Me

Me 
by Elton John
Henry Holt. 2019. 374 pages. Biography

I love Elton John. I have been drawn to his music since I was a child. And I’m not just talking about The Lion King and The Road to El Dorado soundtracks. Songs such as “Your Song” and “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocketman” were on my radar from a very young age. I have always wondered about the man behind the music. Is he the flamboyant man the media portrays him as? Is he more than just the wildly, fantastic outfits and glasses? The answer to both questions is yes.

This book, his first and what he promises as his only official autobiography, really helped me get a sense of what shaped Reginald Dwight into Elton John. I always take autobiographies with a grain of salt; after all, we all see our own lives differently than everyone else sees them. But the story that John weaves about his childhood and first influences, his first gig in a rock band, and his transition to being a soloist in his own right, threw the flashy media coverage of his life and his music into a more compassionate light.

John, clearly after years of therapy, is able to talk about his choices with a certain sense of clarity and tenderness for his young self. The writing is funny and empathetic. It was so easy to read and I never once felt like a ghost writer had taken over the story. It felt authentically like Elton John the whole time. If you like celebrity bios, or just want to know more about Elton John and his music, this book is one to read. If you want to listen to the audiobook, Taron Eggerton (the lead in the movie Rocketman) reads it and does an outstanding job.

 AG