The explosive definitive account of the Michael Jackson saga, chronicling the King of Pop's battles against child molestation charges from 1993 to 2005, from award-winning journalist Diane Dimond, who broke the story first, over twelve years ago.
Michael Jackson has long captured the world's attention, first as the dynamic lead singer of the Jackson Five, then during his highly successful breakout solo career. But somewhere along the line Jackson transformed himself into something hardly recognizable and was investigated - not once, but twice - for crimes we could hardly imagine.
Even now, after his unexpected acquittal on multiple charges of child molestation, there is a sense that the real truth behind the allegations is not known. The character of Michael Jackson - from his humble beginnings to his rich career and the birth of Neverland Ranch - is destined for great debate among fans, journalists, historians, and psychiatrists for years to come. In the meantime, there is Diane Dimond, the journalist of record on the Jackson case.
In November 2003, when the Santa Barbara county sheriff's department conducted another raid on Neverland Ranch, Diane Dimond and her camera crews were the only ones there to capture the moment and report the news to the world. Now, for the first time, Dimond recounts the multifaceted details of the Jackson case, utilizing her extensive notes and sources. What she tells us is a shocking story.
Be Careful Who You Love will take you behind the scenes and into the courtroom of one of the most controversial cases of the decade, while giving readers a dramatic glimpse of one reporter's vigilance and unending quest to uncover the truth.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the subject, that's for sure. Basically, it all comes down to "if it walks like a duck..." And there were so much witnesses seeing the duck walking it's impossible to deny the fact.
OK. Just to get it out of the way, since the environment around these books are kind of "split" into those who believe Michael Jackson was a misunderstood 10 year mentally regressed man, who wouldn't touch a child, usually the staunch fans, and those who thinks he actually was a serial child molester. I am of the latter category, and was before I started reading this book.
Its kind funny, because if you judged this book by a large percent of the reviews on Amazon you'd expect something that would be very "tabloid" and speculating, while the reality is really quite the opposite.
Even myself, who already believed Michael Jackson was a child molester before reading this book was expecting something different than this. I quite expected it to be more like a "Diane Dimond does armchair psychology"-session, perhaps lots of statements without any evidence and so on. I guess, something more tabloid.
This is not that kind of book though. "Be Careful Who You Love" is surprisingly balanced and well-researched. Its a very sturdy piece of journalistic work all the way through, and is actually so carefully written its almost shocking. Its almost like Diane Dimond knew all of Michael Jacksons fans would all over it, calling it "hateful", "tabloid", "lying", full of rumors and so on, so it seems she really really really really tried her best present this case as careful as possible in a way almost impossible to insult anyone, just giving the facts around the case, and weighing carefully both sides.. and she actually succeeds. Amusingly enough though, the fans still calls it "hateful", "lying" and "tabloid". Criticizing one of the biggest and beloved artists of all time, can't be done balanced and with facts, because if this book fails, then there is no right way. Problem is, that they obviously never picked up the book, and much less read it. They heard about it, and judge it because in the MJ fandom world Diane Dimond is one of the arch-nemesises, and that is more than enough for it to earn 1 star and a tabloid-stamp.
It would take a uniquely strong fan to actually take a deep breath and read it cover to cover, let all the details sink in, and ask themselves if it actually sounds reasonable or not. There is no lies here, because Dimond seems to make a rule of only reporting what witnesses has said, what Jackson himself has said, what the police has said, and so on. Its not hateful either in the slightest, and its way too detailed and balanced to be called tabloid.
Who is Diane Dimond?
Well, for those who don't know about Diane Dimond, then here is a summary. In 1993 when Michael Jacksons ranch Neverland first was raided by the police, and shocked the world with the first child molestation allegation against Jackson, Diane Dimond, and her program Hard Copy, was the first program to report what was happening. It was live at the raid of the ranch. They had gotten a tip what the raid was about, Dimond reported about it. She would follow up the case closely, interviewing maids at Neverland and others connected to the case. It was not a big surprise that she had earned a special dark place in the hearts of Michael Jackson fans. She would follow up the case closely for years, and then the 2005 case against Jackson came up, and she also was a reporter from Court TV through the deal. Fans of Jackson threatened her, and shouted after her every day. This was probably a book long in the making for her.
