McBribe digs into the contradictory history of James Brown to find nuggets of insights into the Godfather of Soul who helped shape American music.

What an unexpected surprise. McBride is a wonderful reporter and storyteller.

Brutal.
For example:
" . . . though you figure with thousands of poor kids in South Carolina and Georgia needing a good education, somebody would have the integrity to figure the whole thing out. But that’s a long shot these days because, in part, that would mean we’ve figured out James Brown. And that’s impossible. Because to figure him out, we’d have to figure ourselves out."

Not sure I've ever read a book let down by such sloppy editing. Weirdly chaotic and repetitive - feels like the first draft of a brilliant biography. Still brilliant in parts (and kudos to McBride for admitting that he was just writing it for the money!)

Topic was interesting, but I found the book very hard to follow, jumping around a lot, and many of the stories were repeated several times.

What a beautifully written book this is. McBride's prose is as good as you'll ever find in a work of non-fiction. This is no throwaway pop biography. The book combines biographic elements of an American music giant, the poignant and sometimes tragic stories of those who knew or worked for Brown, a glimpse into the (southern) Black community, wonderful music history, and McBride's own journey of self-discovery. But it's McBride's writing that shines throughout. It's been a while since I've read a book where the beauty of the writing shines as much as the subject matter. Highly recommended for anyone who loves music. Recommended for everyone for an excellent non-fiction read. This is a great book.

Half way through this book I thought this might be the first James McBride book I didn't give 5 stars. The structure of the book is that each chapter recounts a visit or interview with someone who knew James Brown, and I didn't think a clear picture of Brown was emerging. But by the end I realized this isn't really a biography, which should have been obvious from "Searching for" in the subtitle. It's really a story of black accomplishment and failure in the Civil Rights era (which we're still in), mixed in with McBride's own story, and a measure of music theory and history. The saddest part is that Brown spent $20,000 to create an ironclad will giving his multi-million dollar fortune to poor kids, and now ten years after his death, not a penny has gone to the poor, as his children, wives, lawyers and the IRS fight over it. Plus, the man who kept Brown solvent by helping him with his finances went to prison.

Of course, no review of a James Brown book would be incomplete without a personal recollection. My mother, my brother and I were the only white people in the audience when James Brown played the D.C. Armory in 1968 (I was 16). That was awkward, but says a lot about my mom.

Incredibly heartfelt and honest, even (or rather, especially) in confirming & reaffirming that the man within the legendary persona of James Brown was so guarded and trusting of very few people throughout his entire life. As the biographer describes interviews with some of the chosen few closest friends and colleagues, he does each the honour of sharing a substantial amount of their own biographies—describing the person who has granted him a level of access, which he readily & humbly acknowledges that many of these people had rarely or never previously allowed. He paints such an intimate portrait of each interviewee—as they present themselves to him in real time and in relating their recollections of how they came to inhabit Mr. Brown’s inner circle—that it is impossible to feel sleighted when each person inevitably (though politely) declines to answer certain questions, out of their undying loyalty/love/respect for the man he was and/or conceded that they truly did not know the answers to certain things because he [allegedly admittedly] withheld parts of himself from even those closest to him.

Much of the strength and beauty of this biography is due to the care taken to avoid being (or even attempting to be) a salacious tell-all. It does not shy away from, make excuses for, or attempt to absolve the less flattering (yet justly earned) parts of his reputation, including alleged and admitted criminal and/or unethical behaviours. However, it does a great and just service to his legacy by drawing attention to his altruism in life and his legally decreed intentions to continue these efforts upon his death as well as the shameful ways that his last wishes and his legacy continue to erode so long after his death as innumerable greedy and amoral individuals abuse the legal system so that his estate is increasingly likely to be consumed by legal fees as the ultimate solution to the legal battles over control of an estate that ceases to hold any monetary value.

3.5 stars. Good book - but since I'm not much of a music person, and don't know James Brown's music well, I didn't feel as engaged as I would have liked.