Indie Street Reads #24 • 02/19/10
MAN IN THE MIRROR
powerHouse
Here’s another title that I think of Eric when taking into review consideration. Eric has a soft spot for Michael Jackson. I don’t. That being said, I also would like you to know that I work in a bookstore. As such, I can tell you that shortly after his death, a slew of tribute magazines and “probing” books were released (still are). Having the leisure to flip through these books on occasional slow moments at work, I can also report that on the whole, these books are trash. Preemptive and scandalous, these are all just examples of the typical kind of sensationalist merch that sells like crazy after something like 9/11, Obama’s election, or as the case may be, MJ’s death. This type of thing, along with my general disinterest in the King Of Pop, describes my initial hesitation on receiving a review copy of powerHouse’s Man In The Mirror. My fears were assuaged, however, by the time I got five pages into this classy book. Filled not with editorialization or general muckraking and cashing in, this is a book of few words with choice images spanning the length of the musician’s career. These images are truly the centerpiece. Chronologically arranged, these photographs capture MJ at his most vulnerable, powerful, content and distressed. Quotes and pictures of celebri-friends are here too, including Eddie Murphy, Emmanuel Lewis, and Bubbles the monkey (no quotes from him). A nicely presented, large-scale book, I’d say that if you’re going to buy one commemorative Michael Jackson-related item, this is it. Also suggested that you track this one down to glance at if you’re even remotely interested in photography.
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What To Listen To While Reading This Book
Kaki King – …Until We Felt Red (Sorry, I couldn’t delve that deep.)
