Built to Burn: Tales of the Desert Carnies of Burning Man

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

I love to hear about how it used to be vs. the overly glamorous glitter rave fest that it has devolved into, à la Instagram ads and sycophants. If you knew anything about the intent behind why this started, or the people or the wondrous expanding influence throughout other countries all over the world. Then you would realize why I love this dirty, foul mouthed, obstinate teen equivalent of human expressive mentality, that just so happens to have also evolved into something truly amazing and beautiful beyond imagination. There is no simple or easy way to explain what or why there is this 30+ year experiment in humanism and spiritualism and the possibility that there is balance point in between. There are no answers, there is only growth through hard questions.

This book was a trip home... Thank you, Tony. My first year was 98, but I'd been hearing about this magical city since Helco! You'll get to know some of the key players who got the DPW off the ground, and if you know these guys, the back-stories Tony tells will help you fill in many gaps with a hundred out-loud hoots of laughter. Tony is an awesome storyteller.

Never have I ever been on such a rollicking wonder ride! Yes, of course, there is laughing out loud and also many deep moments of humanity. Coyote's wisdom moves me - to stop and ponder, to read exquisite words and phrases over and over again, to sigh with relief on the other side of an antic and to wonder what's next. Certainly more books by this author! He brings us to the brink of existentialism and back to joy and delight in the details. I also squirmed my way through a few scenes that were oh so visceral. That squirmy dance is well worth it, says my 81 year old Dad of the book. Thank you Coyote, for sharing your dreams, heartbreak, hard work and the beauty of the beast we call Burning Man!

Thank you Tony for helping us understand the history of black rock city with so much fun.

I am not in any way affiliated with nor a participant of Burning Man, this is a read for all! The storytelling, oh and the stories told, makes it a mesmerizing page turner. I compare it to binge watching a series of Game of Thrones in one day, not wanting it to end, hoping that with patience there will be another. I will close with: raising my beer to Chokey and Strokey....Cheers!

As a long time Burner, I’m really enjoying this book. It’s a fun vivid read.

I loved this book! I could hear the authors voice narrating the entire book. Thank you Coyote, I laughed and cried sometimes at the same time. I wish it was hundreds of pages longer

Quick, easy, light, and fun to read. Not for anybody squeamish dead birds (2-3 very short segments only). Great if you are interested in early burning man or the creation of DPW.

This should be a movie

An awesome read that I could imagine hearing around a fire at a burn. Makes me miss Home so much more.

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Personal, hilarious, accessible. Like all good stores told round the camp fire. Like hanging out with friends whom you haven’t met yet.

The only problem I have with this book is that it ends. I could read about Coyote's (mis)adventures for days and days. Not only are the stories stranger than fiction, but the manner in which he tells the tails is raw, colorful and damn hilarious. Get the book, take the ride.

The authentic voice of the roots of Black Rock City. If you want to know more about how the event in the desert began, its struggles, challenges, characters, and triumphs, this is the book for you. Written from the perspective only someone on the ground during the early days in the desert can share, this book is a treat and will keep you laughing while you shake your head in amazement.

I LOVED this book. Coyote certainly knows how to tell a story, and what a story this book was! I laughed out loud multiple times (okay, truth be told, I guffawed loudly multiple times). Is it only for seasoned Burners? I’d say no. While yes, the Burner spirit burns brightly in MY soul, not everyone I know is a Burner and I’ve heard from them that they found Coyote’s book hilarious too. In fact, my 75 yr old dad is reading it right now and he pulls me aside at least a few times a day to tell me about a part that he really liked. Read this book. You won’t regret it!

