Carole King: She Made the Earth Move

by Jane Eisner

Jane Eisner traces the professional accomplishments and personal challenges of pop icon Carole King, exploring her unique contribution to American music
 
Carole King’s extraordinary career has defined American popular music for more than half a century. Born in New York City in 1942, she shaped the soundtrack of 1960s teen culture with such songs as “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” one of many Brill Building classics she wrote with her first husband, Gerry Goffin. She was a leading figure in the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s, with dozens of Billboard Hot 100 hits and music awards—her 1971 album Tapestry won a record four Grammys. Yet she struggled to reconcile her fame with her roles as a wife and mother and retreated to the backwoods of Idaho, only to emerge in recent years as a political activist and the subject of the Tony-winning Broadway show The Carole King Musical.
 
Journalist and author Jane Eisner places King’s life in historical and cultural context, revealing details of her humble beginnings in Jewish Brooklyn, the roots of her musical genius, her four marriages, and her anguish about public life. Drawing on numerous interviews as well as historical and contemporary sources, this book brings to life King’s professional accomplishments, her personal challenges, and her lasting contributions to the great American songbook.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

280 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I knew a lot about Carole king after seeing Beautiful and being a fan since the beginning . Not really- this book gave me a lot of information that I had no clue about . I loved learning more details about her growing up in Brooklyn and attending queens college-how many of her friends became famous. Loved reading about her family history —-definitely a worthwhile read !I look forward to hearing the author talk about her well researched book soon

[Roberta]

A new biography - not sure what it adds to the canon with the exception of a great song by song dissection of Tapestry.

[Dalyn Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carole King: She Made the Earth Move is a rich, engaging, and deeply illuminating portrait of one of America’s most influential musical figures. Jane Eisner blends biography, cultural history, and sharp journalistic insight to trace the evolution of Carole King’s extraordinary career from teenage songwriter in the Brill Building to iconic singer-songwriter to activist and Broadway inspiration.

What makes this biography especially compelling is the depth and breadth of Eisner’s research. She captures King not only as a musical prodigy, but as a woman negotiating the complexities of fame, personal identity, motherhood, love, reinvention, and public scrutiny. Eisner moves fluidly between King’s early life in Jewish Brooklyn, her historic songwriting partnership with Gerry Goffin, her meteoric rise in the 1970s, and her later embrace of nature, privacy, and political activism.

The book is steeped in cultural context. Eisner shows how King helped define the sound of American teenage life in the 1960s, then redefined introspective, emotionally honest songwriting in the 1970s. Through numerous interviews, archival materials, and contemporary commentary, Eisner reveals the full human and artistic complexity of King: her brilliance, her vulnerability, her resilience, and her desire to live life on her own terms.

One of the biography’s strengths is its willingness to explore tension between fame and privacy, genius and pressure, personal love and creative partnership, public acclaim and personal retreat. Eisner writes with sensitivity but without sentimentality, giving readers an intimate yet grounded understanding of King’s journey.

For music lovers, cultural historians, biography readers, and admirers of Carole King’s incomparable legacy, Carole King: She Made the Earth Move stands as an important, accessible, and beautifully crafted contribution to modern music history.

[Kelli]

Jane Eisner’s Carole King: She Made the Earth Move is a vivid and deeply insightful portrait of one of America’s most influential songwriters. Eisner seamlessly balances the music and the life behind it, tracing King’s journey from Jewish Brooklyn to the pinnacle of pop music history. Through meticulous research and thoughtful interviews, the book captures the genius behind iconic hits like “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and Tapestry, while revealing the human struggles of fame, marriage, and motherhood. This is a must-read for music lovers, historians, and anyone fascinated by the story of a woman who helped shape the soundtrack of a generation. Eisner’s narrative is both informative and moving, offering a portrait of Carole King that is as inspiring as it is relatable.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember when Tapestry came out. One of my sisters was all over it. Still is. I have liked a few tunes over the years, others less so. So Far Away and It's Going to Take Some Time are Haystacks (Monet=masterpieces). The book is a good read. Brooklyn, Connecticut, Manhattan, Laural Canyon and Idaho. I enjoyed the time travel, and I appreciate the look at the albums, especially Music and Rhymes & Reasons. A thank you to Ms. Eisner for her take and it is worth the trip if you want to give it a spin, even to someone outside of Ms. King's usual fan base. (Yes, I probably will give the book to that sister...if she hasn't already purchased it.)

[Michelle King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating memoir about Carole King whom I didn’t know much about till reading this book. Interesting commentary/discussion about sourcing/research for this book due to the nature of Carole King’s constructs. Now, I have to listen to some of her music! The author writes well and it’s a fun book to read with lots to learn about the music industry and composition! Read the book when you can and let’s discuss!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated that Eisner not only wrote about Carole King’s upbringing and rise to become a musical icon, but that she rounded it out with history of the Brill Building, other musical artists of the time and how King puts notes together in unusual ways. Carole King’s warmth and down-to-earth qualities shine through in this biography.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another very solid bio for the Yale University Jewish Lives series. There wasn't much I didn't know but I really enjoyed the context of mix-20th century Jewish life in New York; an excellent lens to view King's work. I'm not a musician but Eisner is a pianist and her critical explanations of Kings playing + composing were really interesting.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My all-time favorite album is Tapestry. An excellent biography of Carole King's life and career. The author clearly admired and respected King.

[Stacey B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carole, get married ! No Mom, I want to write songs. You wont make it as a songwriter.

I enjoyed this accurate book and saw the Broadway musical "Beautiful" twice. Loved all her performances; my favorite being when she teamed up with James Taylor.
- An appropriate title for a very satisfying story- in the best way.

[Bernice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent biography; she details why the music and lyrics are so wonderful

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book that covered the highlights of her life. Gave an insight into her career and personality.