BOOK REVIEW: MICHAEL JACKSON – L’INTÉGRALE

September 30, 2018

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MICHAEL JACKSON – L’INTÉGRALE

We’ve already spoken about this French book back in August and here we are with our review.

Written by two French authors; Riad Bettouche, English teacher with a master degree on American civilisation and fan of Michael Jackson since BAD and Benoit Cachin, Journalist and author of many discography on French music artists, the book L’INTÉGRALE [The Complete] is a complete view on not only Michael Jackson’s music but also includes the Jackson 5 and overviews on Short films, performances and posthumous albums.

The book starts from Michael’s birth and features some anecdotes from the Jackson family on little Michael. Forming the introduction, it is all about how Michael was drawn to music from a young age.

This is followed by the book’s real purpose: detailing each album from “Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5” to “Invincible”. Both authors are take you on a journey album by album, song by song and describe each and every single one of them, with unique stories and interesting facts.

It starts with “Zip a Dee Doo Dah” and ends with “Threatened”

Obviously as soon as we hit “Off the Wall”, the chapters and the descriptions become bigger and feature more details, including inserts about music videos, movies, tours, other duets and so on.

As a fan, the first chapter I read was straight to Invincible and what follows. Reading a book about Michael is some times painful especially if the tone of the author is more against Michael than pro-Michael.

So here I am reading that part which is describe as it is, as it has happened. Just the facts and no opinion and that’s how I prefer it. Same goes for the drama “Michael” album with the “fake” songs! Facts are facts! Just as I like it!

The book is full of pictures! From Michael as a child to Michael at the press conference at the O2 Arena in London. Michael on stage, Michael with family, Michael with Friends, Michael in the studio, Michael on sets and so on. Some pictures we seen before and a few new nice ones!

Little wink at Fabrice Ancellet aka Hector Barjot who provided all the photos of albums throughout the book.

While this book is actually in French (hoping for an English version especially with an English Teacher as an author…), this book is worth getting (either to learn French or just look at the pictures if you cannot speak the language); it is easy to read, well written, a chronical story of the King of Pop full of facts and stories. You will learn new bits especially if you know nothing about Jackson 5 or the Jacksons. Both authors really go deep on every single songs that Michael sang on, some great facts and stories about videos and tours even though the tours don’t get much coverage in this book. And if you are not a fan of the albums after 2009, no worries, they are only briefly talked about within some little inserts in the last chapter.

Overall, a great addition to your MJ Library.