text
stringlengths
0
3.86k
I. exogyrarum was described by Fritsch in 1878 . It is a nomen dubium based on very poor material and was renamed Ponerosteus in 2000 .
I. prestwichii ( also spelled I. prestwichi ) , described by John Hulke in 1880 , has been reassigned to Camptosaurus prestwichii or to its own genus Cumnoria .
Two species described by Richard Lydekker in the late 19th century have been reassigned to different genera .
I. dawsoni , described by Lydekker in 1888 , is known from two partial skeletons found in East Sussex , England , from the middle Valanginian @-@ age Lower Cretaceous Wadhurst Clay . It is now the type species of Barilium .
I. fittoni was described by Lydekker in 1889 . Like I. dawsoni , this species was described from the Wadhurst Clay of East Sussex . It is now the type species of Hypselospinus .
I. hollingtoniensis ( also spelled I. hollingtonensis ) , described by Lydekker in 1889 has variously been considered a synonym of Hypselospinus fittoni or a distinct species assigned to the genus Huxleysaurus . A specimen from the Valanginian Wadhurst Clay Formation , variously assigned to I. hollingtoniensis and I. mantelli over the years , has an unusual combination of hadrosaurid @-@ like lower jaw and very robust forelimb ; Norman ( 2010 ) assigned this specimen to the species Hypselospinus fittoni , while Paul ( 2012 ) made it the holotype of a separate species Darwinsaurus evolutionis .
I. seelyi ( also incorrectly spelled I. seeleyi ) , described by Hulke two years after I. prestwichii , has been synonymised with Iguanodon bernissartensis , though this is controversial .
I. suessii , described by Emanuel Bunzel in 1871 , has been reassigned to Mochlodon suessi .
I. lakotaensis was described by David B. Weishampel and Philip R. Bjork in 1989 . The only well @-@ accepted North American species of Iguanodon , I. lakotaensis was described from a partial skull from the Barremian @-@ age Lower Cretaceous Lakota Formation of South Dakota . Its assignment has been controversial . Some researchers suggest that it was more basal than I. bernissartensis , and related to Theiophytalia , but David Norman has suggested that it was a synonym of I. bernissartensis . Gregory S. Paul has since given the species its own genus , Dakotadon .
Iguanodon mantelli described by Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer in 1832 , was based on the same material as I. anglicus and is an objective junior synonym of the latter . Several taxa , including the holotype of Dollodon and Mantellodon , but also the dubious hadrosauroid Trachodon cantabrigiensis the hypsilophodont Hypsilophodon , and Valdosaurus , were previously mis @-@ assigned to I. mantelli .
I. hilli , coined by Edwin Tully Newton in 1892 for a tooth from the early Cenomanian Upper Cretaceous Lower Chalk of Hertfordshire , has been considered an early hadrosaurid of some sort . However , recent work places it as indeterminate beyond Hadrosauroidea outside Hadrosauridae .
I. orientalis , described by A. K. Rozhdestvensky in 1952 , was based on poor material , but a skull with a distinctive arched snout that had been assigned to it was renamed Altirhinus kurzanovi in 1998 . At the same time , I. orientalis was considered to be a nomen dubium because it cannot be compared to I. bernissartensis .
Harry Seeley described I. phillipsi in 1869 , but later reassigned it to Priodontognathus .
I. praecursor ( also spelled I. precursor ) , described by E. Sauvage in 1876 from teeth from an unnamed Kimmeridgian ( Late Jurassic ) formation in Pas @-@ de @-@ Calais , France , is actually a sauropod , sometimes assigned to Neosodon , although the two come from different formations .
" I. mongolensis " ( Whitfield , 1992 ) is a nomen nudum from a photo caption in a book , of remains that would later be named Altirhinus .
Delapparentia turolensis was named in 2011 based on a specimen previously assigned to Iguanodon bernissartensis .
