Reviews
This is Lewis' version of his own story, filtered through Bragg's gift for language and his feel for the South... His Own Story casts one of rock n' roll's outlandish lives in a new light, giving Lewis the voice in words that he always had in the notes., An epic life deserves an epic narrative, and Pulitzer Prize winner Bragg delivers such with this major work on rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis.|9780062078223|, [ Jerry Lee Lewis ] is quite simply one of the best books about rock and roll ever...Rick Bragg has turned it into literature, fitting in somewhere between William Faulkner and Jim Thompson., Mesmerizing . . . IRick Bragg illuminates Jerry Lee Lewis's controversial-but brilliant-life and career in this captivating biography., Mesmerizing . . . IRick Bragg illuminates Jerry Lee Lewis's controversial—but brilliant—life and career in this captivating biography., Mesmerizing . . . IRick Bragg illuminates Jerry Lee Lewis's controversial--but brilliant--life and career in this captivating biography., Bragg's account does not pull punches, nor does it need to. Bragg successfully grasps the meaning of Jerry Lee Lewis and the music he begat., No writer is better suited than Rick Bragg to tell Lewis's story. The result is a biography with the memorable language and narrative drive we expect only from the finest novels . . . the best book on rock and roll I have ever read., Lewis has found the ideal biographer in Alabaman Rick Bragg, an author and former New York Times writer who understands the texture and cadence of Lewis' life that started in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana near the Mississippi River., [Bragg] hits upon a perfect mix of humor and gravitas, never trying to over-explain or rationalize the adultery, divorces, pills, booze, guns and relentless arrogance that came to define Jerry Lee Lewis as much as the music and the hellfire showmanship did., This biography is a brilliant piece of work. Make no mistake: Not only is Rick Bragg the right man for this job, with blue-collar empathy in the marrow of his bones, he is the only writer who could have done it., An enthralling look at the birth of rock & roll and the ensuing life of its arguably most colorful exponent., There's plenty of richness in Rick Bragg's retelling of the Killer's life . . . .Bragg, a former reporter for the New York Times, hits all the legendary moments, both high and low . . . Worth reading., An iconic rocker receives a warm, admiring biography from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author . . . Throughout, Bragg displays his characteristic frisky prose . . . From a skilled storyteller comes this entertaining, sympathetic story of a life flaring with fire, shuddering with shakin'., [ Jerry Lee Lewis ] is quite simply one of the best books about rock and roll ever...Rick Bragg has turned it into literature, fitting in somewhere between William Faulkner and Jim Thompson. -- Vintage Guitar Magazine "Mesmerizing . . . IRick Bragg illuminates Jerry Lee Lewis's controversial--but brilliant--life and career in this captivating biography." -- Parade "There's plenty of richness in Rick Bragg's retelling of the Killer's life . . . .Bragg, a former reporter for the New York Times, hits all the legendary moments, both high and low . . . Worth reading." -- Stephen King, New York Times Book Review "It's Jerry Lee Lewis's unrepentant outrageousness that makes his life and this book irresistible." -- Wall Street Journal "One of the best rock biographies ever. Lewis has had his fingers in nearly every piece of the 20th century's popular-music pie, and so Bragg's biography becomes not just the history of the man but a history of modern American music." -- Shelf Awareness Lewis has found the ideal biographer in Alabaman Rick Bragg, an author and former New York Times writer who understands the texture and cadence of Lewis' life that started in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana near the Mississippi River. -- Associated Press "An enthralling look at the birth of rock & roll and the ensuing life of its arguably most colorful exponent." -- Entertainment Weekly "No writer is better suited than Rick Bragg to tell Lewis's story. The result is a biography with the memorable language and narrative drive we expect only from the finest novels . . . the best book on rock and roll I have ever read." -- Ron Rash, author of Serena "An iconic rocker receives a warm, admiring biography from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author . . . Throughout, Bragg displays his characteristic frisky prose . . . From a skilled storyteller comes this entertaining, sympathetic story of a life flaring with fire, shuddering with shakin'." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "I loved every amphetamine-laced, whiskey-soaked, gun-shot page of it. -- Ann Patchett "An epic life deserves an epic narrative, and Pulitzer Prize winner Bragg delivers such with this major work on rock and roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis. -- Library Journal "[Bragg] hits upon a perfect mix of humor and gravitas, never trying to over-explain or rationalize the adultery, divorces, pills, booze, guns and relentless arrogance that came to define Jerry Lee Lewis as much as the music and the hellfire showmanship did." -- Dallas Morning News "This is epic Southern storytelling at its most gripping." -- Chicago Tribune "This is Lewis' version of his own story, filtered through Bragg's gift for language and his feel for the South... His Own Story casts one of rock n' roll's outlandish lives in a new light, giving Lewis the voice in words that he always had in the notes." -- USA Today , four star review "This biography is a brilliant piece of work. Make no mistake: Not only is Rick Bragg the right man for this job, with blue-collar empathy in the marrow of his bones, he is the only writer who could have done it." -- Tuscaloosa News "Bragg's account does not pull punches, nor does it need to. Bragg successfully grasps the meaning of Jerry Lee Lewis and the music he begat." -- All About Jazz, One of the best rock biographies ever. Lewis has had his fingers in nearly every piece of the 20th century's popular-music pie, and so Bragg's biography becomes not just the history of the man but a history of modern American music.
