Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story [Hardcover]

When contemplating writing a review for this excellent book, I thought how difficult and challenging it must be for an ordinary person to research and write a biography about a quite exceptional and extraordinary person. However, I do believe that J. Randy Taraborrelli does qualify and has one distinct advantage when embarking upon such a challenging project and that is that he did actually know Michael Jackson from when they were both children. There were subsequent encounters and their lives interweaved on many occasions.

In all honesty, being someone who did not even attend a Michael Jackson concert [yes, there is most certainly a degree of regret present, now] I cannot by any stretch of the imagination consider myself a Michael Jackson fan, in the truest sense of the word. Yes, I have most certainly enjoyed his exciting music and inspiring songs, through the years; decades, in fact. Without reservation, I have certainly admired his philanthropic endeavours, been enthralled by his dancing, in addition to being, both, fascinated and intrigued by his wonderfully creative and incredibly vivid imagination. However, with all the media coverage since his sad, untimely, all too early and above all tragic demise, I felt sufficiently motivated to read and learn more about his quite extraordinary career and undeniably highly controversial life.

Among the many books available to purchase this tome then, became my chosen introduction to an `inside' account of Michael Jackson's life. In my view, I believe extensive and painstaking research has, patently, been undertaken to write such an authoritative view of Michael Jackson's life.

From the outset, this book seized my attention. I became immersed and absorbed in the content very quickly. All credit to the author, it is written in a style that is easy to read and melds events, places and timelines very smoothly. The much publicised and inauspicious Jackson family politics and conflicts are very apparent even from their fledgling days in Gary, Indiana. This is a common thread that weaves and sews its way through the entire account, right through until its concluding pages.

Through the pages of this biography, I would most definitely consider I now have a much better understanding of Michael Jackson as a person - a gifted, talented and quite exceptional human being. In my opinion one aspect of this biography that strengthens its credibility, is that the vast majority of the content was written prior to Michael Jackson's untimely death; therefore, it has not been written in the wake of his death to make a `fast buck' in the, almost, overwhelming tidal wave of words, accounts and multitude of conjectures since his death.

Overall, I believe this to be a genuine, respectful, honest, just and balanced biography. It is a sincere attempt to inform interested readers about Michael Jackson's life, musical career, inspirations, joy, sadness, pain, trials and tribulations. The book competently illustrates the numerous pressures that were brought to bear on many different levels in Michael Jackson's life [especially during his trial and court appearances] and in all honesty, there were occasions where I felt as if I could have quite easily shouted out aloud: "For God's sake, leave him alone!" Like the performer himself, this book is mesmerizing, electrifying, enlightening, occasionally uplifting, thought provoking and at times, both, moving and sad, even distressing.

In my opinion, this is an admirable book that encapsulates and does justice to the times and tribulations of [regrettably] the late Michael Jackson's life. Perhaps, given the most recent `upgrading' of this edition, with all due respect to J. Randy Taraborrelli, a more appropriate title to be considered might have been - `Michael Jackson - The Magic, The Madness, The Joy, The Sadness, The Triumphs and The Tragedies'.

Aspects of Michael Jackson's life that will remain with me is the fact he was generous, trusting and kind to a fault, in terms of time given to fans, moneys given to people he did not even know and his highly commendable philanthropic endeavours. Through this tome I found it very sad just how little genuine happiness he did actually appear to experience in his life. If one person did bring him any degree of joy, happiness, solace and genuine, heartfelt succour then it would appear to have been in his relationship with Lisa Marie Presley.

This review would not be complete if I failed to acknowledge or express gratitude to J. Randy Taraborrelli and the myriad of people who assisted him in this mammoth, superbly and comprehensively researched investigative project.

I believe Michael Jackson was; will continue to be and remain an enigma and yes, as expressed and voiced in his own words he was, quite possibly, "the loneliest person in the world".

In conclusion, I would like to say, albeit too late: Thank you Michael. Thank you for the music, the magic and the memories. You have left a wonderfully rich musical legacy and maybe, just maybe if more of us were to follow your lead there would be a way to make this world a better place.

For further reading, I would highly recommend Michael Jackson's own 'Dancing the Dream'. This is an ideal accompaniment to 'Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story'.

Finally, I would like to conclude this book review with the following quote because in terms of Michael Jackson and his premature departure from this life, it seems most apt.

". . . .Death will come, always out of season. It is the command of the Great Spirit, and all Nations and people must obey. . . ."

Black Elk - Oglala Lakota [Sioux] Nation, 1863-1950

Incidentally, if choosing to purchase this book - Please make sure you purchase the fully updated edition `Michael Jackson - The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story'.
Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story

An absolute 'must read' for anyone who wants to know more about Michael Jackson than they can read in the tabloids. Every single page is packed with information about his life, his music, his family, his personal relationships and the accusations of child molestation. This book has been written without bias by someone who has known Michae Jackson and his family practically all his life and who has been invited into the family circle on many occasions. The author has had constant access to Michael and the Jackson family from early days upto the present time. The information is laid out in minute detail for the reader to absorb and think about. The author clearly has tried very hard to write without allowing his personal opinions to influence the reader, and this is painstakingly evident when the book deals with all the facts concerning the two periods of Michael's life when his relationships with young adolescents came under scrutiny. The book contains a great deal of information about those relationships and how they effectively ruined Michael's life and career and led to him becoming a lonely, reclusive man. The reader is given much food for thought and must draw their own conclusions about Michael's loving relationships with children. Whatever those conclusions may be, there is no denying the genious of the man and we will probably never see the like again in musical history. Gone too soon.

J Randy Taraborrelli's bumper biography on Michael Jackson is an impressive looking volume; but while it at times informs, titillates and gossips about its subject, it lacks credibility when relaying behind the scenes details of Jackson's life via third-hand accounts of supposed (unnamed) close friends of either MJ or his associates. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Despite its title, Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story is obviously NOT the whole story it purports to be, and in some instances is definitely not the true story, even though Taraborrelli (a serial celebrity biographer of such icons as Sinatra, Marilyn Munroe, Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross and the Kennedy women Jackie, Ethel, Joan) has placed an emphasis on his own youthful friendship with the superstar.

The final chapters, added after Michael's death, are obviously rushed, and Taraborelli admits to having had very limited contact with him throughout this time. It's an indication of how hastily this revised version of Taraborelli's book was rushed onto the market.

Along with many other writers and publishers, this was a blatant attempt to capitalize on the shock and grief being experienced globally by Michael Jackson fans desperately handing over their hard-earned cash for anything that will help keep their idol alive in their minds.

They would be better sticking with Michael Jackson's This Is It (2 Disc Collector's Edition) [DVD] [2009]the music, the videos, the photographic tributes, and their own memories of the celebrated humanitarian and King of Pop.

However, if this edition of Taraborrelli's book sells well, one hopes that some of the royalties will end up going to a worthy charity.

It's nothing less than what a true friend of Michael would do, otherwise he has missed the whole point of what Michael Jackson was all about, what he meant to people, and what his legacy will be.