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"At Long Last, Jim Morrison & The Doors Decoded"
Thanks Jim!...Hunt, that is. The elusive “scream of the butterfly” has been heard loud and clear now that my own “doors of perception” have been flung open to better view one James Douglas Morrison. In his book titled, “Into This House We’re Born”, author James Hunt provides a thorough examination of “The meaning and the mystery of Jim Morrison & The Doors” including interpretations that are unique when compared with other works to date that have spun the tragic tale of this legendary rock’n’roll band.

Few of the primarily biographical volumes on the subject of the Doors have narrowed the focus down to Jim... More > Morrison’s most esoteric writings and how these views were forged through the events that colored his life. James Hunt prefaces "Into This House We’re Born" by stating that he waited ad nauseam for a book about Morrison that was “heavy". When he finally got tired of waiting, he took it upon himself to do the heavy lifting; the exhaustive toil required to actually penetrate the mind of Jim Morrison. Hunt homes in on recurring themes found throughout Morrison’s life as a student, poet and lyricist, breaking down the singer’s thought processes and use of sexual imagery as well as his evolving physical appearance, singing voice, drug habits and sex life.

“Into this house we’re born”, a line borrowed from the haunting Doors song, “Riders On The Storm”, is employed by the author to title a work that is essentially two books in one. The first ten chapters are devoted to an account of Hunt’s own life, setting the stage for the ensuing exegesis of Morrison’s spoken and written words. Written over a 23 year span, an impressive amount of research has been applied to the complex influences that converged in Jim Morrison. Along the way, the author found his own path in life riddled with unusual synchronizations including the clinical-like consumption of LSD as well as the forming, managing and ultimately, the fronting of a Doors tribute band, to name just a few. The “part two’ analysis of Morrison’s thoughts and visions at times yields controversial and mature themes, particularly as they pertain to sexuality. In this respect, the author makes good on his stated goal to “lay bare the most explicit reality embedded at the core of the artist’s imagery”, whether or not these ideas run counter to the historically pragmatic concerns of western civilization.

Ultimately, Hunt provides the book that he himself longed for; an in-depth probing of mankind’s most compelling issues, as pondered by Jim Morrison. As a result, the reader is confronted with an array of crucial considerations: Who are we, really, and why are we here? Is there some other realm or place in this vast universe that is better suited for us? If so, how can we catch a glimpse of it? Can our physical bodies help us in this quest, or are they hopelessly doomed to be finite, inhibiting barriers? Is the wisdom we seek forever hidden behind death’s door? Has cultural conditioning eroded our abilities to adequately confront these riddles? Finally, we are left to ask, “Is it better to have never been born at all?” Of course, no book written by mere mortals will ever provide any final answers to such profound inquiries, but this one does succeed in hauling many of life’s major mysteries up to the surface. While “Into This House We’re Born” is highly recommended, tailor-made reading for the “hardcore” Doors enthusiast, anyone else who managed to “live through the sixties” or has somehow cultivated an abiding interest in the philosophies of mankind will find this book to be thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking. < Less