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The Book of Mac: Remembering Mac Miller
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER!
An album-by-album celebration of the life and music of Mac Miller through oral histories, intimate reflections, and critical examinations of his enduring work.
“One of my most vivid memories of him is the way he would look at you while he was playing you a song. He tried to look you right in the eyes to see how you were feeling about it.” —Will Kalson, friend and first manager
Following Mac Miller’s tragic passing in 2018, Donna-Claire Chesman dedicated a year to chronicling his work through the unique lens of her relationship to the music and Mac’s singular relationship to his fans. Like many who’d been following him since he’d started releasing mixtapes at eighteen years old, she felt as if she’d come of age alongside the rapidly evolving artist, with his music being crucial to her personal development.
“I want people to remember his humanity as they’re listening to the music, to realize how much bravery and courage it takes to be that honest, be that self-aware, and be that real about things going on internally. He let us witness that entire journey. He never hid that.” —Kehlani, friend and musician.
The project evolved to include intimate interviews with many of Mac’s closest friends and collaborators, from his Most Dope Family in Pittsburgh to the producers and musicians who assisted him in making his everlasting music, including Big Jerm, Rex Arrow, Wiz Khalifa, Benjy Grinberg, Just Blaze, Josh Berg, Syd, Thundercat, and more. These voices, along with the author’s commentary, provide a vivid and poignant portrait of this astonishing artist—one who had just released a series of increasingly complex albums, demonstrating what a musical force he was and how heartbreaking it was to lose him.
“As I’m reading the lyrics, it’s crazy. It’s him telling us that he hopes we can always respect him. I feel like this is a message from him, spiritually. A lot of the time, his music was like little letters and messages to his friends, family, and people he loved, to remind them of who he really was.” —Quentin Cuff, best friend and tour manager.
An album-by-album celebration of the life and music of Mac Miller through oral histories, intimate reflections, and critical examinations of his enduring work.
“One of my most vivid memories of him is the way he would look at you while he was playing you a song. He tried to look you right in the eyes to see how you were feeling about it.” —Will Kalson, friend and first manager
Following Mac Miller’s tragic passing in 2018, Donna-Claire Chesman dedicated a year to chronicling his work through the unique lens of her relationship to the music and Mac’s singular relationship to his fans. Like many who’d been following him since he’d started releasing mixtapes at eighteen years old, she felt as if she’d come of age alongside the rapidly evolving artist, with his music being crucial to her personal development.
“I want people to remember his humanity as they’re listening to the music, to realize how much bravery and courage it takes to be that honest, be that self-aware, and be that real about things going on internally. He let us witness that entire journey. He never hid that.” —Kehlani, friend and musician.
The project evolved to include intimate interviews with many of Mac’s closest friends and collaborators, from his Most Dope Family in Pittsburgh to the producers and musicians who assisted him in making his everlasting music, including Big Jerm, Rex Arrow, Wiz Khalifa, Benjy Grinberg, Just Blaze, Josh Berg, Syd, Thundercat, and more. These voices, along with the author’s commentary, provide a vivid and poignant portrait of this astonishing artist—one who had just released a series of increasingly complex albums, demonstrating what a musical force he was and how heartbreaking it was to lose him.
“As I’m reading the lyrics, it’s crazy. It’s him telling us that he hopes we can always respect him. I feel like this is a message from him, spiritually. A lot of the time, his music was like little letters and messages to his friends, family, and people he loved, to remind them of who he really was.” —Quentin Cuff, best friend and tour manager.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 26, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
November 23, 2021
2/10
This book is incredibly disappointing. I was expecting some sort of biography/ inner look into Macs works, but instead the book kicks off with a look into the writers life, who I’m sure is a great person, but let’s be honest, is not the person we care about when reading a book on Mac Miller. It would be like buying a biography on Van Gogh and the first chapter is about why the writer likes Van Gogh. Who cares?
