Latest on MJJC

NEW BOOK- Defending a king----by Dr. Karen Moriarty

I would like to read it for myself. Surely the bodyguards would have taken legal action if this lady had taken their ideas etc without being recompensed.
 
Gee how come I missed this thread? I read the 1st chapter for free on Kindle, but it didn't giveaway too much.

The writing style caused a headache, but I can't form an opinion without reading the full thing. I hope someone does a detailed review.
 
A good interview with the author: http://thejamcafe-mjtpmagazine.com/...uthor-of-defending-a-king-his-life-and-legacy

On the subject of dispute with the bodyguards:

I volunteered my writing services to them in a sincere desire to assist them in spreading the word about “the real Michael Jackson,” a genuinely good man and exceptional father. After six weeks of full-time writing and two trips to Las Vegas—all at my own expense—I realized that we “were not on the same page.” I describe this entire process--our relationship and problems--in Defending A King: His Life and Legacy, with candor, honesty, respect, and clarity (see “The Back Door” chapter).

The bodyguards' strong support of Conrad Murray—even protectiveness---was a major problem for me, as I believed early on that this man was responsible for Michael's tragic death. Some of their stories were “too raw,” in my opinion. I made some discoveries about them that were unsettling to me [which I will not reveal at this time]. Also, they wanted a book about themselves—their experiences, opinions, interactions—and I hoped for a book about Michael Jackson! Their proposed scope was to be limited to the approximately one and one-half years that they worked for MJ; I encouraged a book of wider scope for the fans. “This could be the definitive book about MJ, especially his last four years,” I encouraged. They rejected that idea and also rejected my lengthy manuscript [written for their use if they accepted it] and the title that I created [and eventually used myself].

When we parted ways, I felt amicable toward them, but they would not return my phone calls or respond to email. I avoided using their “confidential” information in my book; I returned this written material to them in May 2011, via certified mail. I then began writing my own book, which included interviewing many people who knew MJ intimately and doing more research. Simply put, the material in my book that includes these men was incorporated in accordance with “free speech” and “freedom of the press” rights and guaranteed liberties in the United States of America. If and when they publish their own book, it will likely be vastly different from my book in many ways. I have only one chapter about “Protecting Mr. Jackson,” but there are 18 other chapters that cover every aspect of MJ's life and personality. [The bodyguards rejected the inclusion of biographical material about MJ!] My book is not limited to two men who worked for MJ for eighteen or nineteen months of his fifty years of life. It is about the greatness and goodness of Michael Jackson throughout his life, with special focus on his last four mysterious years.
Click to expand...
 
^^ Thank you well thats one one side of the story.
I agree the bodyguards wanted to focus on what they personally knew and the time they spent with MJ - that is what most of us were expecting. I understand her focus was different but I see nothing wrong with the story that they wanted to tell from their personal perspective. So now she says she can include all the stories they supplied to her under freedom of speech. Becuase she didn tlike their perspective. It may be legal but just don't seem kosher to me. Anyway they still have the right to write their own book but if she took all the stories they supplied already that may be difficult.

Its hard to say who is right or wrong but something still seems amiss to me even with her explanation . and her attack on them. saying she heard something but wont reveal it. (why even go there ) seems very vindictive especially if you refuse to reveal what the problem is. Seems there is Always so much drama and Ish over anything to do with MJ. Its hard for me to takes sides here. I just hope her book is written honestly and not filled with taloloid rumours or conspiracy theories. Myself I would have rather had a book just about the 18 months they spent with Michael. Not 3rd hand stories taht have been told and retold many times.
 
qbee said:
Its hard to say who is right or wrong but something still seems amiss to me even with her explanation . and her attack on them. saying she heard something but wont reveal it. (why even go there ) seems very vindictive especially if you refuse to reveal what the problem is. Seems there is Always so much drama and Ish over anything to do with MJ. Its hard for me to takes sides here. I just hope her book is written honestly and not filled with taloloid rumours or conspiracy theories. Myself I would have rather had a book just about the 18 months they spent with Michael. Not 3rd hand stories taht have been told and retold many times.
Click to expand...

