One of the most anticipated albums ever undertaken was “Smile,” started in 1966 by Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. The world waited breathlessly for the follow-up to their extraordinary “Pet Sounds” and “Good Vibrations.” The original sessions collapsed, however, under the weight of high-expectations, drugs, and a lack of support for Brian from both the record label and the rest of the band– particularly Mike Love. The project was shelved… for decades. Snippets of the Smile sessions would leak out onto various Beach Boys albums over the years, but friends shied away from bringing up the subject. During his “Pet Sounds” tour, musicians relayed: “We weren’t allowed to say the words “Cabin Essence” or “Heroes and Villains” or “Surf’s Up” ... Brian would say, “That reminds me of a bad time. I don’t want to think about it… No, we’re never going to do those songs. Bad vibes.” Finally, unbelievably, in 2004, Brian was convinced to finish what he started. “Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE” was performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London, thirty-seven years after “Smile” was begun. I have been a lifelong Brian Wilson fan, and I was initially captivated by the book. Details of the legendary Smile sessions are fascinating. Later on, author David Leaf tells of the efforts to convince Brian he could conquer his demons and resurrect the project. These passages and the depictions of the performance itself were riveting. Here I paused reading and watched a very emotionally moving performance of the show on YouTube. At this point the book was gearing up to a five-star review. The concert was met with almost unanimous praise. Paul McCartney, in particular, was very enthusiastic in his support and compliments. To this day, many music journals consider "SMiLE" one of the greatest and most significant concert events of all time. And what do you think of SMiLE? This book is told as an oral history and David Leaf’s goal was to allow everyone to voice their love for the piece. And he does. Everyone. The book gushes on and on from here without restraint. I believe Brian Wilson is a genius… and that is repeated dozens of times. The book did not need this excessive padding. If you are a diehard Beach Boy fan you will want to get this. David Leaf is perhaps the most respected writer of all things Beach Boy. You will enjoy the first three-quarters of the book. You can skim through the final section; chances are you may already be quoted in it. I want to thank the priceless YouTube channels “Giggens,” “Beach Boys Basement,” and “Vinyl Monday” for their author interviews alerting me to this book. Endless thanks to the Wilson brothers, as well. #PacificOceanBlue #FeelFlows I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.