Book > Thriller: The Musical Life of MJ By Nelson George

[Ashtanga]

Has anyone read this book?:

From Booklist
Originally this book was to be about the “enduring influence of Thriller,” but after Jackson's death, George decided to be more comprehensive. The result is a brief if heartfelt assessment of Jackson's career and life. Positing that it is unlikely that Jackson's meteoric rise to pop-music dominance could be repeated today, George reappraises his own earlier writings about Jackson and reinvestigates the incredible work ethic that defined Jackson and producer Quincy Jones in the days when they produced Thriller, Jackson's magnum opus and one of the most successful and influential recordings in pop-music history. As one would expect from George, the narrative goes beyond surface concerns about mass sales to consider how Jackson's superstardom affected black artists' entry into the then-significant realm of MTV playlists, mainstream music culture, and popular culture at large. Although George's analysis and insight are laudable, he mentions the charges of pedophilia that dogged Jackson in his final years only in passing. That omission is keenly felt, but this is still a more than useful retrospective on the man and his music. --Mike Tribby --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

http://www.amazon.com/Thriller-Musi...=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309461584&sr=1-5


:thinking:

 

[nadalette]

Has anyone read this book?:





http://www.amazon.com/Thriller-Musi...=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309461584&sr=1-5


:thinking:

Yes. I really enjoyed reading it, too. I read it a while ago, so can't remember details, but it takes a look at the broader music scene around the time of Thriller as well as Michael. It's not a typical book about Michael, but it's definitely worth a read. There's quite an amusing comment about Michael and the club scene at the time which sticks in my mind, but I won't spoil it for you

 

[saveNRG]

I heard it was just alright, nothing special. Someone said there was a lot of errors in the book, too.

 

[Ashtanga]

Yes. I really enjoyed reading it, too. I read it a while ago, so can't remember details, but it takes a look at the broader music scene around the time of Thriller as well as Michael. It's not a typical book about Michael, but it's definitely worth a read. There's quite an amusing comment about Michael and the club scene at the time which sticks in my mind,

Thanks!

but I won't spoil it for you

You're bad! :doh: :lol:

Someone said there was a lot of errors in the book, too.

Really?

 

[JMie]

I read this book last year. When I checked it in the book store it seemed like an interesting analysis of Michael's Thriller album, so I bought it. Unfortunately, apart from all the music talk (which, I admit, was very insightful), the author allows himself some tabloid talk as well and that was really disgusting. Like, at one point he mentions Michael's "questionable relations with boys" or says that Michael went to Studio 54 to watch people have sex (and he enjoyed it so much that he giggled while watching). He also discusses Michael's skin colour and how black America didn't understand that change. And he also quotes Quincy Jones' words from 2009 about Michael not wanting to be black.

He also mentions Jordie Chandler case saying he doesn't know what happened between them. Taking into account that this book was published after a lot of info became available (like the FBI files etc), there's no excuse for such implications. The author didn't have time to reserch the Chandler case, but it seems he did have a lot of time to read the TINI site and spends several pages retelling their story of how weak Michael was etc etc. He says that Michael's addiction to painkillers killed him.

And yes, there are mistakes. Like, I had a good laugh when he wrote that Michael's first wife was Priscilla Presley.

 

[Ashtanga]

I read this book last year. When I checked it in the book store it seemed like an interesting analysis of Michael's Thriller album, so I bought it. Unfortunately, apart from all the music talk (which, I admit, was very insightful), the author allows himself some tabloid talk as well and that was really disgusting. Like, at one point he mentions Michael's "questionable relations with boys" or says that Michael went to Studio 54 to watch people have sex (and he enjoyed it so much that he giggled while watching). He also discusses Michael's skin colour and how black America didn't understand that change. And he also quotes Quincy Jones' words from 2009 about Michael not wanting to be black.

He also mentions Jordie Chandler case saying he doesn't know what happened between them. Taking into account that this book was published after a lot of info became available (like the FBI files etc), there's no excuse for such implications. The author didn't have time to reserch the Chandler case, but it seems he did have a lot of time to read the TINI site and spends several pages retelling their story of how weak Michael was etc etc. He says that Michael's addiction to painkillers killed him.

And yes, there are mistakes. Like, I had a good laugh when he wrote that Michael's first wife was Priscilla Presley.

Wow! Thanks for your brief summary of the book. Definitely I will not buy it. -_- I'd rather save my money to buy the book from Joe Vogel. :wild: