I came to the Manic Street Preachers rather late: in fact, quite recently. I had, of course, heard some of their famous songs but hadn't put together a picture of the band. Naturally, I obtained a few albums to get a musical handle and then, bought this book to obtain a history.

'Manic Street Preachers' was written in 1999 by Mick Middles, a music journalist. The style is very much that of a music journalists and one, like Dickens, paid by the word. He follows my own writing adage, 'Why use a one word when a paragraph might be created?'

This is very much the story of the band. Whilst some scant biographical details of the band members are included, they are a tempter rather than in depth. Accepting Mr Middles account of the band, this may not be a bad thing as they seem to have lead very ordinary lives, apart from an ambition to be the World's greatest rock band. I am not sure that their mundanity quite rings true, however: Richey Edwards, a member who seemed to have very little talent until the band started to write their own songs, at which time, he burgeoned into an immense songwriter, famously disappeared after fighting the black dog through out the band's existence. The book certainly made me want to find out more about him and there are hints that Nicky Wire, who took over song writing duties, has an interesting mindset.

The Manic Street Preachers are still working their trade and, as this book was published prior to the millennium, it is not the full story but, it is a good departure point, if you know as little as I did. ( )