It's people. There is always a lot of drama among people.
The book itself is very good towards Michael, although a lot of info from it fans already know. The new bits mainly come from the bodyguards.
 
Im sick of all those books to be honest. If i had a dinner with Michael i wouldnt put it in some book and make money off of it, i would keep that memory to myself and charish it. People are so greedy
 
I just got this book in the mail...I became interested after listening to the PosMike podcast featuring her.

What's the overall sentiment from people who have read it?
 
I have a bad gut feeling about those bodyguards and I don’t trust them to write a book that truly honors Michael at all. I have no factual evidence to back my feelings up at all but I don’t trust those guys. I have heard them defending Murray.
 
The BG did not defend Murray or his actions. They did not state he shouldn't be brought to justice. Their words were taken out of context. I understood what they meant. Michael understood human nature and looked at things much different perspective than most and was a very forgiving person. The BG probably shouldn't have speculated on what MJ would think but it wasn't to defend Murray actions and they publicly said so after they felt their words were misunderstood. I don't fully trust anyone but I try to be fair and give people the benefit of doubt.


About the book I believe the BG intentions were good but they didn't know how to go about writing a book. I also don't think they chose the right person to help them either. They wanted to write a book from their perspective and about the time they spent with Michael. Their partner decided other wise. She wanted to expand and with 3rd party accounts about MJ. How she got control I have no idea. I don't know how that works. I'm not knocking her book. I haven't read it .. But I was looking forward to reading a book from the BG perspective and how it was to be a bodyguard for MJ and how they felt about him etc etc .... There interviews showed they respected and cared about him. I hope the book also shows that.

Is anyone going to do a full review ? :)
 
Let me do a short review. There are a few reviews on Amazon already, which are really helpful, so in short:

- This is a very positive book about Michael. One of the most positive books that have been published so far. I haven't found a thing that would rub me the wrong way.
- The book is focused on the after-trial years, but it also talks a lot about Michael in general detailing aspects of his life and persona, including his his financial situation, lawsuits, lifestyle, relationship with fans, children, women, art, charitable activity, family, etc. Mostly it is written in the form of a descriptive narrative, but the book also offers little stories and examples from his life here and there.
- Information comes from the BG, Tom Mesereau, David Nordahl, Michael's spiritual advisor and other sources less close to him.
- 95% of the info in the book hardcore fans already know, it's been online. New information mostly comes from the bodyguards - random little stories from Michael's years in Vegas.
- the book presents a "fan version" of Michael - all the good sides that fans know and love, which are all true, but you won't see here what you saw in Frank's book, for example. Not that level of intimacy.

Because of the last two items there were many chapters of the book that I looked through quickly, I've already read that a hundred times. That's why I think that this book will be first and foremost interesting to new fans or casual fans, who love the music but know little about the man. For those who spent years on fanboards, a lot of it will be redundant. However, when you close the book, you realize that it paints an impressive picture of Michael and his life. It immerses the reader in his life and gives a better understanding of his choices and idiosyncrasies. Again, for me it only reaffirmed my own views and beliefs, but for someone who is less informed, it may bring revelations. This book is definitely a commendable work in defense of Michael.
 
maral said:
any kindle version out yet?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's available for Kindle, Nook (US e-reader by Barnes & Noble), Sony ereader and the Kobo ereader, I think.

Paper copies are available through the author, Amazon and Infinity publishing. (I went with Amazon because I grew tired of trying to find the shipping costs on the Infinity publishing website).

I don't expect major revelations, but it is a nice add on in the MJ library to showcase what was on the mind of Michael's contemporaries shortly after his passing which will sound different than a historian's view 50 years from now.
 
I got the kindle version but honestly it's not interesting to me because

morinen said:
- 95% of the info in the book hardcore fans already know, it's been online. New information mostly comes from the bodyguards - random little stories from Michael's years in Vegas.
- the book presents a "fan version" of Michael - all the good sides that fans know and love, which are all true, but you won't see here what you saw in Frank's book, for example. Not that level of intimacy.
Click to expand...
 
https://www.facebook.com/ReflectionsOnTheDance/posts/309675302429671
Further information on Karen's book:

New FIVE-STAR Michael Jackson Biography Is Now Available as an E-Book: Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy by Dr. Karen Moriarty

“If you want an eye-opening portrayal of the real Michael Jackson – delivered in a rare blend of disclosure, respect, insight, and passion – this is it!” Thomas A. Mesereau, MJ's defense attorney

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Author and psychologist Dr. Karen Moriarty has announced that her book Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy is now available for e-readers in Kindle and NOOK formats.

