum seat in Genesis. Soon; he would step into the spotlight on vocals after the departure of Peter Gabriel and begin to stockpile the songs that would rocket him to international fame with the release of Face Value and ldquo;In the Air Tonight.rdquo; Whether hersquo;s recalling jamming with Eric Clapton and Robert Plant; pulling together a big band fronted by Tony Bennett; or writing the music for Disneyrsquo;s smash-hit animated Tarzan; Collinsrsquo;s storytelling chops never waver. And of course he answers the pressing question on everyonersquo;s mind: just what does ldquo;Sussudiordquo; mean? Not Dead Yet is Phil Collinsrsquo;s candid; witty; unvarnished story of the songs and shows; the hits and pans; his marriages and divorces; the ascents to the top of the charts and into the tabloid headlines. As one of only three musicians to sell 100 million records both in a group and as a solo artist; Collins breathes rare air; but has never lost his touch at crafting songs from the heart that touch listeners around the globe. That same touch is on magnificent display here; especially as he unfolds his harrowing descent into darkness after his ldquo;officialrdquo; retirement in 2007; and the profound; enduring love that helped save him. This is Phil Collins as yoursquo;ve always known him; but also as yoursquo;ve never heard him before.
2016-01-21 2016-01-21File Name: B01AXC22EQ
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. more than green by designBy Marjorie R. BarlowRalph Knowles book has been a great help to my husband and me; as we plan a home for our empty nest. We are nearly 80 years old and wanting a house that is environmentally responsible. We also are deeply interested in integrating our lives; mentally-spiritually-physically-emotionally. A good home in rhythm with the world we live in has become a real focus; thanks to this book. We read it to each other in the early morning and become more awake and aware because of the ideas in Ritual House. So; we are including nature and the rituals we treasure in our house design. Thanks for a book with ideas and depth of soul.Marjorie R. Barlow; Ph.D.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Connecting architectural design with the rhythms of lifeBy AlThis book sheds light in a subject that has been eluded by mainstream architectural and developing practices; but that curiously enough includes an element that is in the core of how we experience architecture: The unavoidable overlap of natures cycles and human activities.As industrialization permeated culture; architecture loosen its ties to its surroundings; mechanical systems enable the capacity to keep spaces within comfort despite the outdoor environmental conditions. A by-product of that has been a state of deafness towards the dynamics an subtleties of nature.The book makes the point that the quality of our lives can be enriched and enhanced by giving attention and integrating to the variations and conditions brought by natures cycles into architecture; where change would subtly open possibilities and dictate routines that would make the journey or our lives more enjoyable and humane.In addition; a design framework and case-studies are provided as a way to have a clear notion of how the aforementioned integration would look like and how it could be achieved.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Profound and beautifully written.By SelectiveReaderA profound work that is imminently readable. Contains fresh perspectives for seasoned urban planners and architects and; at the same time; should be required reading for beginning students of city planning; architecture; and landscape design. From attention to the way humans adapt to their surroundings by migration; transformation; and metabolism; Knowles proceeds through the stages of land development in the USA from wilderness to metropolis; and the resulting rituals of living we create. He then addresses the question of increasing worldwide concentration of people within huge metropolitan nodes and offers a daring solution; based on his many years of university research; to the problem of reconnecting those lives to nature through the built environment. Deceptively simple; almost poetic. My only complaint is that the cover photo and title do not do justice to this book. This is not about single; stand-alone houses for the wealthy; as suggested by the cover. Also; I would re-title it "Ritual House; Ritual City" if I could; as the final chapters of the book address not only the single building; but how our buildings affect each other within our cities. Running throughout the book is a deep respect for nature and for the human spirit.
