Scan barcode
A review by writtenontheflyleaves
Me by Elton John
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Me, by Elton John ๐ถ
๐๐๐๐๐
-
In his memoir published by @panmacmillan, Elton John reflects on his life and career, and how he went from being a music nerd in a north-west London suburb to one of the most famous and enduring singer-songwriters of all time.
-
In case you canโt tell by my t-shirt, I am a huge fan of Elton John. My dad was obsessed with him the entire time we were growing up - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Songs From the West Coast were the soundtracks to our car journeys, and he would go to see him in concert every chance he got. Living on the periphery of that kind of adoration itโs hard for it not to rub off on you, so I was pretty confident I was going to like this book. Still, I wasnโt prepared for how much I would love it.
-
This book is as funny and colourful as you would expect from Elton John. Itโs so packed with anecdotes about the most famous pop culture figures of the last century that at times it feels like some kind of fever dream, and (joy of all joys with a book like this) not only is the story good, but itโs well-told. I knew long before I finished it that it would be a 5-star read for me.
-
It was also bittersweet. My dad died in 2018, and he never got to see Rocketman, the film of Elton Johnโs life, or to read this book. He would have absolutely loved both of them, and he would have been the first to buy tickets for Eltonโs farewell tour. The voice that comes through in this memoir reminds me so much of him, and I wish I could talk to him about this sudden wealth of Elton John content and hear what he thought. Still, I can see myself returning to this book in the future and enjoying it all over again.
-
๐ Read it if you like pop culture history (especially the 1970s!), and of course Elton John or Rocketman.
-
๐ซ Avoid it if reading about addiction is a sensitive subject for you, as it is a powerful presence for much of the book!
๐๐๐๐๐
-
In his memoir published by @panmacmillan, Elton John reflects on his life and career, and how he went from being a music nerd in a north-west London suburb to one of the most famous and enduring singer-songwriters of all time.
-
In case you canโt tell by my t-shirt, I am a huge fan of Elton John. My dad was obsessed with him the entire time we were growing up - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Songs From the West Coast were the soundtracks to our car journeys, and he would go to see him in concert every chance he got. Living on the periphery of that kind of adoration itโs hard for it not to rub off on you, so I was pretty confident I was going to like this book. Still, I wasnโt prepared for how much I would love it.
-
This book is as funny and colourful as you would expect from Elton John. Itโs so packed with anecdotes about the most famous pop culture figures of the last century that at times it feels like some kind of fever dream, and (joy of all joys with a book like this) not only is the story good, but itโs well-told. I knew long before I finished it that it would be a 5-star read for me.
-
It was also bittersweet. My dad died in 2018, and he never got to see Rocketman, the film of Elton Johnโs life, or to read this book. He would have absolutely loved both of them, and he would have been the first to buy tickets for Eltonโs farewell tour. The voice that comes through in this memoir reminds me so much of him, and I wish I could talk to him about this sudden wealth of Elton John content and hear what he thought. Still, I can see myself returning to this book in the future and enjoying it all over again.
-
๐ Read it if you like pop culture history (especially the 1970s!), and of course Elton John or Rocketman.
-
๐ซ Avoid it if reading about addiction is a sensitive subject for you, as it is a powerful presence for much of the book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use