What book should I read about Michael Jackson?

putte

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There is a lot of books out there, not everyone on the positive side of Jacksons life. But if I want to read a book that is neutral, most to the facts, the truth, what book should I read then?

Its scary how little books about Jacksons music there is. If I go to the bookstore here in Sweden I can always find books about Elvis, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, evan about One Direction. But about Michael....no way, at most a Remember Michael Jackson book that in the end says nothing, mostly pictures and short facts that we already knew.
 
First, the two books he wrote himself: his 1988 autobiography, Moonwalk and his book with poems and reflections Dancing The Dream. I think you get to learn more about Michael from the latter. Unfortunately the 2009 edition (which is what you will get at a normal price) has a couple of print mistakes in it.

http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalk-Mich...26&sr=1-1&keywords=moonwalker+michael+jackson

http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Dream-Michael-Jackson/dp/0385403682


About his music:

Joseph Vogel: Man In The Music

http://www.amazon.com/Man-Music-Creative-Michael-Jackson/dp/1402779380

The author goes through his adult solo albums from Off The Wall to Invincible (actually it also covers the posthumus Michael album), how they were made, how they were critically received etc. and the at the end of each chapter he details all songs on that particular album. It's not without flaws but it's a good way to review his career.

Another by Joseph Vogel: Featuring Michael Jackson: Collected Writings on the King of Pop

http://www.amazon.com/Featuring-Michael-Jackson-Collected-Writings/dp/0981650686/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z

It's a collection of articles Vogel wrote about MJ in the past years. Not too long.

He also has one book specifically on Earth Song: Earth Song: Inside Michael Jackson's Magnum Opus

http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Song-Inside-Michael-Jacksons/dp/0981650678/ref=pd_sim_b_3


Chris Cadman, Craig Halstead - Michael Jackson, For The Record

http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Jackson-For-The-Record/dp/0755204786

It's more a factual summary of all of his songs (including unreleased) and albums - chart positions, info that we know about them etc.

In case you are interested in the human side:


William B. Van Valin II MD - Private Conversations in Neverland with Michael Jackson

http://www.amazon.com/Private-Conversations-Neverland-Michael-Jackson/dp/1481079727/ref=pd_sim_b_6


An insightful journey into the friendship between Barney Van Valin, a rural farmland physician and music icon, Michael Jackson. You will read about the close friendship from their first meeting to the mysterious and sudden end of their conversations after five years. Michael spent countless hours away from the opulent Neverland Ranch inside the humble home of Dr. Van Valin sharing time with his family. The book takes you inside Neverland Ranch from the dinner table to the extravagant game room, carnival rides, theater, to sitting in bed watching movies with Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor. You will read of the absence of memorabilia in his home from gold records to photographs of world dignitaries and his candid view of such acknowledgements; the nightly menu at the Neverland dinner table; the origin of the Moon Walk dance; his curiosity of the deceased that had him at Barney's mother's death bed; Michael's ghost; mystery behind Billie Jean; and his candid opinion of his father, Joe, and mother, Katherine. A must read for any Michael Jackson fan.



Michael Bush - The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson

http://www.amazon.com/The-King-Style-Dressing-Michael/dp/1608871517/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Made by Michael's long time clothes designer Michael Bush. I'm not too much into clothes and fashion so first I wasn't that interested but then a friend of mine ordered it and told about what a beautiful book it is so I ordered it too. And it really is very beautiful! It's a pleasure to read. I think it also won a couple of awards. No wonder. Truly beautiful publication.
 
About the 2005 molestation trial: Michael Jackson Conspiracy.

One of the absolute best books ive read on MJ.
 
About the 2005 molestation trial: Michael Jackson Conspiracy.

One of the absolute best books ive read on MJ.

About the 1993 allegations: Geraldine Hughes: Redemption

http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Michael-Jackson-Molestation-Allegations/dp/1576880362

It's not the full story, but it's good for a start, especially for undersanding the reasons why Michael settled. Geraldine is very factual about that, citing laws, documents etc. Geraldine Hughes was the secretary of Barry K. Rothman, the lawyer of the accuser at the time and she was witness to some of the schemes of the Chandlers. That's what her book is about.
 
Great ideas for reads! I see an Amazon order in my near future! I'd like to say "ditto" for Moonwalk - Michael's own words. It doesn't get any more intimate than that. I also HIGHLY recommend Frank Cascio's book "My Friend Michael". The Cascios in New Jersey were Michael's second family; Frank grew up with Michael as an extended family member, & spent 20-some years in close acquaintance. His book is very thoughtful & very respectful. I urge you & any other readers to do your research before buying any of the other bazillion books out there about Michael. Many of them are simply attempts to cash in on Michael's fame. I won't, for example, buy & therefore support Jermaine's book "Gone Too Soon" Why? Because IMO his published song "Word to the Badd" was a very public bashing of Michael - from his own brother! Remember, whatever book you buy, is supporting that author. Please don't support & condone people trying to feed off of MJ's fame.
 
I would also put that Frank Cascio's book in the same cathegory than Jermaine's. He used his friendship with Michael to get money and feed off his fame and most importantly, it's not 100% factual. Unfortunately Moonwalk had a ghost writer, the most personal and auto biographical is Dancing The Dream.
 
My favourite books on MJ..

Michael Jackson Conspiracy (Aphrodite Jones)
You Are Not Alone (Jermaine Jackson)
My Friend Michael (Frank Cascio)
 
I would also put that Frank Cascio's book in the same cathegory than Jermaine's. He used his friendship with Michael to get money and feed off his fame and most importantly, it's not 100% factual. Unfortunately Moonwalk had a ghost writer, the most personal and auto biographical is Dancing The Dream.

FINALLY someone who agrees with me about Frank using Michael's friendship to make money. THANK YOU!
 
Michael Jackson The Maestro: The Definitive A-Z Volume A-J. I will start a new thread on it!!! It is by one of the coauthors of For The Record and it is getting ready to be released.
 
My opinion it really depends on what type of fan you are.. Some fans could care less about allegations - some fallow it very closely. Some fans love bias views twards Michael and some people like more fact base.. Some fans read everything. Some fans...


Me I like everything that is not anti Michael..
* Redemption
* MJ Conspiracy
* Cascios book
* Moonwalker
* Randy T's book has some good portions of it too..

That's just my opinion! I am a fan that likes reading what I would find to be the truth.. I am a fan that doesn't buy into all the glorification that some do, but I do glorify him a bit more so to non fans just to scratch away stigmas against him..
 
^ I do NOT recommend J Randy Taraborelli's book (Magic and Madness) at all. Lots of tabloid trash.
 
re Moonwalk having a ghost writer--there is a discussion by the ghost writer in the new edition and he says that MJ was not comfortable or didn't take the time to write his life down, so the writer went to visit him while on tour and they recorded conversations which were then put into book form. When MJ saw the final version, according to the writer, he almost changed his mind about publication b/c he was concerned he was too frank and revealing--for example, about the beating from Joe, and about his depression and loneliness. Personally, I think the voice in Moonwalk is coming from MJ and I consider it essential MJ reading.
 
I'm a fan who despises, hates liars and sensarionalists ausing Michael to make money. Neither Jeanine's, Cascio's, Taraborelli's books are examples of truthfulness but the things I hate. The books respect mentioned are way fairer and truthful on portraying Michael's character, artistry and tribulations greedy bastards made him going through.
 
I attempted to read some of his book and then got disgusted when it made out Michael and Jordie had a more than friendship relationship :puke:

That's because Evan Chandler was his source. It boggles the mind to me how fans can recommend that book when it full of innuendo about him and children. Even if Taraborelli is sneaky and wants to play for both fans and haters so he won't openly write things but the direction his insinuations point to are pretty clear. Unless someone is talking about the first edition, before the allegations - but even that has a lot of factually incorrect tabloid stuff. I hate it how Taraborelli's book often gets quoted as if it's the Bible on MJ (eg. Wikipedia extensively uses it as a source for their MJ articles) and it's full of tabloid trash.
 
^^It pisses me off he auto proclaims an MJ expert just because he interviewed Michael in the 70's. Taraborelli's book should deserve to be in the same cathegory than Sullivan's, full of garbage and bullshit. The fact Michael allowed him to have contact in some moments of his life doesn't make him an expert. Taraborelli often tells the story how he spoke on the phone with him after the settlement in 94 but I don't know if it was true.
 
That's because Evan Chandler was his source. It boggles the mind to me how fans can recommend that book when it full of innuendo about him and children. Even if Taraborelli is sneaky and wants to play for both fans and haters so he won't openly write things but the direction his insinuations point to are pretty clear. Unless someone is talking about the first edition, before the allegations - but even that has a lot of factually incorrect tabloid stuff. I hate it how Taraborelli's book often gets quoted as if it's the Bible on MJ (eg. Wikipedia extensively uses it as a source for their MJ articles) and it's full of tabloid trash.

Wow I didn't know Evan Chandler was his source. That just makes me even angrier and glad I stopped reading when I did
 
I don't remember Randys book making it out like Jordy and Michael had more?? Maybe it was the fact I read it while at work when I was not supposed to be reading but, I really don't recall that at all.
 
The Trials of Michael Jackson - Lynton Guest was a good book.
 
I don't remember Randys book making it out like Jordy and Michael had more?? Maybe it was the fact I read it while at work when I was not supposed to be reading but, I really don't recall that at all.

He absolutely does make it out like that. Eg. I remember a story in it which claims one day Michael and Jordan were watching TV and Michael just could not take his eyes off the boy. It's full of little innuendos like that. And it's also clear that such stories came from the Chandlers because no one but Michael and the Chandlers were in that room and we can be sure that MJ did not tell such a thing to JRT. Of course, JRT could have made it up himself but there are other signs in that book that indeed he used Evan as his source. In fact, after Evan's death JRT admitted on his FB that he was indeed in contact with Evan and he pretended that he did not believe him, but whether he personally did or did not believe him, he did present those stories in his book as a fact and did not question them, nor did he reveal in his book that the source of those stories are the Chandlers which would have put those stories into a perspective for the readers since they could have seen that info comes from a biased source.
 
I've always been the type of fan that if it didn't come from horse's mouth (or tape recorder, lol), I'm not interested. I really don't care what anyone else thought of him or the ones trying to psychoanalyze him. "As told by" or "from a friend/brother/mother/father's perspective" gets ignored by me.
 
An excellent book is Armond White's Keep Moving: The Michael Jackson Chronicles. You need to order it from his website resistanceworks.com.
 
The Books I Have/Read:

Bold books are ones worth reading, Italic ones are worth skipping out on.

Earth Song: Inside Michael Jackson's Magnum Opus by: Joseph Vogel - If you ever want to know how Michael went through the process of conceptualizing Earth Song, it's an interesting read.

Man in the Music: the Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson by: Joseph Vogel - an album by album account of Michael's music. Well put together and thorough book on the subject. I rather enjoyed reading it.

In the Studio With Michael Jackson by: Bruce Swedien - It was in interesting book but really hard to read. Swedien is no Shakespeare. He skips around a lot and uses a LOT of technical speak. Some of the things he says are interesting though like how they recorded Michael and kept the sounds of his dancing in the recordings.

The Michael Jackson Conspiracy by: Aphrodite Jones - This book is the best account of the 2005 trial. It was written by a journalist who originally sided with the media on Michael being guilty. After the case she stepped back and realized that the whole thing was bullpoop. She was so adamant on getting hte word out that she self-published this book because no major publishing house would take a pro-Jackson book at the time.

Michael Jackson: The Magic, the Madness, the Whole Story by: J. Randy Taraborreli - I'll admit this is the first MJ book I ever bought. I didn't realize until after I read it how much bullpoop is in it. If you read it, take it with a grain of salt.

You Are Not Alone, Michael: Through a Brother's Eyes by: Jermaine Jackson - It was not a horrible book, but many of the accounts of the early years are the same things that MJ fans have been hearing since forever. There are a few stories that will make you laugh and smile. It has pictures in it too, though if I remember right, there aren't any that are rare.

My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship With an Extraordinary Man by: Frank Cascio - It's not a popular book among the fans, but I liked it. A warning though, it does kind of portray a darker side of Michael.

Moonwalk by: Michael Jackson - A kind of outdated autobiography written in 1987. But if you want to hear the storied from the man himself, this is the book for you.

Dancing the Dream by: Michael Jackson - This book is my favorite out of my whole collection. It is poems, song lyrics and short stories written by Michael. He once said that he felt this book was a truer reflection of himself than his autobiography. It is a beautiful work of art. I turn to it whenever I need a smile. Unfortunately this book is kind of hard to find. The original edition can be found on ebay. There was an reprint after his death but I don't know how many copies were made.

Moonwalker the Storybook by: Michael Jackson - Not much to this book, it's a kid’s book based off the film Moonwalker.

Michael Jackson: Man in the Mirror 1958-2009 by: Tim Hill – A picture book that kind of made me mad with its mis-captioned photos. Pictures are decent and span his whole career.

The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson by: Michael Bush – This book fascinated with every page (I’m a costume maker myself so the fact that it’s a book about Michael’s clothes makes me fan-nerd to no end.) The pictures are gorgeous and Michael Bush has some really interesting stories about working first hand with Michael from the time of Captain Eo to the end of his life.

Michael Jackson: Unauthorized by: Christopher Anderson – I don’t remember a lot about this book, I read it a long time ago from a public library. It was a lot of tabloid crap.

Michael Jackson: King of Pop by: Mary K. Pratt – a book aimed for children or young teens. The average fan will find nothing new in this book.

Michael Jackson: Ultimate Music Legend by: Katherine E. Krohn - a book aimed for children or young teens. The average fan will find nothing new in this book.

Michael: By the Editors of Rolling Stone editor: Jason Fine – I read this book a long time ago. I remember not liking it. It got pretty tabloid-like after a while. The pictures were nice though.

Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson by: Ian Halperin
– I think this is one of the few MJ books I couldn’t force myself to finish, it was that full of bullpoop.

Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson by: Randall Sullivan – This book was several hundred pages of pure crap. It cast Michael in a pretty negative light.

Jackson Family Values: Memories of Madness by: Margaret Maldonado Jackson – This book is written by one of Jermaine’s ex-wives telling what it was like living in Hayvenhurst. I haven’t read it in a long time but if I remember right she didn’t have anything bad to say against Michael. It was mainly against the rest of the family.

La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family by: LaToya Jackson – There’s one word for this book, crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap.

The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation by: Rabbi Shmuley Boteach – I really don’t like this book. The fan version without the Rabbi’s bullpoop is kind of tolerable. I refuse to buy this book though because this man stole from Michael’s charity Heal the Kids.


But if you want to read many of the books/magazine written on Michael over the years Jetzi is a good site. Just click the link that says books.

Dear lord… looking at this list… I can’t believe I’ve read that many books on one person.
 
When it comes to books written about him, the ones I own are mainly just tribute books with a great portion of it being photos. That's all I'm really interested in because us fans know better than to take into huge consideration what others say/write about him. :p
I also own his autobiography, Moonwalk. I highly recommend it to any MJ fan! :wub: And I just ordered Dancing the dream from Amazon.. I'll be getting it in a few days. :D Really looking forward to reading it :clap:
 
When it comes to books written about him, the ones I own are mainly just tribute books with a great portion of it being photos. That's all I'm really interested in because us fans know better than to take into huge consideration what others say/write about him. :p
I also own his autobiography, Moonwalk. I highly recommend it to any MJ fan! :wub: And I just ordered Dancing the dream from Amazon.. I'll be getting it in a few days. :D Really looking forward to reading it :clap:

Dancing the Dream is amazing. I have a first edition that i got off Ebay. :)
 
In Michael's autobiography, the description of Michael's experience working in the Strip Clubs, as a little boy helps me understand Michael better and his understanding of why Michael wasn't into groupies, like Elvis Presley was. In fact, Elvis married his number one groupie, Priscilla and she popped out a kid, who became a pawn for money. So much scheming, so little time or should I say like mother like daughter.

Yeah reading written words that describe Michael Jackson as some dark, foreboding character makes me cringe!
 
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