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knunderb's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
2.0
My issue isn't with the story. Someone's life story is what it is. I'm disappointed by the lack of sel-refection. Sly was really kind of an a-hole many times throughout life, and he refused to really take responsibility for the role that he played in his problems. For example, while married to Kathy, he cheated on her with multiple women. And yet, when he caught her cheating, he got super angry with her and chased them out of the house. I can understand being angry in the moment and doing that. But he didn't apologize to her for that, nor for his own behavior. He also didn't acknowledge the incredible hypocrisy of that moment. There were many things like this in the book and it really caused it to fall flat for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
mbkarapcik's review
2.0
Performer and songwriter Sly Stone gets his turn to talk about his life and career in the entertainment industry in Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). His pop-funk-rock band, Sly and the Family Stone, spawned a ton of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, many of which reflected his beliefs that everyone was part of the great whole. He integrated both men and women, family and friends, black and white, to become part of his band. Through the memoir, we learn how he became this music icon and his life after fame and fortune.
At first, I really enjoyed the book. You find out his origins in Northern California where early on in his life Sly gravitated towards music with his parents' support and through his church. He was musical, learning to play instruments and sing and had an ear for words that went well together. That sounds pretty simplistic, but even throughout the book, Sly uses puns and language that comes with more than one interpretation. His voice definitely comes through in the first part of the book.
I also love how he originally espoused his quest for all people to come together and just enjoy music. Many of his early hits like "Everybody is a Star" and "Stand" attempt to make the audience see that we're all the same and should all try to understand each other. And Sly was authentically himself, wearing what he wanted, saying what he wanted, and letting his personality shine through whatever he did.
After he loses some of his fame and prominence in the industry, that's where things fall apart. Not just with his relationships with his various wives and girlfriends, his children, and bandmembers but the book, too. It's almost impossible to keep track of his girlfriends and wives--I couldn't keep straight who Sly was with or not with and how long. The same goes for his kids. I think he had three? But they were not an outstanding part of the book. You'd think he had none for how many times they're mentioned.
During the time after his heyday, Sly gets caught up in several different legal entanglements. Those I couldn't keep straight either because there's no real delving into the details or laying them out chronologically. It was muddled and almost as if he didn't want to talk about it, which makes me wonder why even bring it up?
Sly also seems weighed down with drug problems. It almost seems as if he didn't really want to talk about that much either. He's in rehab, he's getting high on crack, and it seems like he's assuming that he's in control. I couldn't get a handle on that as well. Did he get sober because it didn't seem like that situation was cemented either way. Was there any type of redemption?
I think that I would have preferred to read a biography of Sly Stone instead of this book. This book meanders all over the place, so it's hard to get a sense of who Sly really is. There's no doubt that he had plenty of talent. He even started out as a DJ way before he appeared on stage, but, after a while, it goes off the rails and becomes way less coherent. Unfortunately, a tale of what could be redemption really goes nowhere.
Thank you, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, AUWA, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
At first, I really enjoyed the book. You find out his origins in Northern California where early on in his life Sly gravitated towards music with his parents' support and through his church. He was musical, learning to play instruments and sing and had an ear for words that went well together. That sounds pretty simplistic, but even throughout the book, Sly uses puns and language that comes with more than one interpretation. His voice definitely comes through in the first part of the book.
I also love how he originally espoused his quest for all people to come together and just enjoy music. Many of his early hits like "Everybody is a Star" and "Stand" attempt to make the audience see that we're all the same and should all try to understand each other. And Sly was authentically himself, wearing what he wanted, saying what he wanted, and letting his personality shine through whatever he did.
After he loses some of his fame and prominence in the industry, that's where things fall apart. Not just with his relationships with his various wives and girlfriends, his children, and bandmembers but the book, too. It's almost impossible to keep track of his girlfriends and wives--I couldn't keep straight who Sly was with or not with and how long. The same goes for his kids. I think he had three? But they were not an outstanding part of the book. You'd think he had none for how many times they're mentioned.
During the time after his heyday, Sly gets caught up in several different legal entanglements. Those I couldn't keep straight either because there's no real delving into the details or laying them out chronologically. It was muddled and almost as if he didn't want to talk about it, which makes me wonder why even bring it up?
Sly also seems weighed down with drug problems. It almost seems as if he didn't really want to talk about that much either. He's in rehab, he's getting high on crack, and it seems like he's assuming that he's in control. I couldn't get a handle on that as well. Did he get sober because it didn't seem like that situation was cemented either way. Was there any type of redemption?
I think that I would have preferred to read a biography of Sly Stone instead of this book. This book meanders all over the place, so it's hard to get a sense of who Sly really is. There's no doubt that he had plenty of talent. He even started out as a DJ way before he appeared on stage, but, after a while, it goes off the rails and becomes way less coherent. Unfortunately, a tale of what could be redemption really goes nowhere.
Thank you, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, AUWA, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
graceesford's review
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, and Addiction
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Violence, Pregnancy, Cursing, Infidelity, Car accident, and Toxic relationship
sarahjsnider's review against another edition
4.75
The talent and experiences of this man are unparalleled, and the voice actor does an amazing job. Sly’s attitudes about women are slightly more progressive than his peers but still not too good!