So then when I found out it was more about the albums, I was exited to read about the backgrounds of his projects, how they got started, his inspirations, his life up to that point- nope. It’s more like the writer picks their four or five favorite songs from each album, poetically explains them and then poetically explains Mac as a person. Which is cool, like I’m glad people love Mac Miller so much like that, but I wanted to learn more about him as a person and artist. I also feel like the book is unfairly divided and unfocused. There’s 44 pages on K.I.D.S and 14 on The Divine Feminine. There’s almost no discussion about how Mac was branching into genres away from rap and flexing his singing. Also, it’s been a longtime rumor that TDF was the only album in the latter half of his career that he created sober. I would have loved if the author could have delved into that rumor and found out if it was true or not, as it would have given us insight into what a sober Mac Miller could do (if the rumor was true).
This is not a book to read if you want to learn and expand your love of Mac Miller. This is a book to read if you are a super fan and want to read the perspective of another super fan.
This book is incredibly disappointing. I was expecting some sort of biography/ inner look into Macs works, but instead the book kicks off with a look into the writers life, who I’m sure is a great person, but let’s be honest, is not the person we care about when reading a book on Mac Miller. It would be like buying a biography on Van Gogh and the first chapter is about why the writer likes Van Gogh. Who cares?
So then when I found out it was more about the albums, I was exited to read about the backgrounds of his projects, how they got started, his inspirations, his life up to that point- nope. It’s more like the writer picks their four or five favorite songs from each album, poetically explains them and then poetically explains Mac as a person. Which is cool, like I’m glad people love Mac Miller so much like that, but I wanted to learn more about him as a person and artist. I also feel like the book is unfairly divided and unfocused. There’s 44 pages on K.I.D.S and 14 on The Divine Feminine. There’s almost no discussion about how Mac was branching into genres away from rap and flexing his singing. Also, it’s been a longtime rumor that TDF was the only album in the latter half of his career that he created sober. I would have loved if the author could have delved into that rumor and found out if it was true or not, as it would have given us insight into what a sober Mac Miller could do (if the rumor was true).
This is not a book to read if you want to learn and expand your love of Mac Miller. This is a book to read if you are a super fan and want to read the perspective of another super fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2021
I am SO SAD to give this book one star, knowing it's the only one that has the family's blessing.... but my God, who the hell gave Donna-Claire Chesman an authority to write?!
This book is like a presentation for a masters degree on Mac Miller, where this woman who says she's a fan deciphers each of her favorite songs from Mac's album. While doing so refers to Mac as Malcom (had she been a true fan she would remember the lyric "don't call me Malcom if you didn't fuc**ng know me then"). Her presentation was a failure in epic proportions and if I could rate this book a half star I would. It was TERRIBLE listening to the way she described each of Miller's songs. I have been a die hard fan since the beginning of Miller and as I read each of Chesmans essays professing her love for Miller's work I could not help but wonder if truly that's how Miller would have wanted these songs deciphered. Unbelievably bad.
Around page 200 I started to skip Chesmans bulls**t essays and only read the blurbs from Miller's crew. This made the book 100x better, but the quotes (although had highly valuable information in them) were terribly arranged. It honestly made me angry at the injustice I felt she provided to the fans who were awaiting the bio that had the family's blessing.
I hope one day a real Mac Miller bio will come out !
This book is like a presentation for a masters degree on Mac Miller, where this woman who says she's a fan deciphers each of her favorite songs from Mac's album. While doing so refers to Mac as Malcom (had she been a true fan she would remember the lyric "don't call me Malcom if you didn't fuc**ng know me then"). Her presentation was a failure in epic proportions and if I could rate this book a half star I would. It was TERRIBLE listening to the way she described each of Miller's songs. I have been a die hard fan since the beginning of Miller and as I read each of Chesmans essays professing her love for Miller's work I could not help but wonder if truly that's how Miller would have wanted these songs deciphered. Unbelievably bad.
Around page 200 I started to skip Chesmans bulls**t essays and only read the blurbs from Miller's crew. This made the book 100x better, but the quotes (although had highly valuable information in them) were terribly arranged. It honestly made me angry at the injustice I felt she provided to the fans who were awaiting the bio that had the family's blessing.
