"Crowley provides a vivid portrait of one community during the social upheavals of the sixties. It is stimulating, informative, and entertaining". -- Western Historical Quarterly

"Before Crowley became known for his writing at Seattle Weekly and as a TV political commentator, he created cartoons and batted out social diatribes for The Helix, Seattle's leading underground newspaper of the 1960s. In Rites, he recalls those times and discusses how the anti-war movement, drugs, and rock music all affected Seattle's growth". -- Seattle Magazine

"Crowley extends the published history of that fabled decade beyond the well-known names and events of Selma and Berkeley to such people as Jack Delay, the former Air Force cadet who lived on a barge and turned a storefront into a homeless shelter, and to such events as Sky River Rock Festival and Lighter than Air Fair, which preceded Woodstock by a year". -- Choice

" Crowley was at the center of much of the politial and social activity during a very active period and is smart enough no to trust only his own memory. He research, he interviewed and he somehow found the ability to put events he was intimately involved in into perspective". -- Portland Oregonian