this book started out a teeny bit rough for me. great musicians don't always forge the best literary voices. duke's voice seemed overly eager to entertain, and push the razzle dazzle...but as the story continued, he shed his dancin' shoes and got down to the business of telling the story of how it all happened...the amazing journey of one of the longest standing bands in the history of american music. after a rough start, this book was intensely satisfying.