I hope one day a real Mac Miller bio will come out !
December 3, 2021
Mac Miller is my favorite artist and this book was the most anticipated one of my life…. Unfortunately, it was not that good.
I love the sentiment and the idea behind it… the author related Mac’s works to her life and then interviewed producers, other artists, and friends… but I believe this book could have been so much better if the author got out of the way and let Mac tell the story.
I believe the book could be better if it went through the entirety of Mac’s life from birth to death, had more Mac interviews and moments, and had family / close friends interview for it. I know there are countless stories, lives touched, events… the list goes on.
I also thought the organization was poor. Jumbling between the author’s experiences and interviews with producers and artists that flipped back and forth.
Overall I’m disappointed, and have a hard time recommending it to other Mac heads…
I love the sentiment and the idea behind it… the author related Mac’s works to her life and then interviewed producers, other artists, and friends… but I believe this book could have been so much better if the author got out of the way and let Mac tell the story.
I believe the book could be better if it went through the entirety of Mac’s life from birth to death, had more Mac interviews and moments, and had family / close friends interview for it. I know there are countless stories, lives touched, events… the list goes on.
I also thought the organization was poor. Jumbling between the author’s experiences and interviews with producers and artists that flipped back and forth.
Overall I’m disappointed, and have a hard time recommending it to other Mac heads…
December 10, 2023
This has to be the most bizarre „biography“ I have ever read.
I went into this book expecting to learn more about one of my favorite artists and instead kept reading about the author and her life. Not to sound insensitive but I didn‘t pick up a Mac Miller (supposed) biography to read about one of his fans‘ struggles with depression, coming out as gay or having a brain tumor removed. She ties all of this (and much more) loosely with Mac‘s music and how it helped her through these various difficult times in her life but - again - that is really not what I‘m here to read about. The book is equal parts the author’s insufferable essays (that she also uses to make farfetched analyses of certain songs and insist on there being questionable connections between different songs on one or different projects - that she calls „the art of webbing“ - that are mostly just accidental at best) and a lengthy interview with some of Mac‘s collaborators over the years broken into fragments that are then shoehorned awkwardly between the author‘s own musings. This book is little more than Donna-Claire Chesman’s autobiography/diary masquerading as a Mac Miller biography. A difficult read. Were it not for the commentary from Mac‘s collaborators, it‘d be a 1/5 from me.
P.S. Also, the author keeps referring to Mac as „Malcolm“ as if they were the best of friends when the man himself famously proclaimed „Don't call me Malcolm if you didn't fuckin' know me then“ on „Frick Park Market“ back in the day.
I went into this book expecting to learn more about one of my favorite artists and instead kept reading about the author and her life. Not to sound insensitive but I didn‘t pick up a Mac Miller (supposed) biography to read about one of his fans‘ struggles with depression, coming out as gay or having a brain tumor removed. She ties all of this (and much more) loosely with Mac‘s music and how it helped her through these various difficult times in her life but - again - that is really not what I‘m here to read about. The book is equal parts the author’s insufferable essays (that she also uses to make farfetched analyses of certain songs and insist on there being questionable connections between different songs on one or different projects - that she calls „the art of webbing“ - that are mostly just accidental at best) and a lengthy interview with some of Mac‘s collaborators over the years broken into fragments that are then shoehorned awkwardly between the author‘s own musings. This book is little more than Donna-Claire Chesman’s autobiography/diary masquerading as a Mac Miller biography. A difficult read. Were it not for the commentary from Mac‘s collaborators, it‘d be a 1/5 from me.
P.S. Also, the author keeps referring to Mac as „Malcolm“ as if they were the best of friends when the man himself famously proclaimed „Don't call me Malcolm if you didn't fuckin' know me then“ on „Frick Park Market“ back in the day.
December 30, 2021
To say I was disappointed in this book is a massive understatement. Rather than a biography on Mac Miller’s life or career, this book feels like a compilation of rushed and under developed essays written on the author’s personal favorite songs from each album.
It seemed strange to me that after his passing this book would dedicate more pages to the mixtape K.I.D.S. (2010) than Swimming (2018) and Circles (2020), his final and most complex albums, combined. I feel this is due to the author’s lack of original thoughts and analysis of his work.
This book left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, because if anyone else had written it I wouldn’t hesitate to call them a Grifter cashing in on the tragedy of Mac Miller’s death. I say this because of the author’s long and documented history of Mac Miller fandom. I would only recommend this book for the friends and family interviews sprinkled across each chapter, and to monetize the words of those closest to Mac feels off to me.
It seemed strange to me that after his passing this book would dedicate more pages to the mixtape K.I.D.S. (2010) than Swimming (2018) and Circles (2020), his final and most complex albums, combined. I feel this is due to the author’s lack of original thoughts and analysis of his work.
This book left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, because if anyone else had written it I wouldn’t hesitate to call them a Grifter cashing in on the tragedy of Mac Miller’s death. I say this because of the author’s long and documented history of Mac Miller fandom. I would only recommend this book for the friends and family interviews sprinkled across each chapter, and to monetize the words of those closest to Mac feels off to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
“The Book of Mac” is a book that severely disappointed me. In the months leading to its release, I was expecting this book to give us a deeper insight into Mac Miller. Rather, it became a repetitive book that repeated the same ideas over and over again; Mac was nice, Mac had some hard times, Mac was kind, Mac did drugs, Mac was sweet, and so on. In addition to being a repetitive book, I was extremely flabbergasted at how uneven this book is. How are you going to give “K.I.D.S” close to 45 pages of writing, but give “The Divine Feminine,” “Swimming,” and “Circles” combined about the same amount of writing? Furthermore, as much as “Faces” is touted as his opus, why does it only have about 20 pages of writing? While it is understood that “K.I.D.S” truly launched Mac’s career, it still feels uneven to me to give some projects more writing than others.
A lot of Donna’s essays also feel out of place (e.g. where they are placed in the book does not matter), and I’m never fully convinced that Donna had the authority to write this book. While I truly sympathize with her personal struggles and it does lead me to understand why and how Mac greatly affected her life, I do not know if I needed to know that information. For a book that is supposed to be about Mac, this really does feel like an autobiographical set of essays on Donna’s own life.
As much as I want to rate this book higher than two stars, I was extremely underwhelmed with what I read. Though I enjoyed reading some parts, this book did not live up to my expectations.
A lot of Donna’s essays also feel out of place (e.g. where they are placed in the book does not matter), and I’m never fully convinced that Donna had the authority to write this book. While I truly sympathize with her personal struggles and it does lead me to understand why and how Mac greatly affected her life, I do not know if I needed to know that information. For a book that is supposed to be about Mac, this really does feel like an autobiographical set of essays on Donna’s own life.
As much as I want to rate this book higher than two stars, I was extremely underwhelmed with what I read. Though I enjoyed reading some parts, this book did not live up to my expectations.
April 11, 2023
I put off finishing this book because of how sad it made me reading it. It brought back my entire life, growing up with Mac. Remembering specific concerts or how it felt to hear an album for the first time.
The best part about this book was hearing from his loved ones. They reaffirmed how great of a person he truly was and how he was such an incredible, talented artist. I wish the entire book was just interviews from his people. Also, wish there was more about his producing and his other musical personas. There is so much to be said about the life of Malcolm McCormick.
His impact on this world is undeniable.
His impact on me will last a lifetime.
The best part about this book was hearing from his loved ones. They reaffirmed how great of a person he truly was and how he was such an incredible, talented artist. I wish the entire book was just interviews from his people. Also, wish there was more about his producing and his other musical personas. There is so much to be said about the life of Malcolm McCormick.
His impact on this world is undeniable.
His impact on me will last a lifetime.
April 19, 2026
I’ve been picking up this book little by little since i got it a few years ago and finally finished my first go-around with it😭 i think it felt like the right time to wrap it up after finishing Adrift on the Nile and watching Justin Bieber’s Coachella performances idk i can’t explain it
November 3, 2021
I think the author put it best in her interview on Dissect when she said that those of us who had the privilege of growing up with and to Mac and his music have a special bond with him, albeit one that is not unique. Because when we lost Mac Miller, we all felt like we lost a best friend – even those of us who never knew him. But that was his beauty, and his legacy lives on through the essays and interviews in this book. A must-read for any Mac fan.
August 24, 2024
This book should have been titled “The Book of Donna-Claire Chesman”
The interviews with friends of Mac were interesting because it was focused on people who directly knew Max and his character.
Everything besides that was mediocre at best. Wouldn’t recommend to fellow fans of Mac :(
The interviews with friends of Mac were interesting because it was focused on people who directly knew Max and his character.
Everything besides that was mediocre at best. Wouldn’t recommend to fellow fans of Mac :(
April 28, 2021
I was an early reader of this astounding, gorgeous book of essays and interviews about Mac Miller, his art, and his legacy. Coming out October 26.
October 9, 2022
Двозначні відчуття. У книзі дуже багато авторки. І це заважає сприймати книгу, як розповідь про Мак Міллера, а радше проєкція авторки через її улюблені треки Мак Міллера.
Мені подобається підзаголовок «an album-by-album celebration of the life and music of Mac Miller», але біда в тому, що цей celebration дуже залежить від того, наскільки авторці цікавий той, чи инший альбом.
K.I.D.S описаний на сторінок 50, а The Divine Feminine – й 20 нема. Тому останні розділи книги виглядають дуже зіжмаканими.
Впевнений, що авторка – хороша людина. Впевнений, вона хотіла якнайкраще. Переконаний, вона обожнювала Малкольма, але.. Якби це була колонка в якомусь журналі – я б зрозумів, вступна оповідь – так, а формат книги..?
Читати важко й радісно. Мак – це завжди про любов, та й про сум, й боротьбу із темрявою у собі.
Чим далі до завершення книги – тим більше огортає сум, бо ж знаєш чим усе завершується.
Після книги хочеться огорнути увесь світ любов'ю, так як це робив Мак Міллер.
Мені подобається підзаголовок «an album-by-album celebration of the life and music of Mac Miller», але біда в тому, що цей celebration дуже залежить від того, наскільки авторці цікавий той, чи инший альбом.
K.I.D.S описаний на сторінок 50, а The Divine Feminine – й 20 нема. Тому останні розділи книги виглядають дуже зіжмаканими.
Впевнений, що авторка – хороша людина. Впевнений, вона хотіла якнайкраще. Переконаний, вона обожнювала Малкольма, але.. Якби це була колонка в якомусь журналі – я б зрозумів, вступна оповідь – так, а формат книги..?
Читати важко й радісно. Мак – це завжди про любов, та й про сум, й боротьбу із темрявою у собі.
Чим далі до завершення книги – тим більше огортає сум, бо ж знаєш чим усе завершується.
Після книги хочеться огорнути увесь світ любов'ю, так як це робив Мак Міллер.
December 13, 2022
"That's what Mac Miller does-he smiles and he saves."
"Mac Miller was never trying to die. He was vying for life with every bar, though it may not have been obvious. He was creating to purge himself of his darkness. In sweeping waves, his approach worked. Mac saved lives. That was only made possible because, beneath every mention of his death, was an overwhelming desire to press on. That is what compelled listeners. He does not want us to sit in his death or our sorrow. There was always the next step. Even after his death, Mac is urging us to press on."
"I would tell myself to worry a little less and not hold onto-don't create all of this weight for things. Everything has so much weight, but it's all just chapters. It's all just pieces of the story. There's gonna be a next part. It's not a big deal. It's not."
"I want people to remember his humanity as they're listening to the music. Also, realize how much bravery and courage it takes to be that honest, that self-aware, and be that real about things going on internally. He let us witness that entire journey. [...] Take in the fact that this man grew up in front of our eyes, in a really beautiful way."