What does the book contain?
This book starts with how she heard about the case and how she got involved, but quickly the book leaves herself out of the story. The book reads as an informative account of what happened with the 1993 case with the Chandlers, and many of the people that worked on Neverland and saw disturbing behavior between Jackson and small boys, to the final part of the book, the infamous and controversial 2005 case with the Arvizos, where their son claimed to have been molested by Michael Jackson. The case also acquitted Jackson, after a 5 month long process, leaving the mystery hanging around. What really happened?
As said earlier, its surprisingly balanced looking back at it. Even if it seems like she thinks Jackson is guilty of something, and she does, she often challenges the claims and people against him too, leaving the reader having to figure what to think about it. She never goes on tangents about her feelings, which probably would be okay if she did more, but since she has not, and has tried to just inform facts as careful as she can, she must have done the great mistake to believe you can reason with MJ fanatics. The lesson learnt: You can't. There is no reasoning for them. Either you think MJ was innocent, or you are the scum of the earth.
For the other people that just wants to understand more about what is true, this is a great book for information about both the 2005 case and the 1993 case. All That Glitters by Raymond Chandler is good for getting the 1993 case from the families own perspective, but if you want to know about the 2005 case this book is probably even better source than Wikipedia, which sadly has been hijacked by the fans too. Its a recommended read for those interested in this topic, but keep in mind that its from 2005 and does not include later accusations by James Safechuck or Wade Robson.
What an eye-opener! Always a fan of Michael Jackson, I felt a need to "know the truth" when he died. I've followed Diane Dimond's career for the past 10 years or so and know she's become somewhat of an expert on Jackson and his legal issues, so I felt secure putting my faith in her. Admittedly, part of me wanted to remain naive and a forever fan of MJ, but I didn't want to blindly support someone who very well could be guilty of heinous acts. So I read. And I couldn't put the book down. These are not the opinions of Dimond, or hearsay. All of the facts are backed up or quoted from court/legal documents or parties involved. It is truly shocking. I was sorry I ever spent $5 on the People magazine the week he died. My heart goes out to the young boys whose lives he changed forever. Whether or not California's courts were able to convict him, he's facing the Ultimate Judge now. (Warning: The book is very graphic in describing actual events.)
This is very similar to the other book except it is not as explicit as Ubmasked but all the same it portrays him as something I don't particulary agree with AT ALL!!!! I won't necessarily say don't read this book just keep your expectations low.
I finally got around to watching "Leaving Neverland" and was curious about the history of the accusations against Michael, as I hadn't followed any of them in depth, although I did watch some coverage of the bizarre 2005 trial. I've never understood blind celebrity worship, and assumed that yes, sadly, Michael Jackson is a pedophile, but he'll never be convicted of anything because so many people DO blindly worship celebrities. (Interesting to think, though, how things might be different now) So this book was pretty interesting, (I would like to read the author's recent epilogue, which I believe is only available in the audio format)
Most of the reviews here are either MJ defenders or people who felt a revelation in reading the book. My review is based on what I rate all books on. This book wasn’t well written; the biases shine through, which makes gleaning the facts from the opinions a constant task. My radar goes up whenever an author of nonfiction (and others for that matter) deliver information with overly righteous confidence. I wish the author had left her crusade at the door when writing this. Some of the stories were interesting, but I don’t walk away feeling like I know what is factual or not.
Although I didn't like what was written, the book itself was interesting. Some of these charged against Michael were so horrific that I just had to keep reading. The book is very biased though and you can quickly tell that Ms. Dimond feels Michael is guilty.
I looked at videos of the author reporting on this case and I find it peculiar that she once reported about false allegations from boys coming forward and yet she doesn't relay none of that in her book.
