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Say what you want about Elton John, but the superstar is still standing after all these years.
Despite a string of well-documented struggles, John is as resilient — and relevant — as ever, with the blockbuster biopic Rocketman generating renewed interest in the singer’s life and catalog. Fueled by the popularity of the film, books on John have soared in popularity online, with with both fans and curious onlookers wanting a glimpse into the at once thrilling and tumultuous life of the man born Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
We’ve rounded up three of the best-selling biographies about Elton John that you can get online. Captain Fantastic focuses specifically on John’s scintillating seventies rise to mega-fame, and pulls from over 90 firsthand interviews with the people closest to him. The book reveals the raw stories behind almost every song from those ten years, along with previously unpublished details of his collaborations with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, as well as conversations with John’s original bandmates. It also touches upon his struggles with sexuality at a time when being gay wasn’t widely accepted, and had only become legal a few years prior (John came out as bisexual in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone, later stating he was “quite comfortable being gay” in another 1992 RS interview). Though this is only one decade of his 50+ year odyssey, there’s more than enough packed into these ten years to fill multiple books. The stories of Elton’s ascent is a lively, colorful, intimate and insightful look at a creative force that would change music forever.
The second, an autobiography in John’s own words, features him looking back and speaking candidly about everything from his on-stage costumes to his off-stage temper-tantrums, with his signature wit and cheeky commentary. Some stories are lighter than others, such as meeting lyricist Taupin in 1967. The two quickly shared a songwriting chemistry, along with a fascination with the imagery and sounds of the American south and west (and then later shared a bunk bed in London’s Tin Pan Alley). Other stories delve into the heavier subjects, revealing more details into the difficulties he faced as his fame increased. Heartfelt and often hilarious, John proves himself as not only a seasoned musician and performer, but a great writer as well.
Finally, David Buckley’s Elton: The Biography offers a third-party observational summation of his life, from the outside looking in. Buckley’s book traces the long trajectory of John’s complex career, documenting his battles with partners, management, tabloids, and his own thoughts of quitting the music business for good. It’s a realistic portrait of John’s character, as well as his extreme generosity – John started the AIDS Foundation in 1992, raising more than $300 million over 24 years.
All three of these are must-reads for any Elton John fan.
