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Title: Broken Music: A Memoir by Sting ISBN: 0-385-33678-0 Publisher: Bantam Books Pub. Date: 27 October, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.2 (51 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Good stuff
Comment: Very disappointed in Sting's recent CD, "Sacred Love," I expected this book to be more of the same- shallow, self-promoting and full of glittering generalities. For some reason, I purchased it anyway. To my pleasant surprise, Gordon Sumner has produced an interesting and sincere memoir, fairly well-written and revealing throughout. As opposed to projecting a slick image of a self-satisfied superstar, Sting humbly lays himself bare, emphasizing the period prior to his becoming successful with the Police. Perhaps the most intriguing portions are those concerning his childhood in which he provides intimate glimpses of his home life, including a tender portrayl of his mother and father's doomed marriage. He describes how, within this context, he nonetheless becomes growingly aware of one thing in particular: he wants to play music. After some false career starts and gigs with several local jazz rock bands around Newcastle, he ultimately heads for London where, with only his hopes and an encouraging wife, he works to make it big. Colorful tales enrich the story while he also acknowledges several helpful comrades along the way. It is a pity that Sting forgot to incorporate the same original spirit in his most recent musical compositions, but that is another discussion. For the moment, this is a good read. The doubters should know that this guy can indeed write prose (as well as those lyrics for tunes), and I would recommend the book both to fans and non-fans alike.
Rating: 4
Summary: Broken Memory?
Comment: I love the music of Sting and was looking forward to hearing about the man who created it and how the music was created. Unfortunately, the readers get some interesting information, but they do not get the whole story.
The book begins with Sting and his wife, Trudie, in Brazil taking part of a religious ceremony where some kind of psychedelic plant has been taken. In taking this plant, Sting is taking back into his memories, which leads the reader into Sting's past. As a literary tool, this is interesting.
We learn about Sting's troubled childhood as well as his journeyman years as a musician. This was very enlightening and really gave me an idea of who the musician is. However, as a fan since the 80s, I would like to have read more about his time with The Police. This part doesn't come until the last pages of the book and is not particularly enlightening. This part reads as the climax of his career, although I know his career doesn't end there.
Although the book talks of Sting's first marriage and the first meeting with Trudie, the book does not go into the end of the first or the beginning of the second. As this fits with the time of The Police, maybe we will get this in another book down the line.
Still, I would recommend this book for people who want to understand the man behind the musician and the musician behind the man.
Rating: 2
Summary: A great musician who needs an editor
Comment: I was a rabid Police fan starting back in 1980 and have admired Sting ever since. I knew when I bought this book that it would discuss his life before the Police, and that was fine. I was interested to learn more about Last Exit and Frances and his childhood, so I have no complaints with the content.
But his writing style stands in the way of the story. It is pompous and egotistical with pretentious metaphors and a really annoying habit of switching between past and present tense. I could just picture him sitting there with a thesaurus trying to find the most intellectual-sounding way to say each thing he wanted to say.
The foreshadowing "teasers" started getting to me, too: "Little did I know then that this person [or moment or event] would change my life forever." Over and over and over. Ugh.
He really needed somebody to reign him in on this one.
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Title:Sacred Love ASIN: B0000C23DP Publisher: A&M Records Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $9.99 |
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Title:Sting - Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love (Jewel Case) ASIN: B0000CEB6C Publisher: Universal Music & VI Pub. Date: 07 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $17.98 |
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Title: Shape Of My Heart by Sting ISBN: 0941807207 Publisher: Welcome Books Pub. Date: 31 December, 1999 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title:Sacred Love ASIN: B0000AX8FK Publisher: A&M Records Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99 |
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Title: Sting Piano Solos by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation ISBN: 0634025155 Publisher: Hal Leonard Pub. Date: 01 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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