This book is very onesided. The is things that speeks for and agenst Michael Jackson, but this story just fokus on what speeks agenst him. And it speeks of things that people have said is not true.
Since Dimond's book was written, several things about this story have changed: of course, Jackson has passed away, shortly before his big comeback tour was supposed to occur. Also, HBO released "Leaving Neverland", where Wade Robson and James Safechuk revoked the statements they made during the Michael Jackson investigations and allege that yes, they were in fact, abused by the pop star. That documentary adds a new lens to the content of this book. More on this later.
A book review, especially one about an unresolved (or in this case, somewhat unresolved depending on who you talk to) crime, is not necessarily about debating the guilt or innocence of the defendant, though this is difficult to do. It is about whether or not a book is 'good', and within the true crime genre, what I look for to make that assessment is this: Is information presented in a way that is engaging? Is information presented in a way that is fair - either to the victim, their family, or both sides involved in the investigation? And lastly, does it elicit empathy? And through this lens, the book is somewhat "meh".
Dimond does indeed present some engaging information and details - for instance, Jackson's "people" are presented as this Mafia-esque organization who dig up dirt on those they are either suspicious of, or who they can't allow to 'talk'. Added to that is Jackson's apparent paranoia and persecution complex throughout the book according to interviewees. She also paints the picture of the alleged victims' families as desperate, yes, and negligent, yes, but not exactly liars, as Jackson's camp did. It's a tightrope she walks where I know Dimond herself clearly believes Jackson's guilt, but the information she provides has me questioning this throughout (and full disclosure: I do/did believe Safechuk, Robson, and Chandler). Did I feel empathetic towards anyone involved in this case? Honestly, I only felt badly for these boys who were caught in a firestorm of possible abuse, a firestorm of press, paparazzi, and devout and angry Jackson fans, greedy parents throwing them to the wolves, and who to this day, are dismissed as liars, coached, or worse, greedy themselves. Their names will forever be affiliated with this ugly, unpleasant story and whether their allegations or true or not, that must be tough on them.
Where Dimond's book loses me is that some of the facts and information she presents feel, even to me who believes this story, outlandish and false. The structure of the book is a bit messy as well: it felt like she almost tried to tell too much of the backstory to provide more context for the main story, to the point where the presentation felt haphazard. As a result of this, she repeats a lot of information, which happens throughout the book several times, slowing down the movement of what is otherwise an explosive story. Bogged down by too many players, too much information, and repetition of facts, the writing itself flickers with intriguing 'facts', but I'm not sure how many of her sources are credible. All in all, the handling of the story could be better told.
I read this book only now, but watched "Leaving Neverland" upon its release. It's interesting to consider these two together in terms of information that is included or omitted, and also where Safechuk and Robson were in their journey of disclosing their truth in 2019 versus 2005. For some, this lends credibility to Dimond's book; for others, these two now-men might be just more grifters trying to take advantage of the Jackson family. I believe these men, as I believe Chandler. But again, I also feel that like Chandler, both Robson and Safechuk, if the allegations are true, are also people who were failed by not just Jackson and his camp, but most of the adults in their lives. The allure of money, having whatever you want whenever you want, and befriending a massive international superstar, are hard to let go of, and probably hard to move on from for the children definitely, but also for their parents... this fact blurs lines, exploits children, and in the end, leaves the question somewhat open about how much of what they allege is true.
This case is indeed complicated, and one that I believe now, we will never get to the bottom of, aside from having our own opinions, and our own choices on who to believe, like most other sexual assault cases, unfortunately. It left me with a lot of thoughts about who Jackson really was, who might be left out of the #metoo movement, and to what extent people will willfully ignore abuse if keeping illegal activity under wraps bolsters their own self-interests. Ultimately though, the issues explored are more interesting than this book.
I grew up in the 80's when Michael Jackson's most popular music was popular. I was around 8 when Thriller came out and the music video was iconic. Still is iconic (to me anyway). I have always loved his music (most of it anyway).
