Me
Ratings52
Average rating4.4
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.
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.
I don't even know where to begin. Listening to this book has brought me so much joy and I loved every second of it. Elton John's life has been truly, ridiculously remarkable and his ability to write about all of it so honestly and hilariously never got old in the 12 hours it took to finish. I think this is the epitome of how celebrities should write their autobiographies, even if they didn't, y'know, have the queen mother round for tea or name Lady Gaga their child's godmother. If you want to have the most fun time learning about the craziest but most amazing artist's life, then this is more than perfect for you.
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.
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.
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.
Whether or not you like the man or his music, this is truly his story.
I was a young teen when I went to see Elton John - my very first concert ever.
We sat behind the stage in the balcony. We had a pretty decent view of this brightly dressed man with fun glasses playing his piano with passion.
I've always loved Elton's music and how he seemed so carefree. But I hadn't known his life story until I read this book.
He had a tough childhood. He had to learn how to love, as that didn't seem to be shown to him at home. Then he struggled with drugs and his own sexuality. I can't imagine a world without the music of Elton John, and I'm glad he survived his own crazy drama.
I believe this book was told honestly. There were times when I was shocked at how honest it seemed.
The movie “Rocketman” also released this year, but I haven't seen it yet. I wanted to finish his book first. I think many others were enjoy this book if they want to know more about the man.
I have loved Elton John for more than 40 years and have already seen Rocketman twice, so I'm not exactly an objective reader. But I have read autobiographies by some of my favorite musicians that didn't do much for me, like Elvis Costello's [b:Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink 24611671 Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink Elvis Costello https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1438604246l/24611671.SY75.jpg 44929044], so I'm not a pushover. Fortunately, it is easy to love Me. It's fast-paced, moving, hilarious, and pretty damn insightful. Elton is also probably kinder than he should be regarding some of the celebrities who he's crossed paths with. His stories are funny and entertaining but never vicious or cruel (he doesn't seem terribly fond of David Bowie but that's as far as it goes). Considering one of his better known songs is “The Bitch is Back,” he seems to save most of his bitchery for castigating himself about his former drug use (in a very dry, British way). And he could also have been much less charitable towards his late mother, who rarely missed an opportunity to criticize him even after he was one of the most successful rock stars in the world. I haven't really listened to any new Elton music since his heyday of the 70s but this book made me want to check out some of his later albums, especially the ones released after he got sober. I'm so glad he survived the excesses of his younger years and is “still standing” today to tell his story.
