“Whether this is your scene or not great coming of age story with colorful characters. You will see that stepping out of you comfort zone can be a great experience. If you follow Phish (and can’t this year) this will bring you right on tour in your mind and heart!”
“Thank you, Elizabeth Beck for taking me on tour this summer! It was an awesome experience to live vicariously through the characters. When I listen to the songs of last summer’s tour, I can’t help but hear it through Sam’s ears. We can agree to disagree on Carini, though! 😉 I am begging for a sequel!!”
“I adored this book! Anyone that loves Phish, loves great music or just appreciates the journey of discovering a new passion will find this story engrossing. As a life-long phan I was tickled with the subtle nods to Phish and the culture around the band. So many passages made me grin, but you don’t have to be in on the joke to enjoy the adventure.
Young characters fueled by an inherent need to leave their personalized mark on the world and more seasoned voices surrendering to the flow of life and loss show us the evolution of the creative. At 42 I found the “adult” characters as cozy and familiar as my real-life friends, but was grateful for the innocent, bright-eyed teens. Their excited spark and drive for meaning and significance was infectious, and now I plan on painting a long-forgotten garden ornament instead of tossing it in the trash. “We want you to be happy, Cuz this is your song, too.”
“this book is for all generations. for those who were wild and free once and now have settled down a bit. for those who never settled down. for the younger ones just starting to explore all that life has to offer. for those of us in the middle still figuring out what this life is all about. a story of friendship and romance throughout a summer of following a band around. if you are a phish fan, it’s a definite must read. if you’ve never heard of phish (or aren’t a fan), but have a favorite band, you definitely can relate to the story. all in all, a great read. i highly suggest! music, youth, young love, and travel.”
“I do not really like to read. I can never make it through an entire book. I read this one in less than 24hrs cover to cover!! Yes it’s centered around Phish, but they are not the main characters. Elizabeth brought me back to my first Phish experiences which both made me laugh and cry while doing my own reminiscing! Anyone who remembers their first tour or even just their first show should read this!! I can’t wait for a sequel!!!!”
“Beautiful coming of age book, yet much enjoyed by this old-lady reader. The seemingly light-hearted story is filled with intense themes that include both the experience of profound loss and the need for friends, family, and a sense of belonging. The characters are completely relatable but also unique and interesting. For me, the hallmark of a book with substance is whether I miss the characters as soon as I finish reading the book. Summer Tour is such a book. I definitely hope the author writes a sequel. So, turn on the music of your favorite touring band, grab a good beverage, and enjoy Summer Tour.”
“Yearning for live music? Summer Tour is exactly what your heart needs. Meet teenaged Sam as he leaves the big city behind to stay with his aunt in the midwest for the summer of 2019. This book will help you relive all of your firsts as Sam experiences them for the first time. First love, first show, first tour, first trip-Beck includes details both large and small that only a true phan would know. Sam, with the help of his red hunting cap, his phriends, his aunt, Phish, and countless others learns, lessons about himself, his father, his mother, and humankind. Effortlessly weaving in nods to other literary greats, Beck leaves nothing to be desired as she reminds us “Don’t ever tell anybody anything; if you do you’ll start missing everyone” (Salinger). You don’t need to have gone on Phish tour to appreciate Beck’s book, but I certainly recommend that you do!”
“Oh my goodness. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late to finish reading it. When I woke up in the morning and realized I didn’t have anymore of it to read, I was so sad. I felt so connected to Sam, Claire, Chris, and Taylor. The author’s words unlocked some memories and feelings for me that I had long forgotten about when I first found Phish in the late 90s as a senior in high school. The love, the hope, and the excitement for the future, and “what’s up next” that poured from the character’s souls felt so real to me. To the author: When will you write another? I’d love to hear more and more stories of people and summer tour. Your writing is lovely.”
“This book was absolutely fabulous! It evoked many, many great memories of my youth! I enjoyed that the younger characters were all into art, reading and poetry. I also loved the fact that they stopped and ate at Mystic Pizza, it reminded me of a trip I took in college, way back in 1989! A big thank you to Elizabeth for immortalizing Phish Chicks. I can’t wait to read the next book to see what Sam and Claire have been up to. If you want to know why phans fall so hard for Phish…. READ THIS BOOK, IT’S HELPING AND IT’S PHRIENDLY! #SummerTour #PhishChicks”
“I absolutely loved this book. My heart broke when all shows were postponed until next year but Summer Tour took me there anyway! I loved reliving the adventures that are so near and dearest to my heart though these characters. Not only was it like being on tour but I get to share this experience with anyone willing to turn the pages of this beautiful book. As a 1.0 phan, I related to so many characters in this book. I cried happy tears more than once and fell in love right along with Sam and Claire as their summer tour unfolded. Bravo for capturing the scene so beautifully. Many thanks from an old lady phan who keeps water bottle lids in my bag.”
“I do not really like to read. I can never make it through an entire book. I read this one in less than 24hrs cover to cover!! Yes it’s centered around Phish, but they are not the main characters. Elizabeth brought me back to my first Phish experiences which both made me laugh and cry while doing my own reminiscing! Anyone who remembers their first tour or even just their first show should read this!! I can’t wait for a sequel!!!!”