Once in a great while, we meet someone whose character is that of which legends are made. Tony Perez-Banuet, aka Coyote, is a legend in his own right. But what makes him all the more remarkable is his ability to bring other characters to life through his storytelling. If you're a Burner, you need to read his book. Especially now when we're all missing Black Rock City, this book will bring the playa to life in magical ways. If you're not a Burner, you need to read his book. We all struggle to explain why the Burning Man experience is so profound. Coyote doesn't try to explain it, he simply shows you.... in the most personal way possible, by sharing moments of his life with a writer's pen and a storyteller's voice. To hear Coyote tell a story is to be transported back in time, as if you were there with him during these wild adventures. Like good authors do, his stories are at once the most unique experience ever, yet also contain universal truths that we can all relate to. These stories are unforgettable and this book will stay with you a long time.

I started going to Burning Man in 2011, and I've been back every year since. And it has challenged me, made me grow as a person, transform, and also see magic happen in various forms. Yet, at times I had wished I had gone in those years of the early to mid nineties when things were just forming and beginning. Coyote was there. He helped manifest those visions, and becoming a wonderful leader for the future builds of this thing that happened in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. His wit, words and insight are all entertaining and I took my time reading the book, like a good whiskey. I read it sometimes with candlelight, and making it an experience as I read it. I know there are SO many more stories to tell, and really, after reading this book, I can only imagine what other stories live in Coyotes head from his 20+ years of builds and events. I'll be gifting this book now across the pond to Finnish friends and I recommend it as a read into the early burn years and what needed to happen to continue the magic happening. Thanks Coyote for the book, well done maestro.

Coyote is a terrific storyteller and I found his tales of the early days of burning man compulsively readable. From the little rain cloud to the infamous Volare, readers are transported to a place in the middle of no mans land where hard work and good times are crazier than anyone can imagine and only eclipsed by the madness of the high desert. A rich treat for fans of burning man, the stories are astonishingly vivid and take place in a world where anything can happen. This is radical storytelling at its very best. I LOVED it!!! Thank you Tony!

The misadventures of Burning Man by someone who knows it well...some may say too well. An exceptionally good time, no dust required.

Have you ever wondered what the early years of Burning Man were like? This book answers that question through descriptive storytelling. The reader is quickly pulled into a place so filled with details, that they are at once shocked and riveted. From the outrageousness of the Circus Redickuless clowns, to one of the best performances of Pepe Ozan`s theatrical opera`s, this work illuminates some of the history of Black Rock City. Included are first hand experiences of the drive-by shooting range, the origin of the Volare and a tale of chickens and roosters punctuated with memorable quotations. Herein lies an account of the tasks and toil that precipitated the need for the creation of the Department of Public Works. A must read for any Burner!

This book is so stimulating I grew a full beard by chapter 2!

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Coyote is a master storyteller, and these great yarns evince the trickster discordian spirit that was at the heart of the Burning Man crew in those early days.

This book is thrilling and excellently written. It keeps you entertained and wanting more. The detail that is in the book is exceptionally detailed, you will feel like you are there and watching it happen. It is a must read, a must buy, and a must have.

Coyote's account of tumbling headlong into the alt-world of Burning Man is an highly engaging, hair-raising romp. Whether you've experienced life on the Playa or not, this story takes you there and wraps you in the mind-expanding, dusty whirlwind that Coyote first fell victim to and later helped create and sustain. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a veteran Burner or simply curious.

Tony "Coyote" Perez is a great storyteller. This book holds the passion of a musician, lived through a builder, told through a writer. Enjoyed reading.

As someone who didn’t know much about burning man, I loved reading this book. Reads like a fiction book despite its non fiction. The characters are exactly that, characters! Their personalities come out with the great story telling and descriptive writing of the author (Lola was my favorite but fleeting character). I loved this book and couldn’t put it down!

Coyote is a wonderful storyteller. He even made a weekend of in-office OSHA training feel like a privilege.

What can I say that hasn't been said already? I love the fact that it doesn't pull any punches. A first hand, real crazy, first time noob on playa. And it gets weirder from there. All true. A must read if you've ever been or are at all curious.

Humorous and poignant. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the eccentric colorful people that created such a unique and amazing world. Huge thanks to the author for sharing his stories. I look forward to more. Obrigada meu amigo. Saudade for the good ole days.