= = = Species referred to Iguanodon that were originally named as nominal species of other genera = = =
I. valdensis , a renaming of Vectisaurus valdensis by Ernst van den Broeck in 1900 . Originally named Vectisaurus valdensis by Hulke in 1879 based on vertebral and pelvic remains , it was from the Barremian stage of the Isle of Wight . It was considered a juvenile specimen of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis , or an undetermined species of Mantellisaurus , but is indeterminate beyond Iguanodontia .
I. foxii ( also spelled I. foxi ) was originally described by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869 as the type species of Hypsilophodon ; Owen ( 1873 or 1874 ) reassigned it to Iguanodon , but his assignment was soon overturned .
I. gracilis , named by Lydekker in 1888 as the type species of Sphenospondylus and assigned to Iguanodon in 1969 by Rodney Steel , has been tossed of as a synonym of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis , but is dubious nowadays .
I. major , a species named by Justin Delair in 1966 , based on vertebrae from the Isle of Wight and Sussex originally described by Owen in 1842 as a species of Streptospondylus , S. major , is a nomen dubium which is now thought to be a synonym of I. anglicus , although it may be its own species .
The nomen nudum " Proiguanodon " ( van den Broeck , 1900 ) also belongs here .
= = = Dubious species = = =
Two Iguanodon species are currently considered to be nomina dubia :
I. anglicus , described by Friedrich Holl in 1829 , is the original type species of Iguanodon , but , as discussed above , was replaced by I. bernissartensis . In the past , it has been spelled as I. angelicus ( Lessem and Glut , 1993 ) and I. anglicum ( Holl , 1829 emend . Bronn , 1850 ) . It is known from teeth from the middle Valanginian @-@ age Lower Cretaceous Grinstead Clay Formation ) of Cuckfield , West Sussex , England . It is currently classified in the genus Therosaurus as T. anglicus .
I. ottingeri , described by Peter Galton and James A. Jensen in 1979 , is a nomen dubium based on teeth from the possibly Aptian @-@ age lower Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah .
The genera Iguanosaurus ( Ritgen , 1828 ) , Hikanodon ( Keferstein , 1834 ) , and Therosaurus ( Fitzinger , 1840 ) , are simply junior objective synonyms , later names for the material of I. anglicus .
= = In popular culture = =
Since its description in 1825 , Iguanodon has been a feature of worldwide popular culture . Two lifesize reconstructions of Mantellodon ( considered Iguanodon at the time ) built at the Crystal Palace in London in 1852 greatly contributed to the popularity of the genus . Their thumb spikes were mistaken for horns , and they were depicted as elephant @-@ like quadrupeds , yet this was the first time an attempt was made at constructing full @-@ size dinosaur models . In 1910 Heinrich Harder portrayed a group of Iguanodon in the classic German collecting cards about extinct and prehistoric animals " Tiere der Urwelt " .
Several motion pictures have featured Iguanodon . In the Disney film Dinosaur , an Iguanodon named Aladar served as the protagonist with three other iguanodonts as other main characters ; a loosely related ride of the same name at Disney 's Animal Kingdom is based around bringing an Iguanodon back to the present . Iguanodon is one of the three dinosaur genera that inspired Godzilla ; the other two were Tyrannosaurus and Stegosaurus . Iguanodon has also made appearances in some of the many Land Before Time films , as well as episodes of the television series .
Aside from appearances in movies , Iguanodon has also been featured on the television documentary miniseries Walking with Dinosaurs ( 1999 ) produced by the BBC , and played a starring role in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's book , The Lost World as well as featuring in an episode of the Discovery Channel documentary , Dinosaur Planet ( incorrectly portrayed being able to run on all fours and living in the Late Cretaceous ) . It also was present in Bob Bakker 's Raptor Red ( 1995 ) , as a Utahraptor prey item . A main belt asteroid , 1989 CB3 , has been named 9941 Iguanodon in honour of the genus .
