W.A.R.: The Unauthorized Biography of William Axl Rose

I enjoyed this book & it's very insightful into Axl's world. I do, however, wish it was an official biography. Not the writer's fault in the least. Just something I would've been hopeful for. Anyway, it's very interesting & I would recommend to any G'N'R or Axl fan or even anyone interesting in reading about mental illness. I for sure think he has a mental illness needing attention. I have one myself & can relate to some of his issues just not to the extreme.

If you don't already know too much about Axl Rose and Guns 'n' Roses, this is a very informative read. On the other hand, there's nothing here that's really new. Most, if not all, of the information is from secondary sources (published articles and interviews, website posts, etc.) rather than original research. It's as much a biography of the original members of Guns 'n' Roses as about W. Axl Rose. Their stories are inextricably interwoven--it's only to be expected that a bio of Axl will cover a lot of GNR territory; however, as the title promises a bio of Axl, I was expecting a little more than I got. It's tempting to compare this book with the recently published biography of ex-GNR guitarist Slash, but I won't, because Slash was cool enough to give us a window into his own life in the writing of that book and was completely on board with its content, while this bio of Axl is, as the title says, unauthorized. It does cumulate to some degree the timeline of Axl's *still* unreleased CD Chinese Democracy, and I came away with a slighly better understanding of the mystery behind its perpetual delay. Writer Mick Wall also covers the known facts of Axl's seclusion and the emotional and legal entanglements of the years following the disintegration of the original Guns 'n' Roses, the evolution of the "new" Guns 'n' Roses, and the persistent striving toward perfection that seems to inform (and torment) every choice made by Axl Rose. While this is a worthwhile read for anyone who wants to know something about the provocative frontman to one of the world's biggest rock bands and how it all went down, as a biography W.A.R. fails to meet its own challenge. True biography requires much more in-depth research into the biographer's subject, with input from the primary players in the life of the subject, from the subject him/herself when possible, and it requires a willingness to delve in a balanced, serious way into the influences and motivations of the subject in order to see the large framework of a life and its influence, and what that life can contribute to our understanding of ourselves and the world we inhabit. Axl and his raw genius deserve as much. Hopefully his story will one day be told with the honesty it deserves.

Guns and Roses had quite the reputation and this book is a good read at some of the behind the scenes things that were actually going on. Well written. Recommended to any past or present fan of Guns and Roses.

I have been hesitant about getting this book since I was about 12 or 13. I'm 17 now and still a huge Axl fan, now that I have a job and a debit card I was able to buy it on my own. For only $4.25 I got the beautiful hardcover copy shipped to me in just a couple of days. I even ordered a different book two days before I ordered this book that hasn't arrived yet. I haven't been able to read much yet but no matter the review I suppose any fan of Axl should have a copy of this.

First of all, I am a fan of Mick Wall's writing style and have been since those glamour Kerrang! days, but this book reads more like an encyclopedia extract than a story, lacking the warmth and passion that I want to feel while reading rock'n'roll bios. The rift between Axl and Mick, circa 1991, prevents the author from having the direct access to the singers troubled mind, thus the tale moves away from insight and slips into a collection of factoids and reprints from other sources. Soon you find yourself looking at a reflection of a reflections, instead of a vivid portrait Mick is usually so good at painting. You'll love the early day memories, when Hollywood rocked and GnR ruled the hill...too bad Axl decided to throw it all to the wind. My conclusion is that Slash and co would have been a lot luckier and even more impactful had they simply found a different singer before Appetite - Axl's talent might have been great, but there were so many great singers roaming the Strip back then...had the band drunkenly stumbled into someone else, we would probably still have Duff, Izzy and Slash riffing together all the way to hell...and would have never been subjected to Chinese Democracy

Give me anything Axl, and I’m in!! Love this book - thank you!!

I bought this book, mainly because I have enjoyed reading Mick's pieces through the years on all the great publications that have carried his signature. I bought his other G'n'R a few years ago, gladly this book delivers a great amount of info without rehashing the other one. The details are mainly, first person eye witness from a person that belonged to the trusted "Inner Circle", with a subsequent fall. I had a, some sort of aversion, to the ex-Gunners, branding them, as opportunists, but here you see the true impredictable nature of their leader. Mick's a truly informed,entertaining and well positioned journalist. The book leaves a sour aftertaste, and it'sbecause of the sad, confused and pathetic state the name G'n'R is synomyn to these days.

Great! Thank You.

No es una biografía, es un escrito basado en artículos y entrevistas. Se nota que no cuenta con el input del personaje, sino sólo del "biógrafo".

Its a ok book. But if youve read the original biographys (duffs both, steave and slashs) than you've read the book.

Could have been written better.

be careful its addictive i admit to reading 20 pages-one hour and a half after delivered LOVE IT A LOT everything i expected! thanks

Cool . . . Nice cool mega nice lol very cool i Love it 5 Stars all ITS awesome 😉