Peter Doggett's biography of CSNY is the result of several years' research, decades of interviews with members of the band and their close associates, and a lifetime of passion for their music, in all its diverse permutations.

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The book is based around a remarkable ten-year span, from 1964 to 1974. During this period, arguably the most fertile era of 20th century popular music, four creative and combative individuals forced their way into the public eye, gradually combined their talents, and established themselves as the most powerful band in American rock. Then, almost as quickly as they had formed, they fell apart, existing in brooding isolation for almost four years, before repeating the cycle again - this time in a matter of months.

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These turbulent years coincided with profound changes in American society, the rise of an alternative culture, and eventually a threat to the very survival of the political establishment. Through it all, CSNY - together and alone - reflected the utopian ideals of the counter-culture, and also its instability.

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The book is not just a gripping narrative about artistic ambition and how easily it can be squashed. It is also a parable about the power of dreams, and the pressures that translate them into nightmares.