Since its release in December 2011, Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy has won numerous accolades, along with FIVE-STAR REVIEWS, and has been called by Readers Favorite “one of those rare books that will touch the reader’s mind and heart.”

“[This book] will leave the reader in a different place at its ending. Even readers who are indifferent to Michael Jackson will be true fans at the end of this book.... It deserves a wide readership....” 5 stars, Readers Favorite

“THE BEST book available on Michael Jackson! I have collected shelves of books on & about him through the years..., but this one is by far the best! ...It will open your eyes, make you think, make you cry and make you smile.” Mary Singer

“There were a few times I had to stop reading and dry my eyes before continuing. This book is a gift to our community, and a must read for the entire world.” Elizabeth Michelle Billeaudeaux, Author, An Angel Among Us

“WOW! THIS MJ BOOK DESERVES 6 STARS! ...I can assure you that Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy will give readers something unique: a never-before-told, inside story of what daily life was really like for the world's most famous person.... I was extremely impressed with the depth and breadth of Dr. Karen Moriarty's research..., 19 chapters, [a]n emphasis on firsthand sources.... I highly recommend this book for anyone.” Luke Russell

“A book for all ages. As a senior citizen … my perception of Michael Jackson was built on media critics, video clips, and news of lawsuits. [Dr. Moriarty's] detailed description of his life has totally changed the stereotype.... A great read.” Littlemoose

“… I am so so fascinated by this book…. Even if you have … managed to remain a non-fan of MJ…, this reading and subsequent understanding of MJ the man will make you an instant fan…. It was an emotional roller coaster for me. I must give full credit to Dr. Karen Moriarty for her detailed research and for being able to provide more than enough proof against all those allegations that MJ has faced over the years.” Debolina Raja Gupta (Mumbai, India), Author/reviewer, Bookpleasures.com

This book reveals a never-before-told inside view of the daily life of Michael Jackson, to help readers understand the real man and father behind the music and genius. The author presents evidence of his heterosexuality and secret girlfriends. She explains why he became so nomadic after his 2005 trial, why he always veiled his children in public, and why he always kept millions of dollars in cash within arm’s reach. This book reveals the details of his last four mysterious years—where he went and what he did. His many private acts of kindness are disclosed as well as his global humanitarianism, which included $300 million in contributions to causes around the world.


See www.defendingaking.com for complete information about the book.

Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy is now available as an e-book through www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com, and the paperback is available from these same websites as well as from www.infinitypublishing.com.
Format: Paperback (498 pages) ISBN: 978-0-7414-7031-7 SRP: $27.95
Kindle: $7.69 NOOK: $7.96
Genre: Biography

Dr. Karen Moriarty has worked as a teacher of English and writing, a counselor, consultant, and administrator for public schools, and as a licensed clinical psychologist and therapist in private practice. Her first book, Baby Richard: A Four-Year-Old Comes Home (2003), presents the behind-the-scenes story of the highly-publicized case that rallied the public and changed her clients' lives forever.

The author may be reached at defendingaking@gmail.com .
Website: www.defendingaking.com
Click to expand...
 
qbee;3608988 said:
The BG did not defend Murray or his actions. They did not state he shouldn't be brought to justice. Their words were taken out of context. I understood what they meant. Michael understood human nature and looked at things much different perspective than most and was a very forgiving person. The BG probably shouldn't have speculated on what MJ would think but it wasn't to defend Murray actions and they publicly said so after they felt their words were misunderstood. I don't fully trust anyone but I try to be fair and give people the benefit of doubt.


