- Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Riverhead Books,U.S.; 1st Riverhead Trade Pbk. Ed edition (2 Oct 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1594482101
- ISBN-13: 978-1594482106
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 2.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,381,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
To Air is Human
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More About the Author
Product Description
Synopsis
This work talks about the second greatest guitarist never heard. The true story of how mildly successful guitarist and "New York Times" writer Dan Crane relinquished his instrument and became Bjorn Turoque (pronounced "b-yorn too-RAWK"), the second greatest air guitarist in the nation. This exploration of the international air guitar sub-culture addresses the issue of dedicating oneself to an invisible art in order to achieve the ultimate goal of 'airness' - that is, when air guitar transcends the 'real' art that it imitates and becomes an art form in and of itself.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.9 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
laughed so hard I blew snot out of my nose, 30 Aug 2006
By Gabriella Porter - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: To Air is Human: One Man's Quest to Become the World's Greatest Air Guitarist (Mass Market Paperback)
I really loved this book. I fully expected it to be silly and funny, and it did not disappoint in that regard (I mean, c'mon, AIR GUITAR!!??). However, I didn't expect it to be such a well written, in depth, truly epic journey into the strange world of competitive air guitar; a story that drags the reader along shaking with laughter and olfactory horror (poop in a pizza box, anyone?) into an understanding of and sympathy for the crazed, beer addled, "ersatz" philosopher Bjorn Turoque. Why on earth would anyone give so much for air guitar greatness? Why air guitar? What the...? Mr. Crane answers all these questions with substance and humor, and dare I say humanity. He's a Holden Caulfield (!!) for the jaded, 30-something, unhappy hipsters searching for something more in life...who finds air guitar and a mission! Make air not war. He makes you believe.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Literature at Its Finest!, 8 Aug 2006
By Michael Croland - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: To Air is Human: One Man's Quest to Become the World's Greatest Air Guitarist (Mass Market Paperback)
Bjorn Turoque has only won an air guitar competition once (and I was there to witness it), but with To Air Is Human, he proves that he is the #1 ambassador of air, at least in the U.S. Mr. Turoque/Crane/Retard masterfully and humorously takes us into the magical world of competitive air guitar--what it's like to have to explain to your girlfriend why an imaginary instrument must dominate your life, what it's like to compete in 10 competitions and come in second five times, what it's like to live out your rock-star fantasies, and best of all, what it's like to score with an "air groupie."
Turoque explores the "beautiful" dynamic of air guitar in Finland, home to the Air Guitar World Championships, in which he has competed twice. The scenes in Finland focus on the unity of the human spirit--from the inspiring words of two-time former world champ Zac "The Magnet" Monro to the air guitar competitions for the "differently abled." Turoque's quest in life and with this book is to introduce America, which should be the leader of air guitar rock-stardom, to this concept. Turoque, a true Nietzche buff, analyzes air guitar with philosophy, pop-culture references, laugh-out-loud humor, and writing skills that have gotten his works published in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.
This book might not inspire you to air guitar competitively, but you will laugh. And you will embrace the rock star that resides within. Two thumbs up--or better yet, double devil-horns way up with a C-Diddy-sized tongue sticking way out.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An improbable but ultimate quite funny book, 6 Oct 2006
By Paul Allaer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: To Air is Human: One Man's Quest to Become the World's Greatest Air Guitarist (Mass Market Paperback)
I was in a hurry to pick up some books for a transatlantic flight and I picked this book up, without much expectations. After all, how good could a book be about one man's quest to become the world champion in "air guitar" play? Then I started turning the pages...
In "To Air Is Human: One Man's Quest To Become The World's Greatest Air Guitarist" (304 pages), author Dan Crane brings the improbable tale of how he decided on a whim to enter the 2003 NY regionals and subsequently the world championships, and what happened next. The book is "co-authored" by Crane's alter-ego, the air guitarist Bjorn Turoque (get it?). With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Crane tells of his encounters with (semi)celebraties like Carson Daly and others along his way to try and become the world champ. Most of the tales are quite funny, which is what kept me turning the pages. Some of his observations are so off-kilter (such as "Air guitar, I had learned, is about commitment. It's not unlike love, really") that I just couldn't stop smiling as I was reading. Many of the better moments in the book are about the many side-characters that pop up.
In the end, this book was much better than I expected it. Of course, I had low expectations to begin with. But this book is funny and irreverent from begin to end. If you are in the mood for that, this book is for you.
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