Because it is both one of the first dinosaurs described and one of the best @-@ known dinosaurs , Iguanodon has been well @-@ placed as a barometer of changing public and scientific perceptions on dinosaurs . Its reconstructions have gone through three stages : the elephantine quadrupedal horn @-@ snouted reptile satisfied the Victorians , then a bipedal but still fundamentally reptilian animal using its tail to prop itself up dominated the early 20th century , but was slowly overturned during the 1960s by its current , more agile and dynamic representation , able to shift from two legs to all fours .
= Subtropical Storm Alpha ( 1972 ) =
Subtropical Storm Alpha ( also called Alfa ) was a rare off @-@ season subtropical cyclone that hit Georgia in May 1972 . It developed from a previously non @-@ tropical cyclone in the western Atlantic Ocean , and initially it moved northeastward off of the Carolinas . The storm turned southwestward due to a building ridge , and concurrently it intensified to become Subtropical Storm Alpha . It later moved ashore near Savannah , and it finally dissipated in the northeast Gulf of Mexico on May 29 . It produced wave action and moderate rainfall along the coast . Damage totaled over $ 100 @,@ 000 ( 1972 USD ) , and there were two associated deaths .
= = Meteorological history = =
Throughout May 1972 , a series of weak troughs moved across the eastern United States . In the third week of the month , an upper @-@ level cutoff low developed along one of these troughs , located southeast of the United States and removed from the Westerlies . The origins of Alpha were from a surface low northeast of Florida , associated with the larger @-@ scale , cold core upper low . It organized , and late on May 23 it could be classified as a subtropical depression , east of the Georgia / South Carolina border . While southeast of Hatteras , North Carolina , a developing ridge blocked its northeast motion , and so it slowed to turn to the southeast . On May 25 , a small , intense low @-@ level center organized rapidly , and by the next day it attained gale force winds , by which time the storm turned southwestward . At 1600 UTC on May 26 , the National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on Subtropical Cyclone Alpha , when the storm was about 225 miles south of Cape Hatteras . Around that time , it reached its peak winds of 70 mph ( 110 km / h ) .
On its first advisory , there was disagreement among forecast models regarding its eventual track , with projected tracks deviating from a Georgia landfall to a track northeastward out to sea . Alpha was also a climatological outlier at the time ; the NHC HURRAN model , which was based on previous storms with similar characteristics , found no analogs for the storm . Subtropical Storm Alpha was initially well @-@ defined as it moved southwestward . The very small center was located along the eastern edge of the convection , while low @-@ level cloud bands formed east of the center . At the time , the temperature structure was more typical of a winter storm , although it was expected to become more like a subtropical storm typical during the summer months . The winds decreased steadily as it turned more westward on May 27 , and the heavy rainfall persisted mostly to the north and west of the center .
The National Hurricane Center initially thought the center might not have been at the surface , and the agency indicated low forecasting confidence , as they could not determine a circulation center . The difficulty arose from the large , sprawling nature of the storm , and by later on May 27 a new center formed , as confirmed by radar imagery and the Hurricane Hunters . That night , the extremely small center made landfall just south of Savannah , Georgia , affecting a very small area with winds of 65 mph ( 100 km / h ) and a minimum pressure of 991 mbar ( hPa ; 29 @.@ 26 inHg ) . Around the time of landfall , Alpha developed a warm core , indicating some tropical characteristics . The storm weakened quickly over land , although it did not dissipate until two days later over the northeast Gulf of Mexico .
= = Preparations and impact = =
At the time of the first advisory on Alpha , there were small craft warnings from Jacksonville , Florida to Cape May , New Jersey . Gale warnings were posted from Cape Fear , North Carolina to Chincoteague , Virginia . The interaction between Alpha and the high pressure system to its northeast caused cooler temperatures and gusty winds from Delaware southward . Wave heights reached up to 20 feet ( 6 @.@ 1 m ) along the Virginia capes . The storm dropped rainfall along the coast of North Carolina and Virginia , with a maximum of 6 @.@ 97 inches ( 177 mm ) reported in Ocracoke , North Carolina . While moving slowly off the North Carolina coast , Alpha caused heavy beach erosion , destroyed one house , and threatened the foundation of several other homes in the Outer Banks . Damage totaled over $ 50 @,@ 000 ( 1972 USD ) .
