They were pop stars; they were TV stars; and they were movie stars (well, almost - their foray onto the big screen with Head wasn't exactly Casablanca). Micky Dolenz was the drummer for The Monkees, a one-time child actor on television back in the '50s on a series called Circus Boy. Then, during a fortuitous open audition for a new show about a rock music band, his life changed forever.

This is the story of of that metamorphosis from mere mortal to member of The Monkees. Everyone from Paul Peterson (from The Donna Reed Show) to Stephen Stills tested for the program, but Micky beat all of them. He met the other three Monkees during a wardrobe fitting, and here is how he summarized his feelings:

• Mike Nesmith: Dry, witty sense of humor, intelligent, cool, generous...
• Peter Tork: Bohemian, heart of gold, tortured...
• Davy Jones: Stylish, very talented, very short...

The quartet would go on to become one of the most successful bands of the day, vying with The Beatles for supreme popularity (though not on any artistic level). They opened up for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, hung out with Paul and John and George and Ringo, and scored multiple hits (though they didn't really play their instruments or write their songs, but that would change).

It's a fun book, and Dolenz is a funny guy. There is part of him that savors the memories and another piece of him that wants to erase them. All of it is written down here.