Fascinating though Mick is a bit of a sphinx.... ( )

What an amazing life! I love the Stones' music, more so the earlier recordings. What really amazes me is the endurance of the band and that the members never quit playing to sell-out audiences. It has got to be a grueling kind of life. The book is well-written and moves quickly for its over 600 pages. Mr. Norman does not have a great deal of good to say about Mick, but he has described a well-rounded character with barely any mud-slinging. Reading about the obsession Mick and the others had for American blues music was great. That love for the blues created one of the greatest band that ever played on the world stage. ( )

Mick Jagger by Philip Norman

★★★★

First off, I am happy I finally finished a book this month! It’s about time!

Many people I have talked to have an opinion – Beatles or The Rolling Stones. And I’m not going to lie; I’m in the Beatles camp all the way. But when my husband showed up with this book from the library for me to read (long story short, he likes to surprise me with a book a month – my own personal book club. But with money constraints we’ve gone from purchasing a book a month to checking one out at the library once a month – always a random book he picks out for me) I decided, what the heck. I know little about Mick Jagger except for juicy tidbits picked up from unreliable sources and the author is a great one at his biographies (I’ve also read his books on The Beatle, John Lennon, and Elton John). I was not disappointed. Perhaps it was because I had low expectations since I’m not a Jagger fan but regardless of whether one likes him or his band – he is an interesting man although from the sound of it, not quite as interesting as his fellow bandmate Keith Richards. The author was fairly objective which is one reason I’ve always enjoyed Philip Norman. I learned a lot of things about Mick Jagger and his band and I must admit that some respect was gained in my reading of this book. After all, high five to any group who has managed to be around since 1962 and can successfully still tour and make records. Keep in mind that is a long one – over 600 pages so if you’re not into biographies, especially on famous people, this may be one to skip. Otherwise, give it a try. You might be surprised. I know I was.

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Despite Norman's fine record of turning out outstanding rock biographies, this one is only marginally worth the vast investment of time necessary to slog through it, as his subject is only superficially interesting. Although Jagger's stage persona is not at all reflective of the true man (except for the outsized libido), the oddment of him actually being a rather polite, scholarly, organized individual in real life isn't quite enough of a hook on which to hang a month-long time commitment. On the other hand, this is the sort of doorstop which it's hard to see a great deal that could be subtracted from; in fact, telescoping Jagger's last three decades into 100 pages seems extremely rushed, though admittedly memorable musical output has been scarce for many years.. ( )

I wouldn't have thought a book about Mick Jagger could be this boring. (pre-publication review, via advance galley proof) ( )