While the storm was traveling over the western Atlantic Ocean , the storm produced a large area of rough seas , which was considered the greatest threat from the storm . In northeastern Florida , police officers were stationed to ensure people did not swim in the dangerous seas . The high waves also halted work to deepen a harbor at the Mayport Naval Station . Two people drowned after the storm dissipated , when surf was still turbulent . Tides along the Georgia coast reached 2 to 3 feet ( 0 @.@ 61 to 0 @.@ 91 m ) above normal , which caused some flooding and beach erosion . Wind gusts reached 58 mph ( 93 km / h ) on Saint Simons Island . The winds knocked down trees and power lines , leaving some people without power in eastern Georgia . Damage was minor but widespread in the state , estimated at over $ 50 @,@ 000 ( 1972 USD ) . Moderate rains spread in coastal areas from South Carolina through southern Florida .
The 1972 hurricane season was the first year in which quasi @-@ tropical cyclones were named , by using the NATO phonetic alphabet . At the time , the names were applied to large subtropical cyclones and small neutercanes , both of which were later combined into one category .
= Barbarian II : The Dungeon of Drax =
Barbarian II : The Dungeon of Drax is a video game first published in 1988 for various home computers . It was also released as Axe of Rage in North America . The game is the sequel to Barbarian : The Ultimate Warrior ( Death Sword in North America ) , which was published in 1987 . In Barbarian II , the player controls a princess or barbarian character , exploring the game world to locate and defeat an evil wizard . The game 's plot is an extension of its predecessor , although the gameplay is different . While the first game offers two players the opportunity for virtual head @-@ to @-@ head combat , the second is solely a single @-@ player adventure with fewer fighting moves .
Palace Software , the developer of the two Barbarian games , marketed the sequel with the same strategy they used for the first game . They hired Maria Whittaker , a model known for her topless work , to pose on the cover and posters as the princess in the game , attempting to recapture the controversy that had boosted sales . Barbarian II received a mixed critical reception . Reviewers were split in their opinions over whether the game was a refreshing and gory adventure , or a boring and lonely sojourn through a confusing digital world .
= = Gameplay = =
Barbarian II : The Dungeon of Drax is an action video game released in 1988 for various personal computer platforms , such as Commodore 64 and MS @-@ DOS . It is the sequel to Barbarian : The Ultimate Warrior ( released in 1987 ) , which offers sword fighting action to one or two players . Unlike its predecessor , Barbarian II features only a single @-@ player mode , in which the player assumes the role of either sword @-@ wielding Princess Mariana or the titular savage , who is armed with a battleaxe . Their common quest is to pursue the evil wizard Drax , who has fled to his dungeon hideout after his defeat in the first game . The player characters battle their way through an inhospitable wasteland , a system of caves , and a dungeon before facing Drax in his inner sanctum for a showdown .
Using a joystick or keyboard , the player moves his or her character through Barbarian II 's world . Each of the four stages — wasteland , caves , dungeon , and inner sanctum — is a series of interconnected rooms , populated by monsters , traps , and items . The game displays one room at a time in a flick @-@ screen manner : as the protagonist leaves a room , the screen is updated to display the next . The connections among rooms are disjointed : the exit on the left of one room might be connected to the entrance on the same side of another . A compass at the bottom of the interface serves as a directional guide , always pointing to the north . The player directs his or her player through the rooms , seeking the exit to the next stage while avoiding traps and collecting items .
