Official: The Phish Book (192pp) by Richard Gehr and Phish (published by Villard) was released in October 1998 (first copies began arriving October 17). (See official promo site.) This photo-rich, quasi-coffee-table type thing (retails for $29.99) mixes realism about the band's lifestyle (a year-in-the-life tome following the band from 12/31/96 to 12/31/97) with hundreds of interview snippets from Gehr's discussions with band members (insight, reminenscence, and humor), edited by Gehr, a New York-based music writer who's way into the jam-band scene and who has written (insightfully and thoughtfully) about Phish in the Village Voice and Spin (and elsewhere). Order online now from Phish Dry Goods, ?0375502033#bio">Books@Random, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.com.

Community: The Phish Companion: A Guide to the Band and Their Music: At over 900 pages and with over 1500 named contributors, this fan-based book for aims to serve be the definitive, encyclopedic desk reference about Phish, with all proceeds going to music education for children. (The authors and editors receive no salary, nor any other form of compensation.) The book was assembled by Mockingbird Foundation, a nonprofit incorporated by Phish fans in 1997, and includes the most complete and accurate setlists collection known (including checks with and against the band's own vault), extensive background on every Phish song written or performed, and much more. Proceeds from the book have supported over $250,000 in grants in music education. The Foundation also assembled a double-disc tribute abum. (Also, direct pre-orders for the first edition got a Nancy Tracks.)

Ramblings: Mike's Corner (148 pp., 1997, $12-15), a collection of writings by Phish bassist Mike Gordon, many of them printed previously in newsletters (see above). Illustrations by Priscilla Foster.

Independent: The Phishing Manual: A Compendium to the Music of Phish, by Dean Budnick (a Phish.Netter), published by Hyperion, a division of Little Brown and Company. The ISBN number is 0-7868-8203-4, and you could call Hyperion at 1-800-759-0190 and get copies for $9.70 each, plus $3.94 shipping and handling.

Toilet: The Pharmer's Almanac (a play on The Farmer's Almanac) is a roughly-annual product, of which there have been five volumes. The fifth (summer '98) was reportedly the last there would be, but a sixth came in 2000. Controversy surrounds the book, particularly because of ethical questions about earlier volumes. The "Pharmanac" (as it is sometimes called) bills itself as "toilet reading for Phish fans" and was called "ice cream for the ears" by Burgess in the Doniac Schvice. Whether either of those phrases is complimentary may depend on whether you acknowledge the earlier controvery. However, the Pharmanac editors (Andy Bernstein, Lockhart Steele) are loud to proclaim, their product has improved in motive and content from earlier volumes, and their sales certainly indicates no dearth of supporters. There are residues of detractors, who look forward to a charitable alternative; but prior to The Phish Companion, the Pharmanac was the de facto tour bible.

Farce: Go Phish by David Thompson (St. Martin's Griffin, publisher) has been deemed a farce. Lead reviews called it "literally inaccurate from the first page" and have said to "file this entire book under FICTION." A 9/12/97 post by Benjy Eisen reviewed the book, finding it "even less original than its title, and equally boring" and citing more errors and nonsense that even this FAQ has room to reproduce.

Expected: ECW Press of Montreal, Canada, plans to release a collection of submissions called Phish FanFare in Spring 2001.

Unknown: Something called Run Like an Antelope is offered for preorder on buy.com, from St. Martin's Press (who published Go Phish; see above). It is reportedly due Spring 2001, but nothing is known about the content.

Abandoned: Hal Waterman has ditched plans to publish a stories volume called Hooked and has moved the project to "an online publication ... [that] can grow and grow...."

Unrelated: The Phish Corporation, A Management Accounting Case by Sanford Gunn teaches management accounting, but is not about Phish. (See also Barnes & Noble and search on Phish.) Professor Gunn remarked via email that "Sometimes it seems that once an item is in print, it never dies! The Phish an instructional case to illustrate accounting processes and use of accounting information. The product is a small tackle box, hence the name 'phish'. I don't think any of the creators of the case were aware of the rock band Phish. ... By today's standards the case is badly out of date. There is no specific computer based assignments although some can readily be done in that fashion. There is no web site for information nor is it designed to be interactive with specific responses to questions posed by students. However, in its day, it filled a need in the management accounting area."