Can't wait to read it and live it over again. Thank you Tony!

Tony's writing makes one feel as if they were there...

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.

Such a well-written fun book about the early years of Burning Man. Loved it!

Robert Altman’s movie “A Secret Honor” is entirely about one man in one room. The actor Phillip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon. The movie commences with Nixon placing a bullet in the chamber of a gun, getting out his bottle of scotch, and as he imbibes, tells the tape recorder what really happened, in particular concerning Watergate. As the glass continues to be re-filled with scotch, Nixon confesses to having “sold his soul at Bohemian Grove,” a real life version of the metaphor of the “boys in the backroom, with the cigars and brandy” who really make the decisions for our political leaders and judges to follow. At Wikipedia there is a picture of Nixon and Reagan at BG, and it is even claimed that the Manhattan Project, the making of the atomic bomb, was conceived there. Anyhow, Nixon claims that the boys at BG were making so much money off the Vietnam War that they wanted to prolong it beyond 1976, and have him accept a third term (hum!). But it was Nixon’s Quaker mother who had instilled, somewhere deep in the soul of this irascible man, “a secret honor” that provided the guidance that would not permit such an outrage. Thus, he “invented” the Watergate scandal so that he would not have to comply with the diktats of the boys in the backroom. An interesting hypothesis. Purportedly, both those who love Nixon and hate his guts loved this movie. In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter lives in San Francisco and knows Tony “Coyote” Perez, the author of “Build to Burn.” She recommended this book to me. We lived overseas when almost all the events described by Perez at “Burning Man” occurred. I knew virtually nothing about this “cult” bit of Americana and decided Perez’ book might be a good introduction. It is. Perez has written an account of his experiences with Burning Man from its early days, in the mid-90’s. It has large dollops of a madcap romp, part Tom Robbins, of “Another Road Side Attraction” and “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” fame, and part William S. Burroughs. Perez is originally from Michigan, migrated to the city by the bay to make his living as a singer and sax player. Definitely a “city boy,” he arrives at the first Burning Man in the desert, without any supplies, including water, and trips out on a triple dose of LSD. But he finds a purpose and direction in life, building the man and the city that will be consumed by flames. Ah, there are the chickens, and a zany cast of human characters. Perez provides a “grunts’ eye view” of Burning Man. Nary a mention as to its purpose or not, other than a lot of camaraderie. Burning Man now occurs annually in the Black Rock desert of northwest Nevada, around the town of Gerlach, population of 100. For sure, there are plenty of interactions between these later day “hippies” and the conservative ranchers and law enforcement in the area. Now, if I am given the allocated time, I intend to read more about Burning Man, thanks to Perez’ introduction. It seems that it has gentrified a bit, no doubt to the dismay of the original founders. Though this year’s event was canceled due to COVID, the individual ticket prices to attend are now around 500 bucks, with another 100 for the vehicle, per Wikipedia, which goes on to say: “Burning Man has attracted a number of billionaires and celebrities, many of them from Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It has become a networking event for them, with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, once stating that Burning Man ‘is Silicon Valley’." An ALT Bohemian Grove? Ah, the unlikely connections among the varying disparate elements in that drama of life. As Perez relates how he was building away, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Department of Public Works, I could not help but think how I once worked for the boys in Bohemian Grove, building bunkers, inter alia. I had a “cozy one” at LZ Schuller, where I lived for 4-5 months, made out of 105 mm ammo boxes, filled with dirt. The entire landscape of Vietnam was dotted with such bases and such structures, including an almost “city” that was the basecamp of the 4th Infantry Division, outside Pleiku. All, absolutely all of it was gone when I saw the areas on my return visits, ‘94-’96. Not even a sandbag left. The Vietnamese had built a school at LZ Uplift and a hospital at LZ North English. Built to last. Burning Man, discarded bunkers, reflections of the consumer society and, where the story all began, the boys at Bohemian Grove. Many thanks to my daughter for a great intro into another facet of Americana and thanks to “The Coyote” for his remembrances from the days of yore. 4-stars.

