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Let Love Rule
“I see my story as a suite of songs that have a magical connection. I never understood that connection until I sat down to write. It was then that the magic started to flow.”
Let Love Rule is a work of deep reflection. Lenny Kravitz looks back at his life with candor, self-scrutiny, and humor.
“My life is all about opposites,” he writes. “Black and white. Jewish and Christian. The Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin. I accepted my Gemini soul. I owned it. I adored it. Yins and yangs mingled in various parts of my heart and mind, giving me balance and fueling my curiosity and comfort.”
Let Love Rule covers a vast canvas stretching from Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant, Los Angeles’s Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, and finally to France, England and Germany.
It’s the story of a wildly creative kid who, despite tough struggles at school and extreme tension at home, finds salvation in music.
We see him grow as a musician and ultimately a master songwriter, producer, and performer. We also see Lenny’s spiritual growth―and the powerful way in which spirit informs his music.
The cast of characters surrounding Lenny is extraordinary: his father, Sy, a high-powered news executive; his mother, Roxie Roker, a television star; and Lisa Bonet, the young actress who becomes his muse.
The central character, of course, is Lenny, who, despite his great aspirational energy, turns down record deal after record deal until he finds his true voice.
The creation of that voice, the same voice that is able to declare “Let Love Rule” to an international audience, is the very heart of this story.
“Whether recording, performing, or writing a book,” says Lenny, “my art is about listening to the inspiration inside and then sharing it with people. Art must bring the world closer together.”
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
432 people are currently reading
10244 people want to read
About the author
Lenny Kravitz
33 books213 followersLeonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and arranger whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk, and ballads.
In addition to singing lead and backing vocals, Kravitz often plays all the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and percussion himself when recording. He won the Grammy Award for "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" four years in a row from 1999 to 2002. He has sold an estimated 32 millions albums worldwide.
In addition to singing lead and backing vocals, Kravitz often plays all the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and percussion himself when recording. He won the Grammy Award for "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" four years in a row from 1999 to 2002. He has sold an estimated 32 millions albums worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 899 reviews
October 20, 2020
Do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. I could listen to this man read the phonebook!!
January 11, 2023
I met Lenny Kravitz in 2012. He was everything I hoped he would be. He was humble, down to earth and put on a killer show. They say you should never meet your heroes - with Lenny, that proved untrue. However, now I’m starting to consider there could be a case for never reading your heroes.
Let Love Rule is a quick read. It follows the growing trend of musicians publishing two-book memoirs. If there was ever a case for abandoning that trend and publishing just one memoir – then it’s this. It features one of the most abrupt endings of all-time, literally ending with “to be continued…”
This may be okay in some instances, but chapters here are already particularly short. Let Love Rule ends when Lenny is 25, just when things start to get interesting and his career takes off. Given the percentage of book dedicated to his childhood and formative years, it perhaps would have been more fitting to have a front cover reminisce of his Black and White America album.
If you’re delivering a memoir on your upbringing and childhood, then it better have enough depth, reflection and adversity to standalone. That is sadly not the case here. In fact, it's a barrage of name-dropping and highlights the amount of privilege Lenny has enjoyed throughout life. Lenny really shouldn’t have been anything else but famous and successful, given the overwhelming number of opportunities and connections presented to him on a golden platter.
This was an easy read, in part because it skimmed the surface of life. It would occasionally delve into something resembling depth (like his love with Lisa Bonet, his father's infidelity or tragedies befalling other people) but those moments never lasted long. Things move pretty fast in Let Love Rule which ensures it’s not boring and I was fairly engaged despite my grievances about certain aspects.
I enjoyed hearing just how diverse Lenny’s musical tastes are and how they helped shape his unique sound. I also enjoyed how this book doubled as an ode to his mother, Roxie Roker. Some of this sweetness was overshadowed by his freeloading off others, and using people to help further his career, before discarding them. He did, however, pay some of them back with his first record deal advance – along with a Harley Davidson and patch of the Bahamas for himself.
Despite his closeness to his mother, I was amazed she had never heard his music until the release of Let Love Rule. Other tidbits which made me pause for thought included:
- Kids at school sadly calling him a zebra, bullying him about his white Russian Jewish heritage and African Caribbean roots.
- He befriended an abused sex worker, whom he hid in his bedroom for a month while he was a teenager.
- Despite his life of privilege, he got caught stealing KISS albums from Tower Records.
Maybe my expectations were too high due to fond memories meeting him. I still admire him and his music, though found this underwhelming and contrary to the guy I met. I'm curious what his next memoir will hold and look forward to reading about the creation of songs I know and love.
Let Love Rule is a quick read. It follows the growing trend of musicians publishing two-book memoirs. If there was ever a case for abandoning that trend and publishing just one memoir – then it’s this. It features one of the most abrupt endings of all-time, literally ending with “to be continued…”
This may be okay in some instances, but chapters here are already particularly short. Let Love Rule ends when Lenny is 25, just when things start to get interesting and his career takes off. Given the percentage of book dedicated to his childhood and formative years, it perhaps would have been more fitting to have a front cover reminisce of his Black and White America album.
If you’re delivering a memoir on your upbringing and childhood, then it better have enough depth, reflection and adversity to standalone. That is sadly not the case here. In fact, it's a barrage of name-dropping and highlights the amount of privilege Lenny has enjoyed throughout life. Lenny really shouldn’t have been anything else but famous and successful, given the overwhelming number of opportunities and connections presented to him on a golden platter.
This was an easy read, in part because it skimmed the surface of life. It would occasionally delve into something resembling depth (like his love with Lisa Bonet, his father's infidelity or tragedies befalling other people) but those moments never lasted long. Things move pretty fast in Let Love Rule which ensures it’s not boring and I was fairly engaged despite my grievances about certain aspects.