The protagonist is also challenged in his or her quest by 20 types of creatures . By moving the joystick while pressing its button or by performing the equivalent keyboard commands , the player defends the protagonist with four styles of attacks : a low slash , a high chop , a kick , and a spinning neck chop . The life of the combatants are represented by gauges at the top corners of the screen . Successful attacks on a character reduce its gauge and the character is killed when its life is reduced to zero . A well @-@ timed neck chop ( or the bites of certain monsters ) decapitates the opponent , killing it instantly . Monsters disappear in a puff of smoke when killed , reappearing with a full life gauge in the same room some time later . Although the player character likewise reappears fully rejuvenated in the room after being killed , he or she can only do so for a limited number of times . This limit ( number of lives ) is represented in the form of globes at the top centre of the screen . The protagonist increases his or her number of lives by collecting skulls that are scattered throughout the game world .
= = Development = =
Barbarian II 's predecessor , Barbarian : The Ultimate Warrior , was a critical and commercial success on its release in 1987 . Reviewers enjoyed the game 's exciting sword fights , and its profile was greatly enhanced by marketing strategies employed by its developer , Palace Software , a subsidiary of media company Palace Group . The developer had engaged Maria Whittaker , a model known for topless shoots , to pose on the box covers and posters of the game . The image of bikini @-@ clad Whittaker created a hype that pushed the game beyond the attention of the video game industry , producing a controversy in which members of the public criticised the industry for promoting Barbarian in a sexist manner .
Palace Software repeated the strategy for the sequel , publishing a poster of Whittaker as Princess Mariana , this time in metal bikini armour , and Michael Van Wijk as the barbarian . Steve Brown , creator of the Barbarian games , recalled that the bikini 's chain " snapped a number of times " in comical Carry On fashion during the shoot . Brown was behind the concept of the poster , which was brought to fruition by Lee Gibbons , a commercial artist , over the course of four weeks . The image of the barbarian and princess poised over the fallen body of a large , scaly monster was a photomontage , created by superimposing three photographs — one of each subject — on one another . The creature was a small scale model made of Plasticine . After cutting out the subjects from their photos and composing the cut @-@ outs to form a new scene , Gibbons painted the background and added effects such as smoke to form the final image .
Brown had filmed sword fights and used the tracings of the combatants ' movements to produce the animations in Barbarian . For the animations in the sequel , he turned to the works of photographer Eadweard Muybridge , who made a name for himself through his series of photographs of animals and humans captured in motion . The movements of Barbarian II 's characters were based on the pictures in Muybridge 's book Human in Motion , which was published in 1901 . The resulting animation was judged very realistic and detailed by several reviewers .
First released in August 1988 for the Commodore 64 , Barbarian II was ported to various personal computers . The various versions differed in features , depending on specifications of the platforms . The Amiga version of the game was given several improvements . It has digitized speech and better graphics in the form of greater details and number of colours . The introductory and disc loading sequences were revamped , featuring animated skeletons with maniacal voices . In contrast , the ZX Spectrum version has monochromatic graphics ; the first level comprises black @-@ outlined sprites against pink backgrounds .
As with its predecessor , Barbarian II was licensed to Epyx for release in North America . The game was published there under the title Axe of Rage and included a tattoo in its packaging . The North American version featured a different cover art , showing the close @-@ up visage of " a screaming berserker with homicidal tendencies " . Dragon magazine 's reviewers found the cover ugly , and according to Computer Gaming World , a Canadian wholesaler refused to sell Axe of Rage because it considered the game 's box cover art crass enough to offend customers . Similarly , in the United Kingdom , pharmacy chain Boots banned displays of Barbarian II , featuring Whittaker , from their stores .
= = Reception = =
Barbarian II received praise for its audio , mostly for the versions on more powerful platforms . Reviewers of The Games Machine pointed out that the " most remarkable feature of the ST version is its crystal clear sampled effects " . Zzap ! 64 's staff and Computer and Video Games 's Julian Rignall were impressed with the digital thuds and whacks produced on the Commodore 64 , and particularly the rendition of a certain monster 's laughter . Mike Pattenden of CU Amiga claimed the " manic clucking of the mutant chicken would be enough to send [ the player ] running in the opposite direction " . Although rating the audio @-@ visual components of the Amiga version on par with that for the Atari ST , Pattenden and reviewers from The Game Machine felt the flashy introductory sequence on the Amiga made it stand out ; Tony Horgan of Amiga User International called it the best introduction he has seen in Amiga games .
