This is the first and only official autobiography of music icon Elton John, and wow, what a book! In a book that is funny and candid, Elton talks about his extraordinary life – all the highs and the lows.
He talks about his childhood, Reginald Dwight, the shy boy growing up in the London suburb of Pinner, with a love of music, and a natural talent for writing songs, and a dream of being a pop star. By the age of twenty-three he was performing gigs in America, wearing the most outlandish, theatrical clothing. From then on, his life was one of massive success and adulation – but also a dramatic slide into a life of drug and alcohol addiction for more than a decade.
Elton writes very honestly about his years of substance abuse, before getting the help he needed and getting clean. Along the way he shares numerous stories of the rich and famous he met on the way, sharing real life friendships with people like Princess Diana, John Lennon, Freddie Mercury and George Michael. Elton’s long friendship with Rod Stewart is one of the funniest parts of the book, and I dare anyone not to read how Elton arranged for his management team to shoot down a promotion blimp of Rod Stewart’s over London and not laugh out loud.
Elton also talks about finding love with David Furnish, and becoming a father. He also talks about his work with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The driving force in this book is Elton’s undeniable love of music, and his natural talent for song writing – but it also his long friendship and collaboration with song-writing Bernie Taupin that is one of the highlights of the book. With Bernie writing the lyrics and Elton the songs, they proved to be one of the most successful song-writing duos in the world. Almost poplar opposites, it is heart-warming to read about the enduring friendship and ongoing collaborations.
Many people will have seen the film Rocketman, so if you enjoyed the movie, go and get a copy of ME: Elton John, as there is so much more material in this autobiography, and Elton proves to have a great gift for storytelling, with a voice that is warm, humble and very often funny, even when things go terribly wrong.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Macmillan publishers