This is the true story of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, the talented duo of The Blues Brothers

I grew up in this era. I just thought I knew stuff. I didn’t know half the stuff going on. This book is so well researched and includes so much! I loved all the memories and names this author threw into the mix.

I really never knew all the information about SNL and the making of Animal House. Such great talents in improv and creativity! And such a waste and sadness lose part of this duo to drugs! The drug use is astounding! I do not see how John Belushi continued as long as he did.

The narrator, Johnny Heller, is FANTASTIC! I have listened to him on a few other audiobooks and he is someone I remember. Very cool sounding voice!

Need a good biography that brings back memories….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review. ( )

The Blues Brothers by Daniel de Visé is a wonderful look at a very specific time in popular culture by focusing on The Blues Brothers. From understanding the people behind the characters to the rise in the popularity of improv through the creation of the characters and the movie, this volume tells a story much larger than just the making of one movie.

Most readers who remember this time also know a fair amount of the stories about the key players, even though many of what we "know" may be false or overblown. What de Visé does is offer some fact-based background on Belushi and Ackroyd, as well as the world of improv comedy at the time, to show how a film like The Blues Brothers came to be, and how it has become such an iconic film.

I really appreciated the way what led to the making of the film was given sufficient space. Many books that use a film as a focal point for a bigger assessment spend so much time on the minutiae of the filmmaking itself that the cultural impact becomes secondary. Or they use sensationalistic stories and anecdotes to help sell the book. With the group of people involved in this story, some gossipy bits like that can't be ignored, they were part of what made the scene both appealing and, for some, less appealing. But the sensationalism is downplayed here in favor of looking at what resulted from them rather than wallow in them.

I did see one person who complained that the book spent time on things other than the movie. I don't understand the complaint, the title itself makes clear it is about "an epic friendship, the rise of improv, and the making of an American film classic." What about that title would make someone think it was just about the film? Oh well, a heads up, read the entire title before reading a book, and especially before whining about a book not being what it never set out to be.

I would certainly recommend this to fans of the movie as well as SNL fans. I also think anyone with an interest in popular culture more broadly will find a lot to enjoy here.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )