Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson

Being a Jackson fan I maybe a bit biased but the book gives you a view from Michael's brain. How he thought and how he made it all practical. Its his brain that you enter. (From what I know, I didn't read the book but my Brother did). C'mon! Its Jackson!

A deep and revealing journey into the genius of a man who comes once in centuries. Brilliant and shimmering work of art.

Nice photos and facts from his biography. get it if you love MJ

Main covers were little damage.

A decent book, gives you insight about songs and albums by mj though the only disappointing part is the lack of photos only album arts are shown in as photos whereas the first edition had more photos. But anyway it is a good read for Michael Jackson fans.

Chegou rápido e intacto. Por ser capa mole, fiquei com medo de amassar ou fazer "orelhinhas" no livro, mas veio bem embalado. Gratidão!

Ce livre est essentiel à tout fan qui se respecte, mais SURTOUT à toutes les personnes qui aiment "la Musique"-sans a priori et sous toutes ses formes. Je pense aussi à tous ces critiques Rock-Soul et Pop qui on tant craché sur les albums post-Thriller, sans prendre sans doute le temps de les ecouter?! (Mais non pas de nom!!) Car dans ce livre on se rend compte- ENFIN- du génie de ce bonhomme transcendé puis critiqué, humilié, blessé, les quelques 15 dernières années de sa vie. suivez pas à pas l'élaboration de ces albums disséqués avec intelligence, minutie et moultes références, re-decouvrez les, écoutez les. Tous ces albums sont immenses. Comme il fait du bien ce bouquin. Dommage qu'il n'est pas été écrit de son vivant....Et dommage qu'il ne soit qu'en anglais( pour l'instant j'espère) A lire d'urgence ou offrir ou se faire offrir ;-D

Very detailed

Scholars, fans, and even on-the-fence doubters will find Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson by Huffington Post writer Joseph Vogel, not only an enthralling read, but a gateway into a revised perception of one of the most mysterious and massively influential artists of our time. This is definitely not another run of the mill sensationalist work. Vogel skillfully guides the reader through the remarkable chapters of Jackson's professional career, fully capturing the cultural vibe of the `80s and `90s, while analyzing the particularities of Jackson's creative process from inception to aesthetic fulfillment. It seems the author desires to move beyond exclusively "preaching to the choir" of Jackson's loyal fan base, and has an even more expansive and restorative intention in mind. Vogel's narrative unfolds in a unique album-by-album mode, so Jackson's career is revealed through intricately woven stories that are chronologically linked with the creation of his music. This odyssey reminds one of a mythic "hero's journey," as it evokes the visceral emotion of artistic conquest. Throughout the process, Vogel explicates Jackson's music, performance art, cinematic short films, and aesthetic incarnations, as well as exploring Jackson's myriad eclectic influences. The book's success is due, in large part, to a trilogy of strengths the author possesses as an academic scholar and also a writer on popular culture. Vogel manages to fuse a penchant for research with an engaging gift of journalistic storytelling. Rare, however, is the sense of spiritual exegesis he also provides. This literary alchemy gives the reader an entirely fresh and valuable comprehension of Jackson as a culturally transformative artist. Vogel's book also illuminates the voluminous breadth, depth and influence of his artistic oeuvre. The reader experiences firsthand the gentle singer-songwriter's coming of age, his groundbreaking musical prowess, and his emergence as a humanitarian emissary for the disadvantaged and alienated. We are reminded that Jackson (a voracious reader of Emerson) was a transcendental visionary who called for healing the world through compassion, community, and environmental stewardship. The author offers a Joycean sensibility as he paints his archetypal "portrait of the artist as a young man" with a discerning eye. Vogel irrevocably raises the bar for future critical analysis of Jackson's art and cultural import, as he portrays his subject as an artist of stature amidst a constituency of the most influential and prescient artists of all time. One hopes the sincerity of Vogel's efforts will prompt inchoate scholarship on this subject to burgeon. Vogel's personal interviews document the rich and sundry details offered by a plethora of Jackson's musical collaborators, technical producers, and artistic associates. These remembrances add surprise and synchronicity to the more familiar aspects of Jackson's complex life history. Included among the recollections are those of musical giants Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Teddy Riley, Bruce Swedien, Rodney Jerkins, Buz Kohan, Brad Buxer and many others. Vogel, a Huffington Post writer on politics and popular culture, is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Rochester where his scholarship focuses on 18th century poets Blake and Wordsworth. Since he emerges out of an academic perspective on the history of literature and the arts, he is able to credibly position Jackson amidst a much broader contextual background than the many apocryphal works by authors who leapt too eagerly onto the greed-bandwagon following the artist's untimely death. It is interesting to note that Vogel began research for this book almost six years ago. This was during a time when Jackson was often treated by publishers and much of the public as a social leper. Vogel wanted to correct what he perceived as a terrible injustice and return the conversation to the genius of Jackson's art and his global transformative cultural import. Vogel later made a conscious choice to refrain from publishing his material immediately following Jackson's death. Hence, his biography includes analysis of Jackson's posthumously released works, as well as reflections on the nature of the artist's ultimate legacy. Vogel's insight and impeccable research do much to relieve the ignominy this artist suffered in life from a rapacious media. Vogel utilizes a Picasso-like construct in his ability to see his subject from multiple angles simultaneously, thereby rendering a multidimensional portrait. Formulaic tabloid stereotyping and long-standing racial binaries are finally exploded and cast aside. Vogel's readers will experience Jackson anew as a fine artist, cultural troubadour, and shamanic performer, because he is perceived through a lens that clarifies instead of mystifies. Perceptive, metaphoric, and humane, Vogel's Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson is certainly the defining biographical work to date regarding this artist. The revelatory nature of Jackson's art, and Jackson's under reported international initiatives for social justice, surely deserve this long over due literary retrospective. The book's stunning photographs make this volume attractive to appreciators of all art genres. It is especially meaningful to note the author has dedicated his book to Jackson's three children. One imagines they will be grateful, for Vogel offers respect and appreciation to the father they loved. Constance Pierce, New York, October 18th, 2011

Absolut fundiert recherchiert, sachlich in einer selten guten Sprachform niedergeschrieben! Im Vordergund steht die Genialität der Musik, das Umfeld, in dem sie erschaffen wurde. Dabei vergisst Joseph Vogel aber nicht den Menschen, der dahinter steht und honoriert das Werk Michael Jackson's in einer derartig brillanten und grundlegenden Form, ohne dabei zu euphorisch zu wirken. Ein ausgezeichnetes Buch, welches wirklich jedem zu empfehlen ist! Auch sensationsorientierten Journalisten, die hier ein excellentes Vorbild für einen perfekten Schreibstil finden! Schade nur, dass es noch nicht in deutscher Sprache zu erhalten ist; es würde sicherlich auch viele Personen interessieren, die sich dieses Buch aufgrund sprachlicher Hürden noch nicht geholt haben...