Even better than Alfred (Although it would be great, "Is this your place Alfred, its a nice a place", the best book we could wish for would be an Autobiography.

I know it ain't gonna happen, but could you imagine what it would be like if he did, a cryptic mess if he did it solo and maybe something much more rebelling if he got a proper writer in to assist him. Maybe Taraborelli, who did Madonna and Michael justice, okay he's a bit gossipy, but I can't think of anyone else.

More importantly, try and do it before Prince dies, as I just don't see him living out his 50s.

Adorecream said:

Even better than Alfred (Although it would be great, "Is this your place Alfred, its a nice a place", the best book we could wish for would be an Autobiography.

I know it ain't gonna happen, but could you imagine what it would be like if he did, a cryptic mess if he did it solo and maybe something much more rebelling if he got a proper writer in to assist him. Maybe Taraborelli, who did Madonna and Michael justice, okay he's a bit gossipy, but I can't think of anyone else.

More importantly, try and do it before Prince dies, as I just don't see him living out his 50s.

What makes you say that? Prince is very much into living a healthy lifestyle, is not known for endulging in heavy drugs and has advocated a healthy lifestyle for the most part of his career, and his dad lived a long life. And he´s still in good shape,looking at least a decade younger than he really is.

KoolEaze said:

Adorecream said:

Even better than Alfred (Although it would be great, "Is this your place Alfred, its a nice a place", the best book we could wish for would be an Autobiography.

I know it ain't gonna happen, but could you imagine what it would be like if he did, a cryptic mess if he did it solo and maybe something much more rebelling if he got a proper writer in to assist him. Maybe Taraborelli, who did Madonna and Michael justice, okay he's a bit gossipy, but I can't think of anyone else.

More importantly, try and do it before Prince dies, as I just don't see him living out his 50s.

What makes you say that? Prince is very much into living a healthy lifestyle, is not known for endulging in heavy drugs and has advocated a healthy lifestyle for the most part of his career, and his dad lived a long life. And he´s still in good shape,looking at least a decade younger than he really is.

^^^ This. Well said.

Things can happen. I have a sixth sense about certain things. He's not that healthy, he's deathly skinny and his diet seems to be incomplete and add on his work ethic and his lifestyle over the years, a body can only handle so much.

jonylawson said:

on Prince i have ever read it is also one of THE best books i have read.

It is beautifully written and written from such a refreshing and spiritual angle i was left feeling quite awe inspired once finishing it.

bravo sir!

a worthy,worthy collection to the prince literature canon

http://www.youtube.com/wa...9hT9LaOx4M

IMHO it's probably one of the worst

was really disappointed

Has anyone who has read Toure´s book also read Pop Life by Dave Hill? Or the other way around...has anyone who has read Pop Life by Dave Hill also read Toure´s book? I haven´t read Toure´s book (yet) but , from what I gather here, they seem to have a bit in common, don´t they? Are they comparable ?

Adorecream said:

Things can happen. I have a sixth sense about certain things. He's not that healthy, he's deathly skinny and his diet seems to be incomplete and add on his work ethic and his lifestyle over the years, a body can only handle so much.

I see. I don´t know...I think he looks perfectly healthy, and as far as I know he eats very well, see his tour rider and other tidbits.

Not to criticize you ....but out of sheer curiousity...when was the last time your sixth sense told you something, and what happened?

( I´m asking because I´m really interested in this and your post got me curious).

I saw a preview on Amazon and it looks very brief rather than a detailed biography. Its well under 200 pages. Compare this to the 500+ Pages in Matt Thorne and the 250 + pages in most of the other books.

Only Steven Ivorys 1985 Paperbook aimed at 5th gradewrs and the near illiterate are any shorter than this.

KoolEaze said:

Has anyone who has read Toure´s book also read Pop Life by Dave Hill? Or the other way around...has anyone who has read Pop Life by Dave Hill also read Toure´s book? I haven´t read Toure´s book (yet) but , from what I gather here, they seem to have a bit in common, don´t they? Are they comparable ?

