Me
Ratings35
Average rating4.5
Six stars! It was everything I'd hoped it would be.
I've also started listening to musicians that were never part of my scene (Little Richard, Rod Stewart, The Band) because Elton John talks about them in a way that really sparked my interest. So that's nice, to have the book unexpectedly launch me into something new; a tiny surprise gift.
Elton John and Alexis Petridis's Me is a pretty marvelous (auto)biography. While Elton John has lived a life that's almost larger than any life can possibly be, there's a great deal of personality in this book. He's candid about his failings, and instead of pointing the finger he more often than not takes a good look in the mirror. He comes off as wonderfully humane, not a two-dimensional product of a writer's team that is scared of tarnishing a reputation. The book is chock-full of self-deprecation and introspection, and since it's seeped in sarcasm and irony, it succeeds in being funny and truthful at the same time, which is not an easy feat to accomplish.
The chapters on how he lost many friends to AIDS were the most gut-wrenching, and I read those through listening to The Last Song on repeat. His take on fame and the bubble in which one lives is levelheaded, and taking into consideration his extravagant drug use, alcoholism and consumerism, is clearly that of a person who's learned through trial and error. There's a huge amount of namedropping, which isn't the least surprising if you're a rock star who has lived through the golden age of modern rock music, and there are some amazing anecdotes (my favorite funny moment was how he and Rod Steward always pranked each other, and how it once escalated in Elton John calling his people to shoot down that blimp), but the most memorable was his depiction of the moment he finally met Elvis Presley face-to-face, and how shocked and saddened he was to meet the King in such disarray. The book succeeds in this so well: it's a joy to read because it flows so well, and there are laugh-out-loud funny bits almost on every page, and yet it's able to make a complete U-turn and get serious. Elton John's infectuously exuberant personality shines through the page, and Petridis's writing and editing skills obviously contribute to this greatly.
And finally, there are so many artists and songs mentioned in the book that makes it a treasure trove for music fans. I for one will be eternally grateful to have learned about Beth Nielsen Chapman's beautiful Sand and Water.
I picked up this book because I've seen it get a few great reviews and I love a good autobiography; I knew next to nothing about Mr. John's career or life. Still, I didn't expect Elton John to be so damn funny, endearing, and honest. While there's humor throughout the book there's a lot of dark stuff too and it never feels self-aggrandizing or like John is trying to deflect blame for things he might have done wrong it made for a really enjoyable read.
I absolutely loved this book. I dragged it out so it wouldn't end too soon. Elton goes through his drug and alcohol fueled episodes of life with very frank openness. He also tells a lot of funny stories about celebrities and himself.
On re-read on audible it was even better. I found more I forgot about and the extra chapter is well worth it.
So fun. You need platforms worthy of 70's Elton to stay on top of all the names he drops.
This has made me go back and listen to more of his discography and for that alone it deserves all the stars.