About the book I believe the BG intentions were good but they didn't know how to go about writing a book. I also don't think they chose the right person to help them either. They wanted to write a book from their perspective and about the time they spent with Michael. Their partner decided other wise. She wanted to expand and with 3rd party accounts about MJ. How she got control I have no idea. I don't know how that works. I'm not knocking her book. I haven't read it .. But I was looking forward to reading a book from the BG perspective and how it was to be a bodyguard for MJ and how they felt about him etc etc .... There interviews showed they respected and cared about him. I hope the book also shows that.

Is anyone going to do a full review ? :)
Click to expand...

Then it truly is a matter of perspective. Because my impression of the BG’s comment was that they were in the defense of Murray just in the way they deflected blame from him. And they definitely did that. Murray’s defense was that practically everyone, including Michael, was responsible for MJ’s death. The BG’s comments were in the same vein. They didn’t include MJ, but they held other doctors just as accountable. Which isn’t true. Because MJ’s death was caused by what happened that single night. Not what other doctors did. But what Murray didn’t do.

Of course, everything is contributable for bringing MJ to that night, from the Chandlers to the pressures of a comeback tour. We all are the sum of our experiences. But what and who is responsible for the death of Michael Jackson is Conrad Murray, no one else. There was only one doctor in that room with MJ who gave him a life threatening drug and then left him, not having the most basic of necessary monitoring equipment. Even if there was some big nefarious conspiracy, Murray was in a position to thwart it one way or the other if he had just attended to his patient as he should have. The fact that the BG’s made the “no way in hell would MJ want him on trial” comment was said in a way that they did not believe he should be on trial either. They might not have directly come out and said it, but they certainly didn’t condemn Murray’s actions as they should have and hold him wholly responsible, and he was.
 
I received the book today and was just scanning the various chapters. The book is basically what the title suggests- a book in defense of MJ. Most chapters have nothing to do with the bodyguards as far as I can see. I would classify (at first glance) this book as a book written by an MJ fan, to be honest- who happens to be a clinical psychologist. The nice thing is that books like these illustrate MJ's wide appeal to different people and that Michael is not just loved by a bunch of teenagers- since that seems to be something of a media meme.

The book merely tries to illustrate the man MJ and describes his life. I don't see a heck of a lot that qualifies as 'took BG's stories and ran with it' since the time frame written about extends far beyond the time of those specific bodyguards.

I don't see major new revelations coming up, but so far it just seems like an articulate account of MJ. No more, no less.
 
One of the reason why I stopped being interested in anything the BG's had to say is because of the way they defended Murray. They acted as if he shouldn't even face a trial because according to them MJ wouldn't like it.
 
I'm only about 1/3 of the way into the book, but I must admit that I find it a bit boring. There is a lot of detail about security that was needed and how that was done. I haven't read anything yet that I have not read somewhere before...not anything important or interesting. When I heard the title "Defending.......", I thought it meant standing up for, telling the real truth, explaining why things were as they were, but so far, the word "Defending...., means "Guarding" by the bodyguards. I do plan on reading it through to the end.
 
Joyce said:
I'm only about 1/3 of the way into the book, but I must admit that I find it a bit boring. There is a lot of detail about security that was needed and how that was done. I haven't read anything yet that I have not read somewhere before...not anything important or interesting. When I heard the title "Defending.......", I thought it meant standing up for, telling the real truth, explaining why things were as they were, but so far, the word "Defending...., means "Guarding" by the bodyguards. I do plan on reading it through to the end.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the additional info. I had already determined I wouldn't buy. Glad to know I made the right decision.
 
I just finished it and I honestly have fairly mixed thoughts on the book.
Am I regretting the purchase? No.
Do I consider this particularly enlightening and revealing me new perspectives? No.

Here's why I think books like these still matter.
While all authors of course aspire to present you "MJ", these books written in the immediate/intermediate wake of his death explain much more what Al Sharpton may have meant with "But it's strange what your daddy had to deal with."

While these books are meant to describe the person MJ- to me they describe less Michael and more the world that he dealt with. These books are inevitably reflection of the author and the intended audience- even reflecting the countries in which the authors publish.
If I compare Dieter Wiesner and Karen Moriarty- not only did one know MJ- but you notice in these MJ books how much the intended audience of the published country influence a narrative that is meant to deal with MJ, :rofl:. Which is why I keep talking about these books being a reflection of Michael's contemporaries and the society he lived in- less about Michael himself. This paradox kind of amuses me.