Not at all. Pop Life used many interviews and had some good insights based on those interviews. Touré's book is more of a college paper that speculates a lot on Prince's life, upbringing and he spends most of the book attempting to make a psychological profile and explaining 80s culture. There isn't that much meat in his book, unlike Dave Hill's who did some very serious research. I would recommend Touré's book to anyone who wants to understand Touré's view of 80s culture and read about his views on the reason Prince behaves like he does. I wouldn't seek his book out if you are wanting facts and information like you'd find in The Vault or Per Nilsen's DMSR (or even the slightly flawed Possessed by Alex Hahn). It is a very fast read, but that is because most of it is speculation and large parts of the book aren't even about Prince in general. If that was your main source for Prince's story, you would barely even know the existance of people/events around him, including anything about Morris Day and The Time and the 4+ albums they recorded together.

I don't want to sound rude, but can we PLEASE stop talking about Prince and death until AFTER he dies? Or at least put it under a spoiler (wrong word for it ) alert? It just isn't something we should talk about. And somehting I know most don't want to hear yet.

Sorry

purplemajesty23 said:

I don't want to sound rude, but can we PLEASE stop talking about Prince and death until AFTER he dies? Or at least put it under a spoiler (wrong word for it ) alert? It just isn't something we should talk about. And somehting I know most don't want to hear yet.

Sorry

Sorry guys, I should not have planted the seed

Adorecream said:

purplemajesty23 said:

I don't want to sound rude, but can we PLEASE stop talking about Prince and death until AFTER he dies? Or at least put it under a spoiler (wrong word for it ) alert? It just isn't something we should talk about. And somehting I know most don't want to hear yet.

Sorry

Sorry guys, I should not have planted the seed

no no, I wasn't trying to be mean or anything it just made me depressed for a while. brought tears to my eyes. don't mind me lol I'm just going thru depression so I just don't like the talk of death. I just think it brings unnecessary worry to some people, imo.

Sorry if I came across as rude or mean

jonylawson said:

this is so indicitive of the org in recent years

somebody says they like/love/enjoy something..and then these odd people come out and start ranting that you DARE enjoy something they didnt and heres why YOU SHOULDNT ENJOY IT...

i find it highly odd

10-no--100--no--1000% agree witcha jonylawson!

try 2 learn 2 hate the game, not the playas

a website that invites everyone's opinion is going to give u every opinion

don't be so sensitive...i prefer positivity too...

unfortunately too many people are brought up in the 'glass is half empty' rules

madhouseman said:

KoolEaze said:

Has anyone who has read Toure´s book also read Pop Life by Dave Hill? Or the other way around...has anyone who has read Pop Life by Dave Hill also read Toure´s book? I haven´t read Toure´s book (yet) but , from what I gather here, they seem to have a bit in common, don´t they? Are they comparable ?

Not at all. Pop Life used many interviews and had some good insights based on those interviews. Touré's book is more of a college paper that speculates a lot on Prince's life, upbringing and he spends most of the book attempting to make a psychological profile and explaining 80s culture. There isn't that much meat in his book, unlike Dave Hill's who did some very serious research. I would recommend Touré's book to anyone who wants to understand Touré's view of 80s culture and read about his views on the reason Prince behaves like he does. I wouldn't seek his book out if you are wanting facts and information like you'd find in The Vault or Per Nilsen's DMSR (or even the slightly flawed Possessed by Alex Hahn). It is a very fast read, but that is because most of it is speculation and large parts of the book aren't even about Prince in general. If that was your main source for Prince's story, you would barely even know the existance of people/events around him, including anything about Morris Day and The Time and the 4+ albums they recorded together.

Thjanks for the reply....that was very helpful. Pop Life is one of my favorite Prince biographies and I thought Toure´s book would be a bit in that vein because Pop Life also goes a bit into the sociological and psychological background...but I guess I was wrong.

Not too sure whether I should buy Toure´s book based on what I´ve read so far.