I enjoyed hearing just how diverse Lenny’s musical tastes are and how they helped shape his unique sound. I also enjoyed how this book doubled as an ode to his mother, Roxie Roker. Some of this sweetness was overshadowed by his freeloading off others, and using people to help further his career, before discarding them. He did, however, pay some of them back with his first record deal advance – along with a Harley Davidson and patch of the Bahamas for himself.
Despite his closeness to his mother, I was amazed she had never heard his music until the release of Let Love Rule. Other tidbits which made me pause for thought included:
- Kids at school sadly calling him a zebra, bullying him about his white Russian Jewish heritage and African Caribbean roots.
- He befriended an abused sex worker, whom he hid in his bedroom for a month while he was a teenager.
- Despite his life of privilege, he got caught stealing KISS albums from Tower Records.
Maybe my expectations were too high due to fond memories meeting him. I still admire him and his music, though found this underwhelming and contrary to the guy I met. I'm curious what his next memoir will hold and look forward to reading about the creation of songs I know and love.
March 3, 2021
Honestly all that I knew about Lenny Kravitz before reading his book was that...he is a rock star, I love his music, he was married to Lisa Bonet and his mom was mega famous Roxie Roker from the Jeffersons. There is so much more...so much more...
Fun fact.. Lenny is a fellow Gemini ♊️...not only is he a fellow Gemini, but his is my birthday twin! How cool is that?! If I had to use one word that I walked away from reading this book to describe what I learned about Lenny is that he is humble. ❤️For someone that grew up with a mom with a prime time #1 show and his dad was a NBC producer.... Lenny grew up surrounded by icons. His stories are incredible -how legends would drop over at the house or meet up with his parents.. Yet he recognized that not everyone grew up with that and he respected and was in awe of their greatness also.
Even his days at Beverly Hills High left me speechless...you wouldn't believe the people he hung out with. He worked hard day and night knowing he wanted to be a musician...slept on couches in cars.. oh the stories he could tell and did...I loved it..
I was disappointed that the book ended before he became the rock star that he is today. However he ended the book with ...to be continued...If you are writing Lenny...I am waiting! I will be reading whatever you put out! I really loved this book and the audio was a bit mesmerizing! Yes I read and listened to the entire book. ❤️
Huge shoutout to Henry Holt and Company for my gorgeous gifted copy! I loved it!
Fun fact.. Lenny is a fellow Gemini ♊️...not only is he a fellow Gemini, but his is my birthday twin! How cool is that?! If I had to use one word that I walked away from reading this book to describe what I learned about Lenny is that he is humble. ❤️For someone that grew up with a mom with a prime time #1 show and his dad was a NBC producer.... Lenny grew up surrounded by icons. His stories are incredible -how legends would drop over at the house or meet up with his parents.. Yet he recognized that not everyone grew up with that and he respected and was in awe of their greatness also.
Even his days at Beverly Hills High left me speechless...you wouldn't believe the people he hung out with. He worked hard day and night knowing he wanted to be a musician...slept on couches in cars.. oh the stories he could tell and did...I loved it..
I was disappointed that the book ended before he became the rock star that he is today. However he ended the book with ...to be continued...If you are writing Lenny...I am waiting! I will be reading whatever you put out! I really loved this book and the audio was a bit mesmerizing! Yes I read and listened to the entire book. ❤️
Huge shoutout to Henry Holt and Company for my gorgeous gifted copy! I loved it!
October 6, 2020
The book was good, not too indepth to grow boring but loads of name dropping.
Also disappointed with this new trend of bios where they chop it up into more than one book.
This story, like Fleas bio, ends just when they're on the brink of fame.
Breadcrumbs...so frustrating
Also disappointed with this new trend of bios where they chop it up into more than one book.
This story, like Fleas bio, ends just when they're on the brink of fame.
Breadcrumbs...so frustrating
January 23, 2021
Is there a picture of Lenny Kravitz next to the word ‘cool’ in the dictionary? If not, there should be.
All coolness aside, this is an engaging memoir of his early life, his upbringing of ‘opposites and extremes’ and his deep abiding love for his family and faith. Lenny proved himself deeper than I would have expected, especially for someone whose life was a bit gilded…he counts Cicely Tyson and Dianne Cannon as Godmothers, for heaven’s sake!
My only criticism is that the book ends with the release of his hit album Let Love Rule at the age of 25. There are a lot more stories, way more rock, roll and funk to be told and I had expected that here. I’m assuming he’s going to write another one and I’ll Fly Away to that one too.
I listened to the audio read by the man himself (that voice!), this is recommended for his fans.
All coolness aside, this is an engaging memoir of his early life, his upbringing of ‘opposites and extremes’ and his deep abiding love for his family and faith. Lenny proved himself deeper than I would have expected, especially for someone whose life was a bit gilded…he counts Cicely Tyson and Dianne Cannon as Godmothers, for heaven’s sake!
My only criticism is that the book ends with the release of his hit album Let Love Rule at the age of 25. There are a lot more stories, way more rock, roll and funk to be told and I had expected that here. I’m assuming he’s going to write another one and I’ll Fly Away to that one too.
I listened to the audio read by the man himself (that voice!), this is recommended for his fans.
March 15, 2021
The first time I really paid attention to Lenny Kravitz was when I heard "More Than Anything in This World" from his 1991 album Mama Said. I was in my twenties then and I distinctly remember the song gave me chills. I love Lenny Kravitz! There is no denying the man has talent and sex appeal. Had I been asked to describe him in one word prior to listening to this audiobook, that word would have been "hot." After this experience, "hot" morphs into "fortunate." This book is an homage to his late mother more than anything else, highlighting at every turn how her love and devotion to her son shaped every aspect of his privileged life...that and, of course, music.
Unfortunately, this book only covered the first 24 years of his life and it gets the award for the most abrupt ending I've ever read. That was disappointing and if I'm being really honest, I'm not sure I will read the continuation of his story. I should add that his narration is so sexy but there is an undeniable feeling that the story is very surface. I didn't love that.
3 stars is a stretch.
Unfortunately, this book only covered the first 24 years of his life and it gets the award for the most abrupt ending I've ever read. That was disappointing and if I'm being really honest, I'm not sure I will read the continuation of his story. I should add that his narration is so sexy but there is an undeniable feeling that the story is very surface. I didn't love that.
3 stars is a stretch.
November 20, 2022
I've been reading a number of memoirs lately and most of them have been very good. I also recently came across a review on Instagram of a memoir, and the reviewer claimed she would not critique or rate it. That's someone's life, she said, and how could she rate that, or critique it? I paused a moment and thought about what she said.
But I'm afraid I don't have such reservations. Some memoirs, I like, and some I don't.
I read LET LOVE RULE because Lenny Kravitz is one of my favorite musicians. Because of my disability, I listen to audiobooks wherever I can, and I found this one in Scrib'd; when I saw that Kravitz himself narrated, I couldn't keep away.
It was a pleasure to listen to him narrate his story; but if I'm being honest, I really struggled to connect to the material. The narrative isn't complete, first of all, as though he plans to release a second half of his memoirs. He tells the story as a straight chronological narrative, so most of this book covers parts of his life that aren't that interesting with out the context of his adult life to make them meaningful. As a result, unfortunately, I thought the ending of this book was a let down.
However, I adored the part of LET LOVE RULE that discusses Kravitz's relationship with Lisa Bonet, and the challenges she faced as a result in her professional life. This material was rich with emotion and connection to his musical development. The book needed more of this, or at least needed what there was to be more evenly distributed throughout the manuscript.
Rating 2.5 stars, rounded up
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
🎸 Lenny Kravitz
🎤 Alternative rock
💍 Lisa Bonet or the Cosby Show
📚 Memoirs
✈️ Travel, exotic locations
But I'm afraid I don't have such reservations. Some memoirs, I like, and some I don't.
I read LET LOVE RULE because Lenny Kravitz is one of my favorite musicians. Because of my disability, I listen to audiobooks wherever I can, and I found this one in Scrib'd; when I saw that Kravitz himself narrated, I couldn't keep away.
It was a pleasure to listen to him narrate his story; but if I'm being honest, I really struggled to connect to the material. The narrative isn't complete, first of all, as though he plans to release a second half of his memoirs. He tells the story as a straight chronological narrative, so most of this book covers parts of his life that aren't that interesting with out the context of his adult life to make them meaningful. As a result, unfortunately, I thought the ending of this book was a let down.
However, I adored the part of LET LOVE RULE that discusses Kravitz's relationship with Lisa Bonet, and the challenges she faced as a result in her professional life. This material was rich with emotion and connection to his musical development. The book needed more of this, or at least needed what there was to be more evenly distributed throughout the manuscript.
Rating 2.5 stars, rounded up
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
🎸 Lenny Kravitz
🎤 Alternative rock
💍 Lisa Bonet or the Cosby Show
📚 Memoirs
✈️ Travel, exotic locations
October 24, 2020
Wanted to love it but did not. First of all I had no idea it would only go up to his first album and didn't touch upon his divorce or parents death.
Also you're Lenny Kravitz --- you don't need to name drop so much! He lets you know he has met everyone from Miles Davis to Andy Warhol but never mentions that his beloved mom was first cousins with Al Roker! Ha, go figure?
Also you're Lenny Kravitz --- you don't need to name drop so much! He lets you know he has met everyone from Miles Davis to Andy Warhol but never mentions that his beloved mom was first cousins with Al Roker! Ha, go figure?
January 9, 2021
In Lenny Kravitz's autobiography, Let Love Rule , the musician recounts personal memories and reflections on his journey to becoming an international icon. Kravitz discusses his reflections on the duality of being Black mixed-race, his tension with his father, falling in love with Zoe Kravitz and, ultimately, his path towards an outrageously successful music career.
Lenny Kravitz's recounting of his life story was the literary equivalent of saying "music is life" . The book overwhelmingly focused on Kravitz's music journey without offering much depth or vulnerable insight in to his personal life. Though the book is advertised as a "work of deep reflection", I would beg to differ. While reading passages, it often felt like life was happening to Lenny Kravitz as he didn't offer much insight or reflection on his character and the motivation that drove much of his decision making (asides from a passion for music). I finished Let Love Rule with a solid understanding of Kravitz's early music experience as well as a list of famous people he is connected to (there was a lot of name dropping) but without really knowing who Kravitz is as a person.
Overall, this book felt very censored and guarded. For example, Kravitz does not go in to detail about his relationship with Lisa (the relationship is not discussed past the birth of Zoe and the divorce is never referenced). Additionally, I found that Kravitz went out of his way to depict himself as the "good guy".
For example, when discussing his experience helping his friend escape an abusive sex trafficking relationship, Kravitz says:
"I had to help this girl. I told her that she had to get away from her pimp. But how? She was working out of a seedy motel on Ventura Boulevard in a bad part of the Valley. He kept her under close watch. I told her that no matter how close his watch, she had to get out. I had to get her out."
