Mac Montandon (editor), Innocent When You Dream: The Tom Waits Reader

This book is a must for any fans of Tom Waits. It charts his career as on of the mos interesting singer/songwriter/musicians that this world has ever known and is the closest thing we have to a autobiography. The interviews chart his ever evolving career from singer/songwriter and pianist of "closing time2 and "small change" in the 70's singer/song writer mold to the ever changing avant-garde musician that gave us "swordfishtrombones" right through to "real gone" and his change of personality from the shuffling drifter (he'd stay in the cheapest hotels of tour and take his interviews in run down diners) to the the reclusive family man maintaining the two separate persona's. There are also a few eavesdropped discussions between Waits and various peers and collaborators. Wait's wit really shines through in these interviews and it is interesting for a fan and a musician's point of view. If you are either of those go buy it. If not you probably won't be able to relate to his persona without hearing his music. So go listen to some of his music first. I know this is an overly positive review but it is exactly what it says it is so you can't really ask for more there's even a nice time line of his albums and one of his favorite poems which he mentions in and interview. Oh yeah it cost me about 9 quid from hmv but it'll be in any book shop that has a music section