I took note because the reader of all these MJ books has one giant task to process while reading that seems to be a general conflict among MJ book readers:
What is the factual description of the citizen Michael J. Jackson- and what is the author's 'stuff'?
Page 336: Author is dealing with physical abuse. Abuse is being described using Michael's words. Author starts assessing contemporary sentiments being expressed about physical abuse in current society etc. Then the author suddenly mixes her own stuff right in.
"This situation is entirely different from a light slap delivered by a parent who is trying to teach something important and done without anger."

^^That right there has absolutely nothing to do with Michael (call me crazy, but I have never heard MJ debate that hitting a child cold blooded is of better quality than hitting a child red in the face) , but all the more with the authors view- and you learned more about the author than MJ. And that is just one of the many scenarios in the book where hardcore MJ fans will know where MJ starts and where he ends- but those who are not familiar with him- will wonder. (to the author's credit, a few pages later she remembers that MJ also stated to never lay a finger on his children in order to discipline)

To me it is absolutely fascinating to see how the assessment of the person "MJ" is changing very fluidly under the vastly different perspectives of the authors describing them. Wiesner has to explain to his German readers what the pizza chain "Domino's" is- and Moriarty's readers from abroad will wonder about "Circus Circus" and "Dunkin' Donuts". What REALLY amuses me is that readers of all these books will have a very in-depth knowledge about US fast food chains in general that existed in the time that Michael Jackson lived. :rofl: (I always envision Star Trek's holo deck with the order of "2008, Dunkin' Donuts, large hot French Vanilla.")

When I first started reading the book I soon started to wish that the author had indeed 'committed' and mentally boxed herself into writing a true biography since that would have forced her into a larger 'obedience' to exact years and a slightly more logical chronology.
This way the reader finds themselves in Las Vegas, Bahrain, Vegas again and somewhere in between Ireland is also mentioned. I sincerely ached for chronology in these parts. Since the author also stated that this entire book came to be since she essentially wanted to start anew- in that aspect I am puzzled about keeping a 'framework' that centers so heavily on Michael's post-trial Las Vegas residence.

In your typical 'dry biography' the reader will automatically be subject to such mind numbing sequences as "And in 1836 he did xyz and in 1856 he started to work on abc."
While that may force you to prove to yourself endurance while reading- it helps to follow the red thread. While I understand and appreciate the author's intention of showing the reader the 'current, tendency and bigger picture and what it means in the overall thing to be proven'- it also bugs me to no end when the author talks about "Cry" and then, with no mentioning of a time frame etc- jumps decades back to "We Are The World" and jumps right ahead to Bill Clinton's inauguration.
Those still learning about Michael might be okay with that- to those who are extremely familiar with Michael it might appear downright disjointed.

The author in no shape or form asserts neutrality towards the people described as surrounding MJ. The author's views on associates such as Raymone Bain and Leonard Rowe is definitely not a neutral one- and in that way the book departs from the usual attempted neutrality (for better, or worse) I have read in other books thus far. The author has opinions and makes these known.

I personally discarded just about all words written about both of Michael's ex-spouses. That was already a hotly debated issue in Frank Cascio's book ("how much can he know?")- I found myself discarding the short bits in that regard as completely 100% author's opinion and nothing else.

While I found myself reading at a fast pace and felt entertained as well- if you are a regular reader/poster on this forum alone, you will be familiar with the majority of all stories. While reading I saw precisely every excerpt of Oprah, Ebony and TMZ in front of my inner eye- I didn't even have to consult the appendix as I knew exactly whole reading what was bodyguard sourced- and what was sourced online from the very same sources we are all familiar with.
There was a certain repetition in the book that could have been avoided. Victor Gutierrez gets mentioned twice, June Juliet Gatlin receives at least 3 mentionings throughout the book- a certain feeling of repetition does come up.

Unfortunately factual errors are also part of this, particularly in the Murray trial chapter.