Though he claimed he doesn't want to make himself sound like a hero, that is exactly what he does. If you're a good guy (which I'm not saying that Kravitz is not), that quality will naturally reveal itself in how you recount your life experiences, you don't need to say "I'm a good guy". Some of his stories felt a bit forced. Further, while the story of the woman who was sex trafficked is important in its own right, I didn't really understand what other purpose Kravitz's telling of her story served in his autobiography asides from trying to depict him as a stand-up guy... it didn't really connect to any other of the other narrative.
Lenny Kravitz's recounting of his life story was the literary equivalent of saying "music is life" . The book overwhelmingly focused on Kravitz's music journey without offering much depth or vulnerable insight in to his personal life. Though the book is advertised as a "work of deep reflection", I would beg to differ. While reading passages, it often felt like life was happening to Lenny Kravitz as he didn't offer much insight or reflection on his character and the motivation that drove much of his decision making (asides from a passion for music). I finished Let Love Rule with a solid understanding of Kravitz's early music experience as well as a list of famous people he is connected to (there was a lot of name dropping) but without really knowing who Kravitz is as a person.
Overall, this book felt very censored and guarded. For example, Kravitz does not go in to detail about his relationship with Lisa (the relationship is not discussed past the birth of Zoe and the divorce is never referenced). Additionally, I found that Kravitz went out of his way to depict himself as the "good guy".
For example, when discussing his experience helping his friend escape an abusive sex trafficking relationship, Kravitz says:
"I had to help this girl. I told her that she had to get away from her pimp. But how? She was working out of a seedy motel on Ventura Boulevard in a bad part of the Valley. He kept her under close watch. I told her that no matter how close his watch, she had to get out. I had to get her out."
Though he claimed he doesn't want to make himself sound like a hero, that is exactly what he does. If you're a good guy (which I'm not saying that Kravitz is not), that quality will naturally reveal itself in how you recount your life experiences, you don't need to say "I'm a good guy". Some of his stories felt a bit forced. Further, while the story of the woman who was sex trafficked is important in its own right, I didn't really understand what other purpose Kravitz's telling of her story served in his autobiography asides from trying to depict him as a stand-up guy... it didn't really connect to any other of the other narrative.
April 6, 2021
Took my time reading this and it was worth it! I just love him. ❤️
October 22, 2020
Let the music rule
I love Lenny’s music but I didn’t enjoy this book until the final chapters when Lisa came into his life. Before then there were typos and lists of famous names and places where Lenny lived. I like books that I can emotionally invest in, and that’s hard to do when the narrator is telling you a story as if he’s reading a menu. But once Lisa came into Lenny’s life, everything about Lenny gelled, and as I read, I felt his passion and immediacy and love. As far as Lenny’s storytelling goes, I prefer to let his music rule.
I love Lenny’s music but I didn’t enjoy this book until the final chapters when Lisa came into his life. Before then there were typos and lists of famous names and places where Lenny lived. I like books that I can emotionally invest in, and that’s hard to do when the narrator is telling you a story as if he’s reading a menu. But once Lisa came into Lenny’s life, everything about Lenny gelled, and as I read, I felt his passion and immediacy and love. As far as Lenny’s storytelling goes, I prefer to let his music rule.
July 29, 2022
5 Stars for Let Love Rule (audiobook) by Lenny Kravitz read by the author.
It was really interesting to hear how Lenny Kravitz got his start. I knew that his mother was famous and that he had married Lisa Bonet but there was a lot that I didn’t know. He had a lot of music opportunities that he turned down because they weren’t a good fit for him. This was while he was living out of a car. His mom’s fame and wealth was more of a safety net for him. It gave him security to go and take the time to find his sound and style.
It was really interesting to hear how Lenny Kravitz got his start. I knew that his mother was famous and that he had married Lisa Bonet but there was a lot that I didn’t know. He had a lot of music opportunities that he turned down because they weren’t a good fit for him. This was while he was living out of a car. His mom’s fame and wealth was more of a safety net for him. It gave him security to go and take the time to find his sound and style.
October 27, 2020
Lenny tells you his story from birth, childhood, teen, to young adult. He stops at 25 years old, the year after he and Lisa Bonet were married and became parents to the beautiful, Zoe. It’s also the year he finally ‘makes it,’ as a rocker with his song.’Let Love Rule.’
However, his last paragraph indicates his youth and inexperience at that time, led to the typical mistakes most young rockers make when fame, money and life in the fast lane are thrust upon you.
I guess his next book will let us know the details, since the very last line was, ‘to be continued.’
I alternated between the ebook and the audio, preferring to listen to his deep, sexy voice. Even at fifty years old, he’s looking good. His music; ehh.
Even though we know some of what part two wiil contain, I’ll still read and/or listen to it. Don’t want to miss any details!
Fun read and still a fan. 😎
However, his last paragraph indicates his youth and inexperience at that time, led to the typical mistakes most young rockers make when fame, money and life in the fast lane are thrust upon you.
I guess his next book will let us know the details, since the very last line was, ‘to be continued.’
I alternated between the ebook and the audio, preferring to listen to his deep, sexy voice. Even at fifty years old, he’s looking good. His music; ehh.
Even though we know some of what part two wiil contain, I’ll still read and/or listen to it. Don’t want to miss any details!
Fun read and still a fan. 😎
January 6, 2023
4.25⭐. I am a big fan. I opted for the audiobook only as it's narrated beautifully by him (and you get the added bonus of him singing a line or excerpt here and there ❤). I was fascinated by the duality of his childhood and upbringing and his musical influences. It paints a vivid picture of how he became the artist he is today. It was a quick and engaging read. What kept it from being a 5⭐ for me was...maybe spoilery if you don't already know....
I get that he grew up the child of a famous mother, but some of the namedropping got to be a bit heavy. Again, understandably, but I found it difficult to follow at times. Also, I really wish this had been longer and not a "to be continued" story. That said, I am all in for the next book!
I get that he grew up the child of a famous mother, but some of the namedropping got to be a bit heavy. Again, understandably, but I found it difficult to follow at times. Also, I really wish this had been longer and not a "to be continued" story. That said, I am all in for the next book!
January 2, 2024
It was interesting to see the start of Lenny's career all of the opportunities he passed up, and the many influences on his life.
I definitely would not have been able to live with the lack of stability that he thrived on, but it worked for him, and he turned it into a life. I would like to read more about what happened after that first deal.
I highly recommend the audio version since Lenny reads the story himself, and you get snippets of some of his early songs.
4 Stars.
I definitely would not have been able to live with the lack of stability that he thrived on, but it worked for him, and he turned it into a life. I would like to read more about what happened after that first deal.
I highly recommend the audio version since Lenny reads the story himself, and you get snippets of some of his early songs.
4 Stars.
December 22, 2020
Whatever you do, listen to this on audiobook. Lenny Kravitz is hot, and obviously so is his storytelling voice. Le Sigh.
December 17, 2020
I had almost purchased this multiple times so when I won this on Goodreads I was super excited. I’ve always enjoyed the music of Lenny Kravitz. I enjoy him as an actor, and have always thought he seems like a really neat grounded person with some great values. I still feel the same way about all of those things. This book gives you feelings of harmony, peace, love, determination, and flexibility. Despite the struggles and effort it took to get where he is today, it is still a very encouraging, positive book. It goes way back to when Kravitz was a very young boy. It not only focuses on him, it focuses on his parents also. When discussing his mom we learn about her and the financial impact her success had on her relationships, including the one with her own husband. We learn about the tension and strained relationship he has with his father. It highlights the hindsight and introspection about the dynamics of the relationship with his dad. We also get insight into the relationships with each of his grandparents and the bonds with them. We are welcomed into the neighborhood and childhood and adult friendships. We witness professional relationships. We experience lovers and family.
Lenny Kravitz turned down numerous great opportunities to be able to remain authentic and true to himself. There really is a lot to admire about him without any portion of the book sounding boastful.
I did find it a little repetitive on traits, facts, and statements. Parts could feel a little choppy. There was a lot of name dropping, but growing up in a “famous place”, with a famous mother and all the success himself it would be hard to account for everyday life without mentioning people and places specifically. Overall I enjoyed this and it was a fairly quick read.
Huge thanks to Goodreads and Henry Holt and Company (a trademark of Macmillan Publishing) for providing giveaways. Their giveaway has in no way influenced my rating, nor was I under any obligation to review the book after reading it.
Lenny Kravitz turned down numerous great opportunities to be able to remain authentic and true to himself. There really is a lot to admire about him without any portion of the book sounding boastful.
I did find it a little repetitive on traits, facts, and statements. Parts could feel a little choppy. There was a lot of name dropping, but growing up in a “famous place”, with a famous mother and all the success himself it would be hard to account for everyday life without mentioning people and places specifically. Overall I enjoyed this and it was a fairly quick read.
Huge thanks to Goodreads and Henry Holt and Company (a trademark of Macmillan Publishing) for providing giveaways. Their giveaway has in no way influenced my rating, nor was I under any obligation to review the book after reading it.
October 10, 2020
It was good, but it was only half a book and stopped after the birth of his daughter Zoë. So there's another 31 years to find out about. But it was well-written and held my interest.
March 9, 2021
I think the universe was nudging me to read this one. I first noticed it as one of those new release recommendations on GR. Since Lenny is one of my guitar heroes I was interested and added it to my to-read list. Next I went to my library and recommended it. About a week later it popped up in my holds queue. They bought it and since I was one of the first to recommend it I was towards the front of the line. (Usually my recommendations sit there seemingly forever) Not long after that I entered a GR book giveaway for it. I enter those all the time and didn’t expect much. About 6 weeks later it just shows up in the mail (it’s true that you can’t win if you don’t enter 😀).
So now that had a physical copy - as well as access to the audiobook I jumped right on it right? ... umm no. I mention in my reviews a lot that I try really hard not to know much about books before I read them. That doesn’t really apply to non-fiction though as I wouldn’t be reading it if I wasn’t interested in the content - and spoilers don’t much come into play. For those reasons I didn’t worry too much about researching a bit and seeing what other people thought. The recurring complaint was that the book mostly covered the period of his life before he made it big as an artist. I think many folks were expecting a book more like Mötley Crüe’s “The Dirt” and this didn’t have the same level of salacious content. That didn’t matter so much to me (like I said I’m a big fan) and I decided to “Stop Draggin’ Around” and give it a go.
The book starts with early memories from young Lennie starting around age 5 (he changed the spelling to Lenny much later). He also spent some time about how his parents met and their lives before he came along. His father - Sy Kravitz - a former green beret - was a journalist-producer for NBC working at 30 Rockefeller Center (or 30 Rock according to the cool kids). His mother Roxie Roker was the first in her family to graduate from college (from Howard University) and was an up and coming actress - performing on Off-Broadway productions.
Sy was white and Jewish - and Roxie was a “beguiling Afro-Caribbean woman”. As Lenny describes it...
“I am deeply two sided: Black and white, Jewish and Christian, Manhattanite and Brooklynite. My young life was all about opposites and extremes. As a kid you take everything in stride. So I accepted my Gemini soul. I owned it. In fact, I adored it. Yins and yangs mingled in various parts of my heart and mind, giving my life balance and fueling my curiosity, giving me comfort.”
Given that their union and the birth of Lenny was in the 60s you would have expected a lot of racial tensions and conflict here. There’s a little bit of that, but that’s not what this memoir is about... it’s more about the strength of family.
Lenny was fortunate to have a lot of love and encouragement from several nearby relatives from both his mother’s and father’s sides of his family. He even had Cicely Tyson as a godmother - how cool! I thought it was pretty funny that when he visited Brooklyn he went by Eddie (because a neighbor couldn’t get the hang of the name Lennie) and when in Manhattan he was Lennie. He also didn’t get into the story too much before he started talking about how strict his father was with him. The discipline he learned in the military became firmly ingrained in his parenting style.
By the time he was in the 8th grade His mother tried out for - and got - a part on the TV show The Jeffersons. That moved him from NYC to LA. It was in California that he got involved in the prestigious California Boys Choir group (which he credits for his success as a singer), discovered skateboarding, discovered girls, and... discovered marijuana. 🪴
I loved as he described his early musical influences. He really loved the Jackson 5 and referred to himself as Lennie Jackson. He also loved Gladys Knight and the Pips, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Earth Wind & Fire, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, and Kiss. The first (of two) Kiss stories was LOL funny. (The second one not so much, but a life changing event for young Lennie). As he describes it...
“My hyper energy got more hyper. One day I’d be out smoking dope and digging Black Sabbath with the Dogtown Crew, and the next I’d be singing Faure’s Requiem with the California Boys choir. Then on Saturday I’d be sitting in church, praising the Lord”.
Did he say Saturday? At that time he had starting attending services with the Seventh Day Adventists.
The story about Jewel (not the singer) - was like bat-shit crazy. That was really interesting.
Lenny continued to have run ins with his dad and it got so bad he eventually moved out of the house - he lived at friend’s places and out of his car as he finished high school. I certainly didn't know that. Of course he attended Beverly Hills High School (with classmates Slash and Nicolas Cage) - and his parents would bail him out if he really needed it - so he wasn’t totally down and out.
I had no idea he started out as with a stage name of Romeo Blue - and eventually switched back to Lenny (from Lennie) Kravitz. I also didn’t realize how many opportunities he passed up on before getting the right sound. It sounds like if he had given in he might have been forced to be more mainstream and a lot of the music of his that I love might never have been made.
One thing about Lenny... he speaks from the heart. That’s true of his lyrics as well as this memoir. He dedicated it to his mother - as it was clear she was such a powerful influence in his life. I actually wound up listening to the audiobook- it was brilliantly narrated by Lenny. Since I had the physical book too I reread several sections in that. The pictures in the middle were a nice touch and helped me to put faces to Lenny’s family. Overall it was very well written it really left me wanting more. Since he ended with ‘To be continued...’ hopefully that isn’t too far into the future.
So now that had a physical copy - as well as access to the audiobook I jumped right on it right? ... umm no. I mention in my reviews a lot that I try really hard not to know much about books before I read them. That doesn’t really apply to non-fiction though as I wouldn’t be reading it if I wasn’t interested in the content - and spoilers don’t much come into play. For those reasons I didn’t worry too much about researching a bit and seeing what other people thought. The recurring complaint was that the book mostly covered the period of his life before he made it big as an artist. I think many folks were expecting a book more like Mötley Crüe’s “The Dirt” and this didn’t have the same level of salacious content. That didn’t matter so much to me (like I said I’m a big fan) and I decided to “Stop Draggin’ Around” and give it a go.
The book starts with early memories from young Lennie starting around age 5 (he changed the spelling to Lenny much later). He also spent some time about how his parents met and their lives before he came along. His father - Sy Kravitz - a former green beret - was a journalist-producer for NBC working at 30 Rockefeller Center (or 30 Rock according to the cool kids). His mother Roxie Roker was the first in her family to graduate from college (from Howard University) and was an up and coming actress - performing on Off-Broadway productions.
Sy was white and Jewish - and Roxie was a “beguiling Afro-Caribbean woman”. As Lenny describes it...
“I am deeply two sided: Black and white, Jewish and Christian, Manhattanite and Brooklynite. My young life was all about opposites and extremes. As a kid you take everything in stride. So I accepted my Gemini soul. I owned it. In fact, I adored it. Yins and yangs mingled in various parts of my heart and mind, giving my life balance and fueling my curiosity, giving me comfort.”
Given that their union and the birth of Lenny was in the 60s you would have expected a lot of racial tensions and conflict here. There’s a little bit of that, but that’s not what this memoir is about... it’s more about the strength of family.
Lenny was fortunate to have a lot of love and encouragement from several nearby relatives from both his mother’s and father’s sides of his family. He even had Cicely Tyson as a godmother - how cool! I thought it was pretty funny that when he visited Brooklyn he went by Eddie (because a neighbor couldn’t get the hang of the name Lennie) and when in Manhattan he was Lennie. He also didn’t get into the story too much before he started talking about how strict his father was with him. The discipline he learned in the military became firmly ingrained in his parenting style.
By the time he was in the 8th grade His mother tried out for - and got - a part on the TV show The Jeffersons. That moved him from NYC to LA. It was in California that he got involved in the prestigious California Boys Choir group (which he credits for his success as a singer), discovered skateboarding, discovered girls, and... discovered marijuana. 🪴
I loved as he described his early musical influences. He really loved the Jackson 5 and referred to himself as Lennie Jackson. He also loved Gladys Knight and the Pips, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Earth Wind & Fire, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, and Kiss. The first (of two) Kiss stories was LOL funny. (The second one not so much, but a life changing event for young Lennie). As he describes it...
“My hyper energy got more hyper. One day I’d be out smoking dope and digging Black Sabbath with the Dogtown Crew, and the next I’d be singing Faure’s Requiem with the California Boys choir. Then on Saturday I’d be sitting in church, praising the Lord”.
Did he say Saturday? At that time he had starting attending services with the Seventh Day Adventists.
The story about Jewel (not the singer) - was like bat-shit crazy. That was really interesting.
Lenny continued to have run ins with his dad and it got so bad he eventually moved out of the house - he lived at friend’s places and out of his car as he finished high school. I certainly didn't know that. Of course he attended Beverly Hills High School (with classmates Slash and Nicolas Cage) - and his parents would bail him out if he really needed it - so he wasn’t totally down and out.
I had no idea he started out as with a stage name of Romeo Blue - and eventually switched back to Lenny (from Lennie) Kravitz. I also didn’t realize how many opportunities he passed up on before getting the right sound. It sounds like if he had given in he might have been forced to be more mainstream and a lot of the music of his that I love might never have been made.
One thing about Lenny... he speaks from the heart. That’s true of his lyrics as well as this memoir. He dedicated it to his mother - as it was clear she was such a powerful influence in his life. I actually wound up listening to the audiobook- it was brilliantly narrated by Lenny. Since I had the physical book too I reread several sections in that. The pictures in the middle were a nice touch and helped me to put faces to Lenny’s family. Overall it was very well written it really left me wanting more. Since he ended with ‘To be continued...’ hopefully that isn’t too far into the future.
September 23, 2025
This book, first published 30 years ago, is the first part of Lenny Kravitz's memoirs, likely unfinished. It covers his first 25 years, exploring his search for musical identity. Tempted by various paths and people, he resisted choices he knew were wrong. His initial successes are briefly mentioned in the final pages, ending with "To be continued." I doubt that.
This simple, honest, and effective book reveals a common pattern in music industry (auto)biographies: success requires strong networking. So, prepare for many (some unexpected) names.
By the way, my favorite song of his is
The Chamber
This simple, honest, and effective book reveals a common pattern in music industry (auto)biographies: success requires strong networking. So, prepare for many (some unexpected) names.
By the way, my favorite song of his is
The Chamber
April 6, 2021
I mean.. I love Lenny Kravitz, but this memoir wasn’t very interesting because he left all the most interesting parts out.
He left out his jet-setting life, the demise of the love of his life, his mother, and the transformation he underwent after she left this earthly place. He left out the things he learned about manhood and fatherhood after going through a divorce and raising a young daughter of his own, who’s now become a force in her own right! He left out any important elements about love and what he’s learned about love, and instead told us about his impulsive nature and his penchant for using and discarding women, when another more beautiful and more successful woman entered the picture. Another more beautiful and more successful woman who would fund his dream. It’s pretty fucked up when you read it, he sounds like a fuck boy, sweeping women off their feet with nothing but some chords and catfish, using them for whatever elements of joy they brought to his life, whether it be beauty, money, or shelter and breaking hearts all over New York City. I’m glad that he could acknowledge his actions in these situations. How did you get to that place, was it therapy? Inquiring minds wanted to know!
He didn’t paint himself in the best light here throughout this book, he ended up sounding like a spoiled brat who clung to various women to survive. And yo, if that’s your story, then that’s your story. However, I felt like there was so much missing.. like he didn’t even talk about the creation of any music after going solo and becoming LENNY KRAVITZ. I wanted to hear about the writing process re: Circus, 5 and all the albums that came out once he found his voice. I wanted to hear about the creation of Mr. Cab Driver and I Belong to You.
He talked at length about the hardship towards finding that voice, and how the love of Lisa Bonet inspired him to write his debut album. He gave us a clear picture of his coming of age story, but nothing too out of the ordinary happened there outside of the fact that he was surrounded by legends and his dad was a two-timer. Fuck, this made me want to read Lisa Bonet’s memoir. I’m sure it will be insightful! Did Lenny cheat with Madonna and other women as it’s been rumoured? what’s her take on what led to the end of one of the most beautiful couples of the 90s?
Anyway, the best parts of this memoir was how loving and talented his mother and godmothers were. How forward-thinking and courageous they were. It was nice to read about his grandparents on his mother’s side and his early musical influences, although he didn’t gush too much about why he loved any particular influence outside of the Jackson 5. I watched Claudine, the movie, because it was referenced here and it was soooo good. Thanks for that Lenny, I guess.
He left out his jet-setting life, the demise of the love of his life, his mother, and the transformation he underwent after she left this earthly place. He left out the things he learned about manhood and fatherhood after going through a divorce and raising a young daughter of his own, who’s now become a force in her own right! He left out any important elements about love and what he’s learned about love, and instead told us about his impulsive nature and his penchant for using and discarding women, when another more beautiful and more successful woman entered the picture. Another more beautiful and more successful woman who would fund his dream. It’s pretty fucked up when you read it, he sounds like a fuck boy, sweeping women off their feet with nothing but some chords and catfish, using them for whatever elements of joy they brought to his life, whether it be beauty, money, or shelter and breaking hearts all over New York City. I’m glad that he could acknowledge his actions in these situations. How did you get to that place, was it therapy? Inquiring minds wanted to know!
He didn’t paint himself in the best light here throughout this book, he ended up sounding like a spoiled brat who clung to various women to survive. And yo, if that’s your story, then that’s your story. However, I felt like there was so much missing.. like he didn’t even talk about the creation of any music after going solo and becoming LENNY KRAVITZ. I wanted to hear about the writing process re: Circus, 5 and all the albums that came out once he found his voice. I wanted to hear about the creation of Mr. Cab Driver and I Belong to You.