Although reviewers were less than impressed with the graphics on lower @-@ end systems such as the ZX Spectrum , the colours and large detailed sprites on the higher @-@ end platforms won their acclaim . The animation of the characters also captured their attention . Tommy Nash of Your Sinclair hailed it as " first class " , while Paul Glancey of Zzap ! 64 called the sprites " beautifully defined " and " realistically animated " . Similar accolades were given by other reviewers . The staff of The Games Machine were " constantly [ amazed ] " at the designs of the monsters in the game .
Several reviewers had a common complaint about the game . As the difference between executing an attack and a movement was the pressing of the joystick button , they were irked to find their characters frequently switching directions instead of attacking with a low slash . Their frustration was increased when the protagonist took damage from enemy attacks as he or she executes the unintentional command to change facing . Chris Jenkins , however , praised the game for responsive joystick controls in his review for Sinclair User . Paul Lakin of Zero pointed out that the flick @-@ screen presentation could lead to confusing situations in combat as the protagonist retreats across an exit and appears at the other end of the screen . Horgan had another grouse with the combat , moaning the loss of simplicity from the Barbarian series . According to him , while players could enjoy the first Barbarian game without much effort , intense practise was needed to defeat the monsters in the second game .
The change in combat systems was not the only difference between Barbarian II and its predecessor that influenced reviewers ' opinions about the sequel . The first Barbarian game was enjoyed by reviewers for providing exciting head @-@ to @-@ head action between two players . Barbarian II abandoned this , setting up an adventuring experience for the single player . Jim Douglas , reviewing for Sinclair User , doubted that players who were looking for quick action would appreciate plotting a path through the maze to reach the final goal . Your Sinclair 's Marcus Berkmann felt the two genres — slash ' em up and arcade adventure — were " fundamentally incompatible " , agreeing with Douglas that the maze was a distraction . Crash 's reviewers , however , felt the combination of genres made the game interesting . James Price wrote in Amiga Force that the adventuring element and unending number of enemies made Barbarian II a far better game than the first , while The Games Machine 's staff said the expanded menagerie of foes adequately made up for a reduction in combat moves .
In their review for Dragon magazine , the Lessers called Axe of Rage " an engrossing slash ' n hack that 'll please most arcaders . " Zzap ! 64 's reviewers were unanimous in recommending Barbarian II to their readers ; however , two years later in a re @-@ review , the magazine 's staff said the game has aged badly , finding the gameplay " lot more crude and clichéd " and of dubious replay value . Martyn Carroll concurred in his article for Retro Gamer , 17 years after the game 's release , calling Barbarian II " hugely disappointing " for " [ messing ] up almost everything that was great about the first game . " Brown and Palace Software 's co @-@ founder Richard Leinfellner admitted as much ; they said they had mixed feelings about Barbarian II , thinking the idea of a simple fun game was lost by stuffing too many features into it .
When Barbarian II was released , Palace Software went ahead with plans for Barbarian III . For two years , the third game in the series was publicised in gaming magazines . Your Sinclair held a contest for its readers , asking them to submit concepts of gruesome monsters . The winning entry would be implemented in Barbarian III . The Barbarian series of games were , however , brought to a halt in 1991 when Palace Group sold its software subsidiary to fund its expansion into the movie industry . Titus Software bought Palace Software and after reviewing its holdings , cancelled several of its new acquisition 's projects , including Barbarian III .
= Van Morrison : Too Late to Stop Now =
Van Morrison : Too Late to Stop Now is a biography of musician Van Morrison , written by Steve Turner . It was first published in 1993 in the United States by Penguin Group , and in Great Britain by Bloomsbury Publishing . Turner first met Van Morrison in 1985 ; he interviewed approximately 40 people that knew the subject in his research for the biography . Van Morrison did not think positively of the biography , and multiple newspapers reported he attempted to purchase all of the book 's 25 @,@ 000 copies . He sent a letter to the author asserting the 40 individuals interviewed for the book were not his friends , and accused Turner of " peddling distortions and inaccuracies about me personally " .