"Mac Miller was never trying to die. He was vying for life with every bar, though it may not have been obvious. He was creating to purge himself of his darkness. In sweeping waves, his approach worked. Mac saved lives. That was only made possible because, beneath every mention of his death, was an overwhelming desire to press on. That is what compelled listeners. He does not want us to sit in his death or our sorrow. There was always the next step. Even after his death, Mac is urging us to press on."
"I would tell myself to worry a little less and not hold onto-don't create all of this weight for things. Everything has so much weight, but it's all just chapters. It's all just pieces of the story. There's gonna be a next part. It's not a big deal. It's not."
"I want people to remember his humanity as they're listening to the music. Also, realize how much bravery and courage it takes to be that honest, that self-aware, and be that real about things going on internally. He let us witness that entire journey. [...] Take in the fact that this man grew up in front of our eyes, in a really beautiful way."
December 2, 2021
Read this in one go. It was great bc I love Mac and his music takes me back to some of my best times in Uni. At first I was skeptical because the author connected an equal amount of hers and his life while I was prepared to read about him. It quickly sucked me in after the Kids chapters though and focused a lot on his progression through his albums. I also appreciated how the author didn’t mention his relationships at all (a few times names are mentioned in testimonials from others), the sole focus was his music and how it progressed. It doesn’t read as gossip heavy novel but rather a thorough, non pretentious analysis of his music from a true fan.
On page 240 though I was a little frustrated with the account of Mac’s death from Vic being “purely an accident.
He wasn’t on a bad streak. He wasn’t doing drugs.” On page 239 he said “a lot of people talk about his ‘addiction’ which wasn’t one at all.” I think this does a disservice to Mac and others struggling through addiction. Denying his issues does not canonize him. Admitting them humanizes him which was the overlying emphasis of the entire book. He always wanted to not only portray, but be one of us.
On page 240 though I was a little frustrated with the account of Mac’s death from Vic being “purely an accident.
He wasn’t on a bad streak. He wasn’t doing drugs.” On page 239 he said “a lot of people talk about his ‘addiction’ which wasn’t one at all.” I think this does a disservice to Mac and others struggling through addiction. Denying his issues does not canonize him. Admitting them humanizes him which was the overlying emphasis of the entire book. He always wanted to not only portray, but be one of us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2023
maybe a 3.5 but I round up.
(I liked this book A LOT more than the other one out there.)
I liked how, at the beginning, she intertwined her own life and experiences with his. They were so different and yet his music still was able to help her through.
I loved the commentary from Aja Grant in The Divine Feminine section.
The last three/four sections were my favorite. from The Divine Feminine through Swimming (my fav project) Circles, and the remembrance.
The way the people who knew and worked with him spoke of him is such a peaceful thing to hear. You can feel their respect, gratitude, and love for him coming off the page.
Mac Miller you will always be famous!
(I liked this book A LOT more than the other one out there.)
I liked how, at the beginning, she intertwined her own life and experiences with his. They were so different and yet his music still was able to help her through.
I loved the commentary from Aja Grant in The Divine Feminine section.
The last three/four sections were my favorite. from The Divine Feminine through Swimming (my fav project) Circles, and the remembrance.
The way the people who knew and worked with him spoke of him is such a peaceful thing to hear. You can feel their respect, gratitude, and love for him coming off the page.
Mac Miller you will always be famous!
Did Not Finish
March 1, 2025soooooo funny thing. i start this book, left it at home when i went back up to college after winter break. the parts i did read were fantastic. but i didn’t get to finish, so therefore no rating. i love mac miller, im a huge fan, so im sure it would’ve been a 5!
January 2, 2024
Mac Miller has always been one of my favorite artists, his music has always spoken to me on a deeper level as it has with almost anyone who has heard it. Given that, I was super excited to read this book.
As much as I wanted to absolutely love it, sadly it was pretty mid for me.
