Motown: The Sound of Young America Hardcover – 14 Mar. 2016

Having collected and still collecting Motown records for well over thirty years now and also assembling a rather large book collection as well on the subject I in my humble option will submit this review. A few years ago a really lavish book on Atlantic Records was issued called "What'd I Say" for me this was the pinnacle book on a R/B record label and a book that all others would have to measure up to. To me their was always only two people who could really put a real collectors item together on the Motown Records Label one was Esther Gordy Edwards who has now sadly passed on and Barney Ales. Mr Ales was there right near to the beginning for the whole Motown story he was to be Berry Gordy's right hand man if ever there was a business situation it was Barney who sorted it. It is famous now how the Gordy family closed shop and ran the Motown operation well Barney was right there in that inner circle. So if anybody could bring something new to the Motown table it is this man and boy has he. To understand just who was this white man who came in and had such a strong presence within' the company you will have to get the book and find out for yourselves. Don't expect to get a book that is digging into the Motown history and is going to un-earth hidden skeletons because to this day both Berry Gordy and Barney Ales are the best of friends. What you are getting is what I feel is the greatest book put together ever on Motown Records there are plenty of pictures many even I've never seen & loads from the marketing and promotion (there's the clue) of the company. Adam White has done a first rate job of also putting together a fantastic history of the time as well with this I mean the Detroit riots of 1967. Having been to Detroit a few months ago and visiting many of these places it brought home even more just how well this book has captured that pocket of time. There is even a double picture of where the riots started and you can clearly see the sign for the "Chit Chat Club" which was across the road and just up from the hitsville building. In short this is going to be a future collectors piece and I'm sure once out of print which it will is going to fetch very large sums on the collectors market. It's worth every penny just get it and enjoy it Thank You. Richard Gardener 2016

Excellent history of Motown illustrated with great photos

Well, having been a Motown fan since I was just 5, this was an easy decision to buy. What I wasn't prepared for, in spite of all the excellent feedback the book's had, was the sheer size & the absolute wealth of information contained within. The volume & quality of images contained in this book is nothing short of miraculous (no pun intended, Smokey).To give you some idea of the magnitude of imagery inside, it's just taken me almost 4 hours of turning pages & letting my eyes feast on every single page of imagery inside. To try & absorb the times, the fashions, the culture & the social stresses on the whole community that Motown was trying to establish itself in, let alone to grow in, is a real assault on the senses - though take that as a great thing as it's meant in the context of a visual feast - second to none.I'm REALLY looking forward to reading some actual words very shortly too but such are the impact of the photographs, I think I need a little time to regroup & then go for the whole thing again... and again & again because this book is nothing short of an epic, visual record of the life & times of Motown Records, from concept to the mountain of the music industry that it's become.Long may it reign & may we always remember those who made it happen - this book will certainly help us to do that.

Bought for a birthday gift. Recipient loved it and can’t put it down!

I was expecting a great book from a journalist who has covered the music industry and especially Motown for his entire adult life but this book far exceeds my expectations. After all the books that have been written about Berry Gordy's label, we now have the ultimate Motown book, in every way. The text does not repeat what has come before; Adam White offers us a deep, fresh view of the legendary label that so many of us love. The photographs are amazing and will take you on a trip down memory lane, or at least a trip through your own collection if you are as devoted a Motown fan as I am. Kudos to the art direction, and kudos to everyone involved with this masterpiece. It's a must have not just for Motown fans but for music fans around the world.

It was bought as a present and the recepient loved it

Fantastic book the best book on Motown I’ve read

Admission - I know Adam White. He is a friend of mine and a very fine writer...and this is a brilliant book and I will be reading all the text. My problem is practical one. The book is so heavy you're severely limited in how and where to read it comfortably. So here's my solution. Everyone who bought the book via Amazon get a low/no price Kindle version. That way we can read the text without needing to go to weight lift training! Just a thought.