Got it today so I haven't really read through everything, but I've jumped around and it's making me all nostalgic. MCA will be greatly missed and all these little anecdotes really bring out the b-boys persona. Love it already. I'll be poring over this for a while.

Those in the fields of pop culture, American culture, and music will find much to explore and enjoy in this massive, comprehensive tome. Likewise, fans will find this to be the definitive, quintessential, "can't do without it" book. There are tons of photos that even the most ardent fans may not have ever seen. At first, you are simply going to find yourself flipping through the pages, being thrilled by one photo after the next. Once that wears off, you will settle into the text. Here's is where the journey begins in earnest.There is a gratitude here that is deeply compelling. Likewise, ummm, you will find an occasional, bizarre gem among this recounting of these friends' most extraordinary lives. (Be on the look-out for a BBQ Grilled Cheese recipe).From what I can currently determine, I believe the final version of this book will be an absolute boon to music-lovers, pop-culture fanatics, scholars, and fans. I've already put the finalized version in my cart ... yeah, it's kinda that amazing!Do not hesitate to buy this.

Excellent testament to the legacy of the Beastie Boys

How these two uppah class twits get away with it I will never know.....The writing is pure noise. Their stories are interesting only if one believes celebrities are important....ugh...one might spend time reading a dictionary instead. My book was a gift ...Tiz now in the garbage.....where it belongs...Save the trees ... stop publishing these things.

I received a pre-publication copy of this book. That means there may be some edits and changes from what I read to the final official publication. That said, even in raw form, this book is AMAZING. It is an autobiography of the Beastie Boys from the perspective of the two remaining members of the band, Mike D and Ad Rock (rip MCA :-( ). The story goes from the very beginning, as high school kids involved in the New York hardcore scene, the formation of the band, the influence of rap on the fellows, and then the following rise to stardom and how they dealt with that. In addition to the main story, there are several side chapters that put context on the time and place when all of these events were happening to the B-Boys. Such as a discussion of the rise of rap culture in NYC (before the term "hip hop" was used), what it meant for white kids to get turned on to that music at the time, and even Ad Rock's explanation to a younger generation that, for all the good provided by a mixed tapes, winding a blitzed cassette a pencil always blew.It should really be no surprise, but the biggest pleasure is that Mike D and Ad Rock are both really good writers. They address in the first chapter what the reader is surely feeling, that the voice of Yauch is painfully missing as the third part of the story. This can't be helped, and they do their best to tell the complete story from their perspectives (even offering asides with each other's chapters to confirm or clarify what each other have written). The final bit I'll add is that, even in my primal version of the book, it is gorgeous. It is filled with incredible pictures archiving this history of the band and the scene. Every fan of the Beasties needs a copy of this book in their home.