“The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.”
Michael Jackson is one of the most culturally significant individuals in history. During his four decades in the spotlight, everything from his music, dance, fashion and heavily reported-on personal life made him the most recognisable face in the world of pop culture. From his Mowtown beginnings with the Jackson 5, the superstardom that came with the releases of Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad, the speculations and controversies, his triumphant This Is It announcement and sudden tragic death, Jackson’s influence can still be felt even today. With the bestselling album of all time, two inductions in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, fifteen Grammys, a Golden Globe and thirty-nine Guinness World Records, it’s hard summing up the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. Which is why memoirs and biographies on him are so fascinating. Join us at What We Reading as we present you the best Michael Jackson books!
Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009 – J. Randy Taraborrelli
The first leg in our tour of the best Michael Jackson books is J. Randy Taraborrelli’s biography. Originally published in 1992, The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story is the result of three decades worth of research and exclusive interviews with individuals within the closest circles of the Jackson family, including Michael himself. Cutting through the tabloid rumours that were beginning to plague him at the time, Taraborrelli drills straight to the heart of Jackson’s rise as a child star, his blooming talent, changing personal appearance and bizarre publicity stunts.
Still lauded as one of the best biographies about Jackson, Taraborrelli’s work includes many behind-the-scenes stories about Jackson’s marriages to Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, his legal battles, commercial disputes, passions and addictions. Brilliantly told and meticulously researched, it is one of the definitive accounts any MJ fan should consider reading.
Man In The Music: The Creative Life And Work Of Michael Jackson – Joseph Vogel
For forty years, Michael Jackson dazzled audiences, tore through barriers and revolutionised pop music. Yet, his brilliance as an artist was often overshadowed by the media frenzy that came from his bizarre personal life. In Man in the Music, Joseph Vogel returns to the songs, singles, albums and videos that made him such a cultural icon in the first place.
Taking readers on a tour from Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, History and beyond, Man in the Music draws on hundreds of sources, including news archives, reviews, interviews and Jackson’s own words and into the heart of his creative genius. Vogel places each piece of music in its social and historical context, revealing both the impact of Jackson on society and behind-the-scenes stories from the studio. Man in the Music remains one of the best Michael Jackson biographies for anyone looking to rekindle what made the King of Pop such an incredible artist throughout his life.
The King Of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson – Michael Bush
Whilst the music and dances might be the most famous facets of Michael Jackson’s legacy, his contributions to fashion have proven just as popular with fans around the world. Michael Bush’s The King of Style is one of the best Michael Jackson books that pays tribute to the King of Pop’s brilliant fusion of costume, performance and performance that went into creating his iconic image.
Bush, Jackson’s longtime costume designer, uses hundreds of lavish photographs and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his heyday to show the carefully planned construction of clothes that enabled his unique dance moves, breaking down everything from the details of the dynamic fabrics, metals and other materials used. With stories that are funny and touching, this biography of Jackson reveals a side to Michael that few other books show.
Remember The Time: Protecting Michael Jackson In His Final Days – Bill Whitfield, Javon Beard And Tanner Colby
Remember the Time is a compelling and candid memoir about Michael Jackson’s final days in seclusion by the bodyguards closest to him. Stationed at his side nearly 24/7, their job was to see and hear everything that happened and keep everyone else away. Which makes them the only individuals to know what really triggered the King of Pop’s sudden and shocking death in June 2009.
Whitfield and Beard’s first-hand account is the only definitive memoir into the increasingly desperate measures that were needed to protect MJ and his family, the financial woes that led to delays in their pay, the few moments of happiness they found on the job, the special relationship Jackson had with his fans, and the tragic events that led to the ill-fated comeback. Still one of the most famous and discussed Michael Jackson biographies, Remember the Time aims to dispel the myths and show a story of a man struggling to live a normal life under extraordinary circumstances.
Michael Jackson: Before He Was King – Todd Gray
Photographer Todd Gray worked with Michael Jackson for several years before Michael asked that he become his personal photographer. Their relationship together would span his performances with the Jacksons and through the release of his smash solo albums Off the Wall and Thriller.
Before He Was King is a collection of unseen, intimate and joyful pictures of Michael Jackson taken over a span of ten years. Revealing him at home, with his family and fans, in career-making live performances and on the set of the infamous ‘Beat It’ music video. Gray’s works make for one of the best Michael Jackson books for presenting rare and intimate portraits of Michael during his ascent from a brilliantly talented young man to the King of Pop.
Michael Jackson Conspiracy – Aphrodite Jones
Michael Jackson’s 2005 criminal trial remains one of the most controversial and publicised events in the King of Pop’s career. In Michael Jackson Conspiracy, award-winning reporter Aphrodite Jones uses the court transcripts and photo evidence, not seen by the public, to tell the real story of what went on inside and outside the courtroom.
As revealed by Jones, no proof was offered of Jackson being a sinister character, and no proof that he committed a single crime. Jones reveals how Jackson was the individual the media loved to miss the hate and, through attempts to chase ratings, missed the truth of the trial.
Michael Jackson: The Making Of “Thriller”: 4 Days/1983 – Douglas Kirkland
With over seventy million sales, 1982’s Thriller is the best-selling music album of all time. The singles and music videos that accompanied the album helped raise Michael Jackson to the most famous artist in the world, with the titular ‘Thriller’ music video being arguably the most iconic of them all. In his 2010 book, acclaimed photographer Douglas Kirkland pays homage to this groundbreaking music video.
Douglas and journalist Nancy Griffin were the only members of the media allowed on the set of Thriller during its filming. The Making Of “Thriller” features over two hundred exclusive behind-the-scenes shots that capture Jackson both in high-performance mode and relaxing on the set. The result is a fascinating chronicle of how he transformed into the characters in the video, as well as capturing both the public and private faces of Michael Jackson at the peak of his creative powers.
My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship With An Extraordinary Man – Frank Cascio
Michael Jackson was at the forefront of Frank Cascio’s life for over twenty-five years, allowing him to witness firsthand the greatest entertainer the world had ever seen. In his biography My Friend Michael, Cascio refutes the rumours and accusations thrown at Jackson over the years. Offering an uplifting and candid portrait of the Michael he knew, Cascio captures Jackson’s private and tumultuous moments. From Jackson’s sexuality to Peter Pan reality, he also attempts to set the record straight on the entertainer’s notorious and often misunderstood lifestyle.
Another one of the best Michael Jackson books for cutting through the headlines and gaining a clear-eyed and respectful sense of his true self, Cascio’s biography is a trove of lore that celebrates the King of Pop’s life and urges readers to redefine their understanding of the man behind the myths.
Untouchable: The Strange Life And Tragic Death Of Michael Jackson – Randall Sullivan
Randall Sullivan’s Untouchable documents Michael Jackson’s life and death in unprecedented depth. Beginning with his final departure from Neverland, this book on Jackson captures his final years shuttling across the globe and plans to recapture his wealth and reputation with a comeback album and series of fifty mega-concerts.
Sullivan delves deep into Jackson’s past, painting a naive and deeply cunning individual. A devoted father whose parenting prompted an international outcry, a savvy businessperson whose dealings nearly crippled a mega-corporation and a complete narcissist who desperately wanted a quiet, normal life. With never-before-reported information about Jackson’s dealings and accusations, Untouchable is one of the most definitive Michael Jackson books that captures all there is to know about the King of Pop’s last days.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