The author states for example on page 425 that:
"It was Dr. Cooper who signed the death certificate of Michael Jackson after Dr. Murray refused to do so. As Michael Jackson's doctor, he would have been expected to take that responsibility."
^^^Those who followed the trial would know that the statement above is incorrect without further information and that Murray refused to call the death at the house with the paramedics present and insisting on being the 'higher authority' who demands transport to UCLA- and if you followed the trial you also heard Dr. Cooper explain that MJ became a patient at UCLA and that is was therefore not Murray's job to sign that certificate.

Another statement like that comes on page 432:
"...He had no oximeter to gauge the oxygen saturation of the patient's blood..."
^^^The trial I watched even had an expert from the manufacturer explaining the difference between existing pulse-oximeters, why Murray was a cheapskate for getting one without an audio warning and entire hours were spent quizzing witnesses on the location of the found oximeter and if paramedics or bodyguards had seen it attached to Michael. Stuff like that seems 'small', but I wished the author had triple checked a few of those statements that are not 'totally wrong' as a whole- but are inaccurate by themselves and are also not accurately reflecting details of the trial. Corrections in further editions are needed.

Another blunder made me fall off the bed. Page 470:
"In the U.S.S.R., a recently published book entitled 'Michael Jackson, P.S.' advanced the theory of Michael Jackson's divinity."
^^I don't know who fell asleep at the wheel there- but SOMEBODY should have caught that one. The author is talking about a recently published book- in the USSR????????????



Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it to be a nice read, albeit not a cheap read at $27 for a paperback. (ebook version is more appropriately priced IMHO)
I classify it as a book for (less hardcore informed) fans from another fan and as that I enjoyed it in many parts.
 
Pace,MioDolceCuore, thank you for your review - I always enjoy your thoughts on books because I have in many ways the same approach.

In every book there is this hidden challenge to separate facts from author's opinions and "real MJ" from author-imposed emotions and interpretations. Michael is presented differently by different tellers, ranging from a saint (in fan books) to a very human person (in Cascio book) and probably even to a devilish man in negative books which I haven't read. But it's usually pretty easy, at least for a fan, to tell where MJ ends and where the author begins. Unfortunately for me in this book, there are not so many new factual stories about Michael (which would speak for themselves, really), and even those included in the book are interlaced with author's assessments. It's not necessarily a bad thing, and it is kind of a mirror to the society. But as a person whose focus is on Michael Jackson, I tend to filter away "the author" - especially if the author was not a part of the original events.

It would be interesting to compare books written for different audiences and different countries. I've seen just a few chapters from Dieter's book that have been translated to my language so far, and his book seemed to me like one written for the fans. It is very favorable of Michael, but also not very personal (so far). I find it strange because Dieter was close to MJ for many years, and I expected a more intimate and human perspective from him. Well, I have to see how it goes further. So far from everything I've read Frank's book was the most real, and from all the other accounts I conclude that there weren't many people whom Michael let that close to him. Most of his "friends" and employees can only tell what was happening in his life, but hardly - why things where happening the way they were or what was in his head. He didn't let many people inside his head.

BTW, regarding the book published in U.S.S.R. :) I am from Russia, and we've never heard of such a book here. I contacted Dr. Moriarty and asked her where she got it - she said a fan gave it to her. She gave me an email address printed on the cover, and I tried to request some information on the book, but never heard back. So, this "U.S.S.R. book" remains a mystery.
 
Last edited:
BTW, regarding the book published in U.S.S.R. :) I am from Russia, and we've never heard of such a book here. I contacted Dr. Moriarty and asked her where she got it - she said a fan gave it to her. She gave me an email address printed on the cover, and I tried to request some information on the book, but never heard back. So, this "U.S.S.R. book" remains a mystery.
Click to expand...

Morinen, that's funny, I was just about to say that my curiosity has been stirred on that "USSR" book (? ?? ???????? ? ???????, ????? ???????- ??? ????????, to be exact)
- as it was mentioned in the book- but did not show up in the appendix as a source, which kinda drives me bonkers when an author mentions a book- but not the author- and doesn't include it in the appendix, either.

