Michael

"Being onstage is magic. There's nothing like it. You feel the energy of everybody who's out there. You feel it all over your body. When the lights hit you, it's all over, I swear it is."
—Michael Jackson

From the triumph of Thriller to the tragedy of his premature death, this landmark book—almost 40 years in the making—tells the full story of Michael Jackson's epic life. Chatting with Michael over fried chicken and sweet-potato pie at a Jackson family reunion in 1971 (Jackson was 12 years old at the time), writer Ben Fong-Torres gives us our first glimpse of a young star on the rise—the article would be the first of many Rolling Stone cover stories on Jackson. A decade later, on the verge of releasing his megahit Thriller, Jackson tells Gerri Hirshey about the loneliness of stardom, confessing he had only two friends in the world and that he identified with Peter Pan.

Rich in detail and penetrating in scope, Michael weaves together reporting from the likes of Mikal Gilmore, Alan Light, David Ritz and Rob Sheffield. These articles, plus more than 100 rare photographs, compelling new pieces on the making of each of Jackson's albums, the 25 essential moments of his career and the chilling story of his final years, offer the definitive account of one of music's greatest, most enigmatic superstars.

featuring tributes by
Smokey Robinson
Stevie Wonder
Will.i.am
Quincy Jones
Sheryl Crow and much more