The entire Rough Guide series is, quite simply, a well-crafted and thoroughly researched set of books. The three titles featured here sport these same attributes; for those hardcore readers seeking to complete their libraries, these titles belong on the shelf.

The Rock guide is functional and easy-to-read and covers artists from Black Sabbath to Man to the Gigolo Ants. The Beatles bio (like the guide on the Rolling Stones earlier reviewed here) is broken down into larger chapter headings dealing with the Records, specific Decades, Early Years, and the like. The title's tagline (The Story - The Songs - The Solo Years) really tells it all.

Similarly, the Dylan tribute is footnoted with The Man - The Music - The Myth. This one describes his shift from acoustic to electric, his born-again years, his curiosities and covers (odd recordings), and the like.

Across the board, these Rough Guides are informative, insightful, and intriguing. Pick up the Rock Guide and find out everything you wanted to know about the Legendary Pink Dots ("stranger than most and legendary as ever"), Flipper ("a must for any weirdcore collection"), and Flux of Pink Indians ("chain stores banned The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks, another cacophony of anarcho-punk").