Donna-Claire Chesman had very confusing writing, in my opinion. Half the time when it was her writing, it was like reading in circles. I appreciate the time of connecting the dots between songs but she made it sound so confusing at times. But I really do love how much Mac’s music meant to her and for her to write this book, is an amazing thing.
The interviews in the book, I loved those. It truly felt like the reader was personally talking to them.
I do wish there were more interviews and less dialogue and intersecting from Chesman. I wish his family included interviews, I wish it was more of a deeper dive from his birth to his death and not just Chesman trying to decipher the music in her own words. Who are we to decipher his music, it’s how Mac was feeling, not how we look at it. I wish there was more references to interviews he personally did, I wish there was more from his family and close friends. Now I obviously don’t know if they chose not to be included, but I do know this is the only writing that was blessed by the family and estate.
I do love how this was a deep dive into the time of his music though, and I really like how it wasn’t fixated on the point of his drug use. He was just a human trying to navigate his life and the world.
Mac had music that really spoke to my soul and made me feel things, I am truly so thankful that I got to understand his brain a little more throughout the writing and interviews.
May we never forget Mac Miller.
As much as I wanted to absolutely love it, sadly it was pretty mid for me.
Donna-Claire Chesman had very confusing writing, in my opinion. Half the time when it was her writing, it was like reading in circles. I appreciate the time of connecting the dots between songs but she made it sound so confusing at times. But I really do love how much Mac’s music meant to her and for her to write this book, is an amazing thing.
The interviews in the book, I loved those. It truly felt like the reader was personally talking to them.
I do wish there were more interviews and less dialogue and intersecting from Chesman. I wish his family included interviews, I wish it was more of a deeper dive from his birth to his death and not just Chesman trying to decipher the music in her own words. Who are we to decipher his music, it’s how Mac was feeling, not how we look at it. I wish there was more references to interviews he personally did, I wish there was more from his family and close friends. Now I obviously don’t know if they chose not to be included, but I do know this is the only writing that was blessed by the family and estate.
I do love how this was a deep dive into the time of his music though, and I really like how it wasn’t fixated on the point of his drug use. He was just a human trying to navigate his life and the world.
Mac had music that really spoke to my soul and made me feel things, I am truly so thankful that I got to understand his brain a little more throughout the writing and interviews.
May we never forget Mac Miller.
June 29, 2022
to say i was disappointed by this book would be a massive understatement. i was expecting this book to honor and reflect on mac’s legacy and everything he has given the world, and instead i got a jumbled mess of personal essays, scraps of interviews strung together incoherently, and overall a book with no sense of purpose.
who was this book intended to reach? because if it was mac’s biggest fans, then they sure missed the mark. because if this was truly a book about and for mac, it would be about MAC, and not the authors personal experiences and connections to his music that don’t apply to anyone but herself.
this book feels like it was written in a rush and thrown together without being proofread once. what good does all of the personal accounts from mac’s loved ones do if they’re just thrown together in bullet point format with no sense of synthesis? there is real and good information about who mac was as a person and the effect he had on everyone he encountered in this book, and for what?
i couldn’t of been more disappointed, i’d have a hard time recommending this book to anyone, especially mac fans.
who was this book intended to reach? because if it was mac’s biggest fans, then they sure missed the mark. because if this was truly a book about and for mac, it would be about MAC, and not the authors personal experiences and connections to his music that don’t apply to anyone but herself.
this book feels like it was written in a rush and thrown together without being proofread once. what good does all of the personal accounts from mac’s loved ones do if they’re just thrown together in bullet point format with no sense of synthesis? there is real and good information about who mac was as a person and the effect he had on everyone he encountered in this book, and for what?
i couldn’t of been more disappointed, i’d have a hard time recommending this book to anyone, especially mac fans.
May 20, 2022
This book is not about the life of Mac Miller, this book is about the author's life though the years as Mac Miller released his music. This is a selfish attempt to get rich off the back of a dead artist. I am ashamed to have purchased a copy of this book and I pray others do not buy it. The author is surly a fantasist and wishes she was as famous as Mac. I am just so shocked that this book got the greenlight as an official remