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Paul Grushkin

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Dead Letters: The Very Best Grateful Dead Fan Mail Hardcover – October 22, 2011

by Paul Grushkin (Author), Bill Walton (Foreword)

4.7 44 ratings

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Dead Letters is the fully authorized portrayal of the Grateful Dead according to the world’s most devoted fan base: Deadheads. Beginning in their earliest days, the Grateful Dead saved tens of thousands of letters sent to them by Deadheads reflecting on the spectacular concerts they’d attended and requesting tickets. These letters are inspirational and hugely insightful, but more significantly, the envelopes in which they arrived are brilliantly illustrated and unique within the world of rock. This book collects hundreds of those envelopes, as well as a selection of letters, all presented in thematic chapters. Also included for further historical context are rare historical photos and special reminiscences creating a trip, as it were, down memory lane.

Print length

208 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Voyageur Press
Publication date

October 22, 2011
Dimensions

9.5 x 0.75 x 11 inches
ISBN-10

076033854X
ISBN-13

978-0760338544
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Each of the unique pieces of art is displayed fully formed and is intriguing not only for its relationship to the band but also for the level of devotion that so many fans have held for so long to their favorite cause." - Vintage Guitar

It's a fascinating read and one that captures the spirit of the Deadheads in a new light. It's not all images, though those are the most appealing, it also includes the stories behind the sales team and band from their perspective. - Creative Loafing

“5 out of 5 stars…a sprawling and beautiful tome that more than adequately documents the phenomenon that the GDTS inadvertently created and is fascinating and engaging as a skim-through coffee-table book or as a full-on read. And while the artwork is clearly the focal point of the book, Grushkin’s accompanying text provides an informative and enjoyable history of the Grateful Dead and insight into the behind-the-scenes activity that helped the legacy endure.” - www.mediamikes.com

From the Back Cover

Dead Freaks Unite! This simple exhortation, printed in the gatefold of the Grateful Dead s 1971 Skull & Roses double LP, opened the floodgates. Soon the band was blessed with a constant flow of fan love via the U.S. Post. But among all the mail the Dead received daily, the envelopes bearing ticket requests were easily the most remarkable. As the band blazed a path for DIY ticket sales, fans began tucking their money orders into wildly imaginative hand-drawn, hand-painted, and otherwise hand-decorated envelopes. Each hoped to capture the attention of the Dead s inner sanctum and thus secure those increasingly elusive passports to The Show. Of the hundreds of thousands of ticket-request envelopes the band received over the years, some 15,000 have found their way into The Grateful Dead Archive at the University of California, Santa Cruz. With Dead Letters, bestselling Grateful Dead author Paul Grushkin (Grateful Dead: The Official Book of the Dead Heads) has combed this archive to come up with a fantastic survey of nearly 400 Grateful Dead ticket-request envelopes. Arranged by Dead themes, such as the band s rich iconography, song interpretations, concert locations, and more, the envelopes are accompanied by essays and archival photography that provide a rich historical context for a subject that like the Dead Heads themselves is truly unique in the realm of rock. In addition, a final chapter includes a selection of envelopes from the archive of Grateful Dead Ticket Sales TOO, bringing the story from the 1995 passing of Jerry Garcia to the present. At once inspirational and hugely insightful, the works featured on the pages of Dead Letters truly are objets d art, brilliantly and lovingly illustrated. Perhaps more significantly, they offer an unprecedented look at a storied love affair between a legendary rock band and its equally legendary fans.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Voyageur Press; First Edition (October 22, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 076033854X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0760338544
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.5 x 0.75 x 11 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #644,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,330 in Music History & Criticism (Books)
- #1,746 in Rock Band Biographies
- #2,019 in Rock Music (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 44 ratings

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4.7 out of 5

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Barry K. Herman

Inch Your Way Through Dead Dreams

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2011

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For any Dead Head who ever tried to score a ticket through Grateful Dead Ticket Sales (GDTS), this is much more than another "must have" GD memento. It is an historic treasure, a true labor of love by Paul Grushkin who literally had to painstakingly review over 15,000 illustrated envelopes that are currently warehoused at the University of California Santa Cruz's Grateful Dead Archives, photographing several thousand that he deemed fitting for inclusion in this beautiful and truly unique collecction. He and the publisher then attempted to track down each of the individual artists to obtain their permission for use in the book.

