A+E Gift: From our staff

Last update: November 23, 2008 - 1:49 AM

FROM OUR STAFF

"Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time" (Voyageur Press, $40) -- Who knew a Minneapolis publisher could produce a world-class tribute to the golden gods of hard rock? This image- and word-packed compendium lives up to its name, with a smartly constructed mix of fond reminiscence by peers and critical muscle (including lead writer Jon Bream and his Star Tribune colleague Chris Riemenschneider). The sordid details -- would it be a Zep book without them? -- are balanced by a healthy appreciation for the band's legit achievements, along with some bizarre finds, like a 1975 interview of guitarist Jimmy Page by "Naked Lunch" novelist William Burroughs. (Sample answer: "Hmmm.")

TIM CAMPBELL