I own a cottage on Lake Huron in Michigan and, several weeks ago, one of my neighbors up there stopped by and brought a copy of this book, written by her brother. Now, I'm a bit of an arm-chair hippy meaning, that now that I'm in my sixties, I tend to live vicariously through the stories of others who can still make the rounds. I've always wondered what being a part of "Burning Man" would be like. This book took me into the wonderful adventures of the author who worked his way into being a major part of that yearly event. Starting out as a novice who travels into the dessert to participate in the event and doesn't event think to bring the necessities that he will need to survive in that climate, he quickly adapts and becomes an important part of the ongoing circus that is Burning Man. What I loved about the book is the cast of characters that you meet! It seems that a good portion of the good people that don't necessarily fit in to everyday society show up to work and help out. I won't go into detail other than to say, I would love to spend some time with these folks. A warning for the animal lovers, (I'm talking to you Vegans and PETA members), some bad things happen to some of the animals who are part of the story. I appreciated the author's efforts as he puts both the good and the bad into his book. There is some tragedy in the story but there is a lot of humor too! I got swept away in the story and reading it felt like I was there!

Coyote is what you get when a more coherent Hunter S. Thompson meets a dusty version of Thoreau on the blank canvas of the Black Rock Desert. Built to Burn is a must read for everyone that has ever said, "Burning Man changed my life." And for those that have never made it Home, a glimpse into the cacophony that draws us desert carnies in year after year.

The sheer audacity it takes to put these tales on a page is a crime in itself, the author must have imagined this on a long drug trip... I can't wait to read it!

This book is a trip down memory lane for anyone that attended Burning Man or knew the characters back in the late 90s. It really captures the voices of the people I knew from this time frame I have interacted with in the Black Rock Desert and beyond. It gives you a hint to what it was like to have attended the event when the population was still pretty small. You do not need to have attended Burning Man to understand the stories or enjoy them. I think if you met any of the people, you'd feel as if you already knew them. There is a great story about the first time Tony met Flash over hamburgers. I had a similar story and it brought back memories of the hamburger stand as well as tied together a lot of mysteries in the back of my mind. It's worth a read.

A true and extremely honest account of building Black Rock City, and those that build it. Funny as well, with a grand cast of true characters.

Especially this year, which would have been my sixth year learning about myself and the playa....this book was a gift! aI journey I could be a part of when I couldn't be a part of the Playa. So well written and entertaining, I hope those who have been, read it, and those who havent' been read it and understand more of the blood, sweat and tears that built a city that has a life of it's own...made entirley by the blood, sweat and tears of those that love it.

As a Burner for 22 consecutive years, and someone has contributed to The Burning Man Project since 2005, I am lucky to know and work with Tony Perez, aka "Coyote". One of the great benefits of our acquaintance has been getting the hear the stories. The amazing tales from-the-beginning, from the early glory – and gory – days! When I read Built to Burn I heard Coyote's speaking voice. Until there's an audio book (please let there be an audio book someday!), you are invited to absorb the magic from the written page. We all missed the Burn in 2020. Fill that hole in your heart with Built to Burn, and then send copies to your friends and families, so they might come to start to understand your crazy annual pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert. Newbies welcomed too!

What a storyteller! Many say that you can't describe what it's like to go to the Burning Man, that it has to be experienced. Yet paging through these tales fills in the fabled history of early Burns with a voice that rings true to the playa. I'm only a couple chapters in and already I don't want it to end. Thanks for sharing this with the world!

Coyote, in his humorous and witty prose, takes us back 25 years to the beginnings of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Beginning in 1996, it traces Coyote's first few traipses into the Black Rock desert and his experience with local ranchers and town characters from nearby Gerlach. It's well-written, connects the present to the valuable past and lessons learned, and describes how to remove a dead cow from a house. It's perfect for reading (and chuckling) aloud around a campfire. Highly recommended and deeply respected.