Ellis Cashmore

The Destruction and Creation of Michael Jackson, by Ellis Cashmore, covers Jackson's life (in the broadest sense to include his death and subsequent posthumous life) through the lens of the culture and society within which it took place.

I'll state upfront that some diehard fans may not enjoy this book, it is even-handed but is not meant to be the typical celebrity biography. While the highs and positives are certainly included, the lows are what largely drive the analyses. A reader simply wanting to relive their youth and adoration of Jackson will be put to the test.

I'll also give some indication of where I stand on the MJ spectrum. I grew up with him as a part of my background. He was about a month older than me so I started with the Jackson Five. As a solo artist, he was never my favorite even though I bought several of his albums (Off the Wall by far my favorite). I saw one of his shows only because the person I was seeing at the time got them through her work. I am one of those who find it hard to believe that all of his accusers lied while I also understand that for whatever reason inconsistent testimony is plenty reason for acquittal. So, in sum, I was fond of his music, enjoyed his entertainment persona, and had no real feelings one way or the other about the person until the accusations started, in which case I was uncertain but leaned, as I usually do, toward believing an alleged victim's story. Musically, I preferred what I saw as a much more talented performer, Prince. But I was never an either/or fan, I could appreciate both. Okay, enough about that, you have an idea where I stand in coming to this book.

I found the reverse chronology a little unusual but quickly found it to be quite functional. Yes, there are a lot of names and dates, but a career as long as popular as Jackson's will have involved a lot of people. Add in the degree to which he associated outside of the music industry and you have a lot of people. Yet even with that being said, it isn't hard to follow who is who, Cashmore does a good job of refreshing the reader's memory if a person is being mentioned for the first time or hasn't been mentioned in a while. I think a lot of the complaints about too many names is rationalizing for those who don't want to look at Jackson's flaws but just celebrate his positives.

I will also add that Cashmore, in relating this to the broader scope of society (mostly US in his early career and ultimately global later), mentions a number of other figures that are not directly related to the Michael Jackson story. The vast majority of these are names (and events) that we have all heard and become familiar with simply by living through the period. Yet it is bringing some of these seemingly unrelated things into contact with Jackson's career that he presents his ideas on what drove both Jackson's immense popularity as well as the vicious destruction of his legend especially after his death.

On the topic of Cashmore's ideas I am of mixed opinion. I don't know to what degree I find some of his specific arguments persuasive, though I do think he does make a strong case for the role of race, especially for a popular Black male performer, in how Black celebrities are perceived by a country that is still, to this day, a white supremacist country. I guess what I am saying is that I am not fully convinced on every point even if I agree on the overall argument.

I would recommend this to fans with the understanding that this is an analysis of Jackson within the society he lived and thrived. This is not a biography in the usual sense though the reader may come away with a better understanding of why Michael Jackson was who he was. For those doing cultural studies this is a fascinating look at potentially what a society does to its celebrities in both raising them up and tearing them down. I even think there might be some interesting tidbits for those doing any fandom studies, though the focus here is not on the fans.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (altro)

My grandmother loved reading about Elizabeth Taylor. She was indeed an American icon. She was one of the first celebrities who was followed and hounded by photographers. And, while she was upset by the lack of privacy, conversely, she also found ways in which to stay front and center in the media.

A child star who gained fame at the age of eight, the public became obsessed with her beauty. As an adult, she had two many marriages, two of them to Richard Burton. An advocate of Michael Jackson, she stood by him when all around were bringing him down.

This was a rather large book, but it was very well written, so reading it didn't seem like a chore.

It was interesting to read the story of her life, and smile remembering my grandmothers fascination.… (altro)