KoolEaze said:

madhouseman said:

Not at all. Pop Life used many interviews and had some good insights based on those interviews. Touré's book is more of a college paper that speculates a lot on Prince's life, upbringing and he spends most of the book attempting to make a psychological profile and explaining 80s culture. There isn't that much meat in his book, unlike Dave Hill's who did some very serious research. I would recommend Touré's book to anyone who wants to understand Touré's view of 80s culture and read about his views on the reason Prince behaves like he does. I wouldn't seek his book out if you are wanting facts and information like you'd find in The Vault or Per Nilsen's DMSR (or even the slightly flawed Possessed by Alex Hahn). It is a very fast read, but that is because most of it is speculation and large parts of the book aren't even about Prince in general. If that was your main source for Prince's story, you would barely even know the existance of people/events around him, including anything about Morris Day and The Time and the 4+ albums they recorded together.

Thjanks for the reply....that was very helpful. Pop Life is one of my favorite Prince biographies and I thought Toure´s book would be a bit in that vein because Pop Life also goes a bit into the sociological and psychological background...but I guess I was wrong.

Not too sure whether I should buy Toure´s book based on what I´ve read so far.

I would suggest going to a bookstore and glancing through it. If it looks like something you'd enjoy, pick it up. If you aren't sure, get it from the library, but if you like it after reading it, you might want to purchase it because it is good to show the publishers that people will buy a book about Prince. If publishers feel like that, there will be more books published and as a fan, I like that.

ComeHereLetMeCutYourHair said:

jonylawson said:

this is so indicitive of the org in recent years

somebody says they like/love/enjoy something..and then these odd people come out and start ranting that you DARE enjoy something they didnt and heres why YOU SHOULDNT ENJOY IT...

i find it highly odd

10-no--100--no--1000% agree witcha jonylawson!

try 2 learn 2 hate the game, not the playas

a website that invites everyone's opinion is going to give u every opinion

don't be so sensitive...i prefer positivity too...

unfortunately too many people are brought up in the 'glass is half empty' rules

Okay, but, he said this in response to my well rounded review that pointed out my opinions of the good and bad in the book. A review that he admitted was too many words for him to read. Had he taken the time, he would realize his response to me was ridiculous as I never said anything resembling the bolded part.

I have just finished reading the book and I find it an interesting read. It makes me want to go and explore more about Prince's music and his cultural and religious influences. Books like Matt Thorne's "Prince" are more useful to get a handle on Prince's career and prolific output but are boring to read and offer no interpretation as they are written like a list. Toure is a cultural commentator.

This book is not a biography. It is trying to explore and interpret Prince's icon status and his influence on Gen X and the influences on Prince.

Chapter one ("Prince's rosebud" about the Gen X, the 1980's and Prince's childhood) and chapter 2 ("The King of Porn Chic" about Prince's explicit sexuality) should have been a lot stronger. But these chapters come across as shallow and disjointed. They are a bit muddled in terms of what influences Prince has had and what resonated with Gen X. It is clear that Prince came along at the right time and at the right place but what exactly made him so successful is not explored and what resonated between Prince and Gen X is only brought together by association, not analysis.

And by chapter 3, discussing Prince's religious lyrics, the connection to Gen X or Prince's icon status is completely forgotten or lost.

The third chapter of the book is called "I'm your messiah" and it is the strongest chapter imo. It is an analysis of Prince's song lyrics and it is really striking how religious Prince's songs are once you pay attention to the lyrics and know what to look for. Toure points out that the lyrics are openly Christian, Seventh Day Adventist messages and imagery and this is there across Prince's works from the 1980's to the 2000's.

Toure's book has a weak conclusion chapter. Toure emphasises the point that Prince's religiosity is a strong theme in his work and life but forgets to connect things back to the introduction which stated the premise of the book - Prince's connection to Gen X and his icon status. The conclusion chapter should have brought together the various themes of the book, i.e. the music icon status of Prince, his reflection of or response to Gen X's view of the world and the deeply religious and conservative Prince who sees himself as a special messenger of God. Instead the reader is left with three chapters that look like stand alone essays.

The factual errors others have pointed out do not detract from the read, although it would have been easy to fact check before publication - especially since Prince Vault and Questlove amongst others are credited.