The several hundred envelopes that ultimately made it to the book and the accompanying text render an historical account of one fascinating aspect of the Grateful Dead as a cultural phenomenon. It is a tribute to the long enduring love affair between the band and its legion of fans. The book is beautifully constructed and visually stunning.

For all of those others who never participated in this unique ritual, it is never too late to get on the bus. The book as a stand alone is a wonderful work of art.

As an historical note, this is the bookend to Grushkin's 1983 "The Official Book of the Dead Heads." In between, Grushkin has estabished himself as a rock art guru with several books devoted to the subject. "Dead Letters" may just be his finest effort.

3 people found this helpful

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jmcelwee

Fantastic new book about the Grateful Dead and their fans

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2011

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This book is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in the Grateful Dead. Paul Grushkin is a very accomplished author who is responsible for The Art Of Rock which is what many consider to be the bible of classic rock and roll poster collecting. Paul was provided with more than 15,000 letters that Grateful Dead fans sent to the band's ticketing service between 1983 and 1995 and reviewed more than 13,000 of the letters and envelopes. The 500+ pieces of artwork presented in the book around Grateful Dead themes are amazing in their passion and detail and represent a valuable category of The Grateful Dead Archive due to open at the University of California at Santa Cruz. There is a lot of factual content included here that I had not known about before around famous Grateful Dead symbols such as the Stealie, Lightning Bolt, Turtles, Dancing Bears and several others. There is also some great information about Grateful Dead Ticketing Service (GDTS) which was essential part of the band's "alternative" business model which has recently had serious academic attention.

2 people found this helpful

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KAT

For the crow or 5th grader in you.

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2013

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You know - creatures with short attention spans that are attracted to bright shiny things.

Incidentally, while I love this book - and, let me say, it's the only thing Grateful Dead that any of my friends will look at (or listen to) for more than 3.4 seconds without recoiling in repulsion - it really is superflous.

Alot of the envelope artwork is posted online and if money's tight and you're looking for substantive books on the band's history, I'd suggest you check out:

1. Long Strange Trip (McNally)
2. Conversations with the Dead (Gans)
3. Goin' Down The Road (Jackson)
4. Garcia (Rolling Stone)
5. The Dead (Trager)

Otherwise, this is a really cool coffee table-type book that you'll finish cover-to-cover once and then pick up countless times to randomly peruse over the years! Yay!

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CosmicA

What a wonderful book!

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2011

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One of the reasons I purchased this book was that I was hoping that my envelope would make it to the book. It was an envelope specifically designed around the Richard Nixon stamp...it was a prison cell. I knew after I opened the book that these envelopes that were chosen were far and away in a class far superior than the envelopes that I continue to use. The details and stories that they portray are absolutely terriffic. Anyone who has participated in purchasing their tickets through Grateful Dead Ticket Sales MUST have this book. You have to know what your competion was.
Thank you Paul for bringing these to our attention, I want the sequel alreadyand I've only had the book for a few days!

2 people found this helpful

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Guitar Goddess

Fun

Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2017

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Great artwork from Deadheads

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Greg Dowling

A must-have for Deadheads!

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2011

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I just spent a few hours reading this phenomenal new book, Dead Letters, which is a tremendous follow up to Paul Grushkin's 1983 Official Book of the Deadheads. I can honestly say that Paul has created a beautiful tapestry, weaving together his insights into our collective addiction to the Grateful Dead, GD iconography and inspired envelope art from Deadheads, collected over the past three decades. My wife, Laura Dowling is one of the featured artists in the book, and we are both thrilled to have her work included in this project. It's a book conceived by, with and for Deadheads and a must have for all.

3 people found this helpful

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Peggy

Such a fun book.

Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2016

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A really fun book. The Dead is an amazing band, as are their creative fans! Fast shipping too!

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2018

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Gift for my husband.

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Amazon Customer

DEAD LETTERS:GRATEFUL DEAD FAN MAIL.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2012

Verified Purchase

LOVELY BOOK.VERY VISUAL AND ENJOYABLE TO JUST BROWSE.CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF THE WHOLE GRATEFUL DEAD LEGEND AND ITS DEDICATED FANS.AND I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THE GRATEFUL DEAD A BIT BORING UP TO THIS POINT!

One person found this helpful