The biography takes a pictorial format , and includes many photographs of Van Morrison and scenes relating to his life , including close @-@ up shots and contact prints . Turner discusses Van Morrison 's youth in Belfast , Northern Ireland , and how early experiences shaped his perceptions . Flautist John Payne was interviewed for the book , and comments on his work with Van Morrison on the album Astral Weeks . Turner discusses Van Morrison 's reluctance to be interviewed or engage with the public , and includes quotes from the musician about this desire for privacy . The author discusses Van Morrison 's efforts to seek out creativity , and his exploration of spirituality . The book concludes with an assessment of Van Morrison 's experiences with religion .
The book was selected as " Editor 's Choice " in the Sunday Age . Publishers Weekly 's review of the book was critical of its " adulatory " tone , but called it a " necessity for fans " , due the inclusion of the discography . A review of the book for The Boston Globe commented " The value of the book is that it has at its heart the same subjects that most of Morrison 's music has featured ... religion and spirituality . " The Palm Beach Post noted that the biography provides " insights and updates as well as a solid background on Morrison 's early life " . The Sunday Times wrote that " the really interesting story here is told by the photographs " . The Irish Times was critical of the book 's text but wrote positively of the included photographs .
= = Research and publication = =
Prior to his work on the biography , Steve Turner had previously written a book about the music group U2 , titled U2 : Rattle & Hum , and Eric Clapton , titled Conversations With Eric Clapton . Turner first met Van Morrison in 1985 , while writing a book on religion 's place in rock music . Turner characterised himself as someone who is " drawn to artists bothered by spiritual issues " . In his research for the book , the author interviewed approximately 40 people that knew Van Morrison . Turner spoke with Van Morrison , and they discussed the musician 's views on philosophy . Some of the photographs included in the book were obtained by Turner from a guitarist with Van Morrison 's band Them .
According to The Sunday People , " though critics said it was an affectionate tribute about a nice man . Van went on to urge fans not to buy it . " According to The Boston Globe , Van Morrison " disdained the book " . In an interview with The Boston Globe , Turner commented on this : " He considers anything that reveals details of family background or anything like that an invasion of his privacy . He doesn 't believe in biographies , and I do . " When the biography came out in hardcover , Van Morrison sent Turner 36 statements from the book that he called " lies , gross exaggerations and innuendo " . Van Morrison told Turner that none of the 40 individuals the author had interviewed for the biography were currently friends of his . The letter from Van Morrison to Turner concluded with : " I am very sorry that you feel you are entitled to earn a living by peddling distortions and inaccuracies about me personally . " In his reply letter to Van Morrison , Turner wrote : " You may not think you are ' difficult ' or ' introvert ' but other people do and have the right to express their opinions . " The Sunday Times reported that " Allegedly , Van 's management even considered buying up all 25 @,@ 000 copies of the book to pulp them , " and this was also reported in The Independent . The Evening Times wrote that Van Morrison " reportedly tried to buy all the copies of a biography by Steve Turner . " Representatives for Van Morrison did not confirm whether he attempted to purchase the 25 @,@ 000 copies of the biography , and confirmed that " representatives of the singer discussed various possibilities " . Van Morrison 's manager , Chris O 'Donnell , said of the musician : " He is not happy about books , period . He is an artist and stands up for himself – he doesn 't want his private life raked over . "
Steve Turner appeared on a panel of experts in the 2008 documentary Van Morrison : Under Review 1964 – 1974 . Along with Turner was Johnny Rogan , author of the biographies Van Morrison : A Portrait of the Artist ( 1984 ) and Van Morrison : No Surrender ( 2005 ) .
= = Contents = =