I do remember the allegations of sexual abuse towards MJ coming out in the 90's but never really paid too much attention to it. I wasn't a mega fan by all means. I do remember thinking that with what was being reported on the news that it was a "wierd" situation. That a grown man would sleep in the same bed with children that were not his own was strange and not what I considered a normal thing. I remember watching some type of show on TV and also thought that whatever I watched, that I could see that he could have done what he was accused of. I have pretty much always been on the side of "yeah I can see him doing that", but had never delved into the allegations and the evidence against him.
I was referred to watch Leaving Neverland on HBO. After starting the show, I became more interested in learning more about what the allegations and evidence had been presented. I came across this book.
I have no doubts between the testimony from the show and the additional information from the book that MJ abused children. I cannot imagine the number of children he abused. There had to be SO many. I hope that all the boys (because it seems that it was only boys) he abused, that they are able to get help and move forward through their lives. It is heartbreaking to think about. My son is 12 and I am sickened that anyone could have any sexual thoughts towards kids.
Reread—read the expanded and updated edition edition this time (as of 2019–narrated by the author). You cannot read this and come away believing he didn’t do it. Horrifying.
Also learned that his body dysmorphia extended to anorexia: when he was arrested, he weighed 120 pounds. His is the ultimate case of surrounding yourself with yes men—he created a world in which he could do whatever he wanted, and it not only destroyed lives, but destroyed his body and led to his death.
It’s a shame how the ball was dropped so many times… but ofc everybody wanted a piece of MJs money who wouldn’t? The thing that finally made me believe was hearing MJ spent 30 days in the boys house… in the boys bedroom… in the boys bed. It wasn’t some rare occurrence that he shared a bed lovingly with boys on random sleepover occasions… It was every single day for 30 days in a row… Come on now.
The definitive book on the entire timeline of allegations against Jackson, from 1993 to the trial in 2005. The audiobook also includes a postscript written in 2019 after the release of the documentary “Leaving Neverland”. A riveting read.
I enjoyed this book and appreciated all the updates. There was a lot of details that I did not know about previously, and I enjoyed Diane’s narration. So well worth the read.
The only negatives was that it was entirely too long and frequently repetitive.
Very detailed coverage of the whole Jackson debacle. Worth reading for anyone who knows nothing about about it and want an in depth info about went on.
I've seen a lot of negative reviews of this book, and I wonder if those aren't from people who are die hard MJ fans who refuse to believe anything negative about him. I personally found this book to be fairly unbiased and to line up with proven documentation. Court cases and allegations were mentioned, and some of the reviews said they weren't. Maybe I missed what they are talking about, but I think this book covered pretty much everything up to the point of publishing. Of course, a lot of things happened after this, including his death. MJ had some really strange mannerisms and strange things in his homes. He lived his entire life in the spotlight, and I can imagine his family dynamic was not always the best. I wonder how much of that impacted his mental state and personality. I also wonder how he was able to beat some of these charges, if not for payoffs. I thought this book was very interesting, especially since I remember a lot of this stuff being mentioned on tv when I was in high school.
Yes, slightly trashy, but it's been on my shelf for ages and his passing had me curious to find out all that he had been accused of. I'm of the mind that Dimond has devoted herself to making money off of Jackson and his story, but if only half of what she printed in this book about his inappropriate behaviour with children is true, that's more than enough for me. Yes, he was one of the MOST talented artists of our time, but I can't ignore paedophilia, period. Society on the other hand, not so much.
I wanted to read this book because I heard that Diane Dimond, the author, followed Michael Jackson's alleged criminal actions from the beginning. She was relenntless in her pursuit of his trials. She worked for Hard Copy and Fox News. Her pursuit of Michael Jackson's alleged criminal actions made her career. It was an interesting book. I enjoy popular culture and I enjoyed reading more about the King of Pop even though much of the book were not uplifting by any means.
I really like Diane Dimond and this is a very well researched book. I don't understand why the details she uncovered haven't had more exposure in the mainstream media.