Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story - Softcover

Rick Bragg

Softcover

ISBN 10: 085786159X ISBN 13: 9780857861597

Publisher: Canongate Books, 2015

Synopsis

Otherwise known as The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis has lived an extraordinary life. He gave rock-and-roll its devil's edge with hit records like 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' and 'Great Balls of Fire'; caused riots and boycotts with his incendiary performances; performed with some of the greatest musicians from Elvis Presley to Keith Richards; married his thirteen-year-old second cousin, the third of seven wives; ran a decade's-long marathon of drugs, drinking, and women; and nearly met his maker, at least twice.

He survived it all to be hailed as one of the greatest music icons, and now, for the very first time, he reveals the truth behind the Last Man Standing of the rock-and-roll era. From encounters with legends including Johnny Cash, John Lennon and Mick Jagger, to hair-raising first-person accounts of Jerry's lifelong rivalries with Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry for the title of king of rock-and-roll, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rick Bragg traces the incredible story of a young man from the American South who used his piano to drive the world into a music revolution. Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story is the fascinating authorised biography of this musical genius in his own words.

About this title

Product Description:

Jerry Lee Lewis has lived an extraordinary life. He gave rock and roll its devil's edge with hit records like 'Great Balls of Fire'. His incendiary shows caused riots and boycotts. He ran a decade-long marathon of drugs, drinking, and women, and married his thirteen-year-old second cousin, the third of seven wives. He also nearly met his maker, at least twice. He survived it all to be hailed as one of the greatest music icons. For the very first time, he reveals the truth behind the Last Man Standing of the rock-and-roll era. Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story is the last great untold rock-and-roll story, in the legend's own words. This paperback book has 481 pages and measures: 19.7 x 12.8 x 3.2cm.

Review:

"Rick Bragg's biography of Jerry Lee Lewis really is the business. The words on the page perfectly match the music and the man" (RODDY DOYLE author of PADDY CLARKE HA HA HA)

"No one in rock and roll has ever made music and lived life with the ferocity of Jerry Lee Lewis, and 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. Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story is the best book on rock and roll I have ever read" (RON RASH)

"Jerry Lee Lewis is a fascinating guy, a really opinion-splitting kinda legend, and this is his autobiography" (NOEL FIELDING, My Life in Suitcase - Five Touring Essentials NME)

"There's vernacular lyricism to the way Bragg paints the key moments in Lewis's life . . . Bragg's fascination for Jerry Lee Lewis wins through, and his shining a light on the eternal dichotomy between sin and salvation makes for a fascinating, distinctly American story . . . Rick Bragg's pacey, extensively researched biography draws a portrait of a bullish man doing all the things he believes God will forgive him for, repenting, and doing them all over again" (The Times)

"As an intimate portrait of the original rock 'n' roll wild child, it's probably the closest look that we will ever have of one of pop music's greatest talents and most mysterious enigmas" (Record Collector)

"Hell-raising takes centre stage" (GQ)

"Beautifully written" (Mail on Sunday)

"[Bragg] tells the full story of a long and extraordinary life with critical honesty, describing the triumphs, disasters and scandals, the women, the drink and drugs" (Daily Express)

"Like Byron, he seems mad, bad and dangerous to know, but his art at least reflects him truthfully" (Independent)

"Absorbing . . . a thumpingly good yarn . . . thrillingly readable" (Daily Mail)

"Bragg's book really soars . . . a compelling read" (George Byrne Irish Independent)

"Compelling . . . Bragg's book really soars . . . gives us a sense of the vastly differing sides of the man" (Belfast Telegraph) --Roddy Doyle

About this edition

• Publisher: Canongate Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 085786159X
• ISBN 13: 9780857861597
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 512