I really enjoyed this book. When talking about artists whose careers spanned decades and who had as much influence on music and culture as James Brown did, you could probably spend years writing out the minutiae of his life. But to hear first hand accounts of who the artist was, without glossing over the ugly or dark parts, that feels more human.

I think McBride did a wonderful job at telling the story of what made James Brown who he was. He didn’t ignore the context of the America that James was brought up in, the racism that was prevalent in the music industry, or the difficult person that resulted from those conditions. This approach to writing felt really honest, and is a testament to McBride’s ability to weave many narratives together to tell a fulsome story. I really appreciated the chance to hear personal accounts from those who were close to James at different points in his lifetime, which really hammered home the fact that personalities and identities are complex and ever changing, and that the contexts in which we show up in can bring out the many different versions of ourselves that exist within us.

Now it’s time to go spin my Live at the Apollo vinyl with a deeper appreciation and curiousity for the Godfather of Soul.