Me
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Me Elton John Official Autobiography

Elton John2019
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in the film Rocketman, to becoming a living legend. Christened Reginald Dwight, he was a shy boy with Buddy Holly glasses who grew up in the London suburb of Pinner and dreamed of becoming a pop star. By the age of twenty-three he was performing his first gig in America, facing an astonished audience in his bright yellow dungarees, a star-spangled T-shirt, and boots with wings. Elton John had arrived and the music world would never be the same again. His life has been full of drama, from the early rejection of his work with song-writing partner Bernie Taupin to spinning out of control as a chart-topping superstar; from half-heartedly trying to drown himself in his LA swimming pool to disco-dancing with Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth; from friendships with John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, and George Michael to setting up his AIDS Foundation to conquering Broadway with Aida, The Lion King, and Billy Elliot the Musical. All the while Elton was hiding a drug addiction that would grip him for over a decade. In Me, Elton also writes powerfully about getting clean and changing his life, about finding love with David Furnish and becoming a father. In a voice that is warm, humble, and open, this is Elton on his music and his relationships, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story that will stay with you by a living legend.
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Reviews

Photo of Laura Mauler
Laura Mauler@blueskygreenstrees
5 stars
Dec 25, 2023

Six stars! It was everything I'd hoped it would be. I've also started listening to musicians that were never part of my scene (Little Richard, Rod Stewart, The Band) because Elton John talks about them in a way that really sparked my interest. So that's nice, to have the book unexpectedly launch me into something new; a tiny surprise gift.

Photo of Jackie Beauregard
Jackie Beauregard@tidy69
5 stars
Apr 24, 2023

I just love this book !!!! Such talent! Singing and writing ! Made me laugh a lot and yes sometimes cry ! What an honest man !Have not seen Rocket man yet but will make an effort to

Photo of Lynette Pedersen
Lynette Pedersen@bonbonvivant
5 stars
Feb 3, 2023

I am not the biggest Elton John fan. In fact, the bulk of the albums he talked about in the book I really had not idea what songs were on them. I know the big hits, of course, but I'm hardly an Elton John connoisseur. Having said that, this book was a crazy fun read regardless of my lack of overwhelming fandom. I thoroughly enjoyed his story told in his unabashedly frank and hilarious style. I was going to get around to watching Rocketman eventually, but now I'll be checking it out sooner rather than later. I think I'll also be giving a listen to those albums I'm unfamiliar with, and listening in proper order to respect his insistence on about an "album musician." I think I finally understand what it means when someone says someone is a "musician's musician," and I think Elton John fits the bill after reading this. Definitely worth the time, even if you aren't a super fan :)

Photo of Fraser Simons
Fraser Simons@frasersimons
4 stars
Jun 9, 2022

After seeing Rocketman, I knew most of the big things and I have never been into his music much, so it was an interesting read but a 3.5 rounded up for me. I liked that it was frank and candid and it kept my attention. But with no personal connection to the artist a bunch of it could have been cut and was there for big fans. Which makes sense. Still a decent read.

Photo of Jessica Guht
Jessica Guht@jessguht
5 stars
Feb 24, 2022

I experience so many emotions while reading this book, and I absolutely loved it. It was nice to see into the life of Elton John, and for him to talk about both his successes and low points, acknowledging that he is not a perfect person.

Photo of Caroline Lewicki
Caroline Lewicki@clewicki20
5 stars
Feb 2, 2022

Elton John is such an incredibly interesting person. I loved "Rocketman", so when he released a book from his perspective, it felt essential to me that I read it. It did not disappoint. He's funny and witty, but also insightful and reflects on some of the grittier parts of his fame and what was going on in the world at the time. He shares some really funny stories about other celebrities, without being slanderous or gossipy. His antics with Ringo Starr are particularly fun to read about. I loved it and my respect and love for Elton John has only been bolstered by his book. If you like audiobooks, Sir Elton himself reads the preface and epilogue, and Taron Egerton reads the remainder of the book, which was awesome

Photo of Sam Pulliam
Sam Pulliam@dearbookshelves
4 stars
Nov 27, 2021

I won this book and it was sent by the publisher but this has no bearing on my review. . This is an autobiography by Elton John that details his decade-spanning career and humbly celebrates the successes while not shying away from personal low points. . I don’t even like movies but I’ve seen Rocketman twice and think about it all the time. Even before that, I was interested in reading Elton John’s autobiography and was thrilled when I got the chance to read it. I have always enjoyed autobiographies from musicians. I like learning about music in this way but Me does some specific things I truly appreciate. For one, it does not shy away from showing John in a less than flattering light. From his temper to his eating disorder to his drug abuse, readers are brought along for the ride. It isn’t just a “look at me I’m so great” type of story. I also greatly appreciate John acknowledging the true roots of the music he became famous for. He talks about Black artists he played with and looked up to and celebrates them. Many stories about rock and pop music conveniently don’t talk about Black people who pioneered the genre unless it’s Hendrix. Maybe Chuck Berry. Hearing John talk multiple times at length about Black pioneers in music was refreshing. . I went back and forth between physically reading and listening to the audiobook on my walks. The audiobook is read by Taron Egerton who plays him in the Rocketman film. His acting and use of different voices really added to the experience.

Photo of Lynn Braden
Lynn Braden@ftbooklover
5 stars
Oct 8, 2021

Me: Elton John Official Autobiography tells the story of the remarkable life of Sir Elton John in his own words. He takes an incredibly candid look at not only his triumphs, of which there are many, but also his failures and the bad choices that he has made. The framework of this book traces his very successful career, but sprinkled throughout, he also shares events that shaped him as a person. John's sarcastic sense of humor, at times, makes the book both funny and tragic, but it comes across as a very realistic reflection of his life and career. He talks about "what ifs" that might have changed his life, but in the end, he is at peace with the choices he has made because of the happiness he has found in his life. This is a very well written book that reads like fiction because John's voice comes though so loud and clear, making the story flow easily. The pictures included in the book add visuals of the people who are mentioned throughout the story. Overall, this is a wonderful look into the life of a rock star, so good, in fact, that I didn't want it to end.

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Kiley@reader22
5 stars
Feb 3, 2024
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Lindsey Barnett@lindseybarnett
3 stars
Feb 1, 2024
+3
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Tanja Rintala@tanjarintala
2.5 stars
Sep 5, 2023
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Ember Skies@emberexplores
5 stars
Jul 24, 2024
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Laura Wade@lnwade53
5 stars
Jun 20, 2024
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Bailee Strong@bailees
3 stars
Jan 3, 2024
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chrystyna@crying_lightning
5 stars
Nov 23, 2023
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Beth Seaton@bethseaton
4 stars
Nov 7, 2023
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Sam 🌙@samanthatoms
4 stars
Jul 15, 2023
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Barbara@brubru
5 stars
May 7, 2023
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Danielle Robinson@danichloe22
3 stars
Feb 28, 2023
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Jerilynn Hallett @jerilynnhallett
4 stars
Feb 24, 2023
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Meg Ferguson@megellena
4 stars
Feb 7, 2023
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Joël@joelsreads
5 stars
Jan 23, 2023
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Mari@mariliis
5 stars
Jan 22, 2023
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Courtney@courto875
5 stars
Jan 7, 2023