He talked at length about the hardship towards finding that voice, and how the love of Lisa Bonet inspired him to write his debut album. He gave us a clear picture of his coming of age story, but nothing too out of the ordinary happened there outside of the fact that he was surrounded by legends and his dad was a two-timer. Fuck, this made me want to read Lisa Bonet’s memoir. I’m sure it will be insightful! Did Lenny cheat with Madonna and other women as it’s been rumoured? what’s her take on what led to the end of one of the most beautiful couples of the 90s?
Anyway, the best parts of this memoir was how loving and talented his mother and godmothers were. How forward-thinking and courageous they were. It was nice to read about his grandparents on his mother’s side and his early musical influences, although he didn’t gush too much about why he loved any particular influence outside of the Jackson 5. I watched Claudine, the movie, because it was referenced here and it was soooo good. Thanks for that Lenny, I guess.
January 2, 2024
The book focuses on his childhood and very young adulthood up until the point when his daughter was born and he launched his first album. He talked about what it was like to grow up with parents who were a big deal in showbiz and his relationship with different people. He had a tense relationship with his father, great one with his mom, grandparents, and extended family and he was into music from a young age, obviously. He name-drops a lot of famous people but of course, that would happen as his parents were very well-connected. It's no surprise man famous people had been in his life from a young age. The biggest struggle in his life was his relationship with his father but it's all green lights from there. He received so much love and attention from the rest of his family and friends that it's no wonder he could just surf confidently through life.
This memoir was generally just factual, nothing too in-depth or anything but hearing about all the support he received did make me think a lot about how a lot of us are not fortunate to experience that. And I don't mean the financial support for the connections, I mean the affection and encouragement he received in critical moments of his life, only a few people are fortunate enough to get this in their lives.
This memoir was generally just factual, nothing too in-depth or anything but hearing about all the support he received did make me think a lot about how a lot of us are not fortunate to experience that. And I don't mean the financial support for the connections, I mean the affection and encouragement he received in critical moments of his life, only a few people are fortunate enough to get this in their lives.
February 2, 2021
I struggled with this since I'm infatuated with Lenny. Love his music, love his vibe. But I don't love this book. It came across as if a silver spoon kid forced existential hardships on himself to be more deep and have the appearance of working hard and coming from nothing. There is no doubt that he worked hard and stayed true to his desires and wants, but he was also pretty full of himself far too many times in this biography. While a person can gain insight by stepping in another person's shoes, such as a homeless man or people who truely struggle financially, it by no means compares to someone who is playing house in his car but has two posh homes and parents to fall back on. Lots of name dropping, dramatization, and immaturity displayed in these pages. Perhaps that is due to this only taking us to his first album release, where he was 25. I had more respect for the man before this book.
November 4, 2020
Despite the book sometimes making me roll my eyes with ridiculous cliche lines, I really did enjoy it. I find Lenny Kravitz infinitely interesting, and I’ve always enjoyed his music. I liked reading about his formative years and his relationship with his parents. I must say though, I am most curious about what lead to the breakdown of his relationship with Lisa Bonet. I’ve read articles about Lisa and their daughter Zoe who’ve both briefly touched upon it, so I’m definitely intrigued. It wasn’t covered in this book, but hinted at. It seems this is just part I of his journey. I’ll definitely be picking up part II when it comes out.
January 12, 2021
I listened to the audio of this, and I think Lenny Kravitz is a gorgeous man with a gorgeous voice, so I recommend going that route.
However.
This only covers his life up until his marriage to Lisa Bonet and the birth of their daughter, Zoe. Dude was like 25 then. That's a whole lot of life that isn't included in this memoir.
And Lenny. I love you, you beautiful man. But if I hear another name drop, I am going to lose it. We get it. You know lots of famous people. It was a whole lot better when he was talking about relationships and creativity. BUT SO MUCH NAME DROPPING.
However.
This only covers his life up until his marriage to Lisa Bonet and the birth of their daughter, Zoe. Dude was like 25 then. That's a whole lot of life that isn't included in this memoir.
And Lenny. I love you, you beautiful man. But if I hear another name drop, I am going to lose it. We get it. You know lots of famous people. It was a whole lot better when he was talking about relationships and creativity. BUT SO MUCH NAME DROPPING.
November 18, 2020
just when it was getting good, it was over. 😭
March 8, 2021
Very cool book! I love Lenny! I literally knew nothing about him, though, until reading this book.. so interesting! And it didn't get boring, as autobiographies sometimes do for me. Thanks Goodreads & publisher for the free copy!!
January 1, 2021
Even if Lenny Kravitz didn't grow up to be the "Lenny Kravitz" he still has an interesting childhood story to tell. The son of the incomparable Roxy Roker and distant Jewish father, Sy, Lenny starts out in NYC area and then gets culture shock when family moves to LA because Ms Roxy lands iconic role on "The Jeffersons."
This book ends at Lennys 25th year as a 'to be continued...'
Good read, best part was when Lenny was leaving house with a flamboyant outfit on, including a skirt and he runs into Mom Roxy. She checks him out and instead of being shocked or saying something negative she says "If you're gonna wear that skirt, you need to change your shoes. Those shoes are not working."
This book ends at Lennys 25th year as a 'to be continued...'
Good read, best part was when Lenny was leaving house with a flamboyant outfit on, including a skirt and he runs into Mom Roxy. She checks him out and instead of being shocked or saying something negative she says "If you're gonna wear that skirt, you need to change your shoes. Those shoes are not working."
Read
March 19, 2021what a freakin' icon
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