The only reference online was this:
http://musfan.com/group/michael-jackson
From that I am assuming the that this must be the book Moriarty spoke about. I can't find any information on it, either. Not that an ISBN is the only "has been published" indicator- but I can't find the book anywhere- and I would love to read it.

morinen said:
...
In every book there is this hidden challenge to separate facts from author's opinions and "real MJ" from author-imposed emotions and interpretations. Michael is presented differently by different tellers, ranging from a saint (in fan books) to a very human person (in Cascio book) and probably even to a devilish man in negative books which I haven't read. But it's usually pretty easy, at least for a fan, to tell where MJ ends and where the author begins.
Click to expand...

That's putting it politely! :yes: This one falls into the 'largely Saint" category.
There is such a thing as 'myth building' going on.
In this book on page 324 you'll find the statement "Michael Jackson never took a dance lesson either then or later." :busted:
Not only did Michael not have coaches, his children are also becoming perfect little angels who never cried. (according to David Nordahl- bless his heart, I love most of what he so graciously shared with us).
That narrative is also established in this book. Cascio painted a slightly more human picture- of Paris being the colicky baby of the three (even described Michael coping with a colicky baby the way most of us parents cope- co-sleeping with a colicky one who is constantly waking up...) and that even the perfect Saint Michael was happy to sit down in a restaurant to eat a dinner in peace and quiet because parenting very little ones requires 'saintly virtues' and that even the great Michael Jackson was like the rest of us who knows what it's like to have small children.

There's another big giveaway in that aspect- Michael is being celebrated as the parent who is 'both mother and father'.
(I am not trying to take away from Michael's accomplishment as parents- I am just trying to point out why I pause sometimes...). Every single parent on this planet who parents by themselves fulfills this double roll- I wished single mothers would be equally celebrated for sitting by their sick children's bed site as was written in this book. Don't get me wrong- that should be EXPECTED of EVERY parent- but it shows you that you learn much more about society than you learn about Michael.

In one part of the book the author writes that if MJ were a woman she'd be celebrated as saint for her full expression of love etc.
Then a few pages later it almost sounds as if Michael is being slapped on the shoulder by saying "dude, for a man and being MJ you make quite the parent'.
Sometimes the celebration of Michael sounds almost humorous as I know countless proudparents who sit by their sick children's bedside - but I guess in light of Michael being usually treated as 'subhuman' by the media- I guess that explains the celebration of completely normal parental behavior as saintly virtue.
And just how much we are still stuck in gender roles. When a famous female actress passes away- does anybody celebrate the fact that she made breakfast for her children?

I swear that even in books that celebrate MJ, there seems to be such a discovery of 'wow, this guy was actually human'.
 
Pace said:
Morinen, that's funny, I was just about to say that my curiosity has been stirred on that "USSR" book (? ?? ???????? ? ???????, ????? ???????- ??? ????????, to be exact).
Click to expand...

Hey, nice to see you know Russian XD :cheers:

Your link just tipped me off! I actually did hear about this book, but I totally forgot about it. Here it is: http://ps.mjrussia.ru/more.html I didn't buy it because from the description I thought it was a collection of fan poems and essays inspired by Michael, rather than an analysis exploring his art or historic persona, which I'm more interested in. Dr. Moriarty's words convey a different impression, but she told me she didn't read it herself - a fan retold her, so it's a hearsay. The book doesn't look like an interesting read to me, to be honest.

And you just nailed with your last sentence that impression I get from most of the books. It seems that it is somehow surprising even for fans that Michael was a man of flesh and blood and in many ways "normal". I don't know whether that happens because he seemed so otherworldly, or becuase he was vilified for so many years, but this is a very interesting effect. And I think that's one of the reasons he remains so fascinating and everyone likes hearing stories about him - it connects his superhuman aura to his human nature. General public shows more of shameless noisy curiosity in his persoanl life, and fans try to be more respectful, but ultimately I see that everyone is equally interested in learning about this human side of his.
 
I wish Frank Cascio would write another book about MJ. Also, I'm sure Mrs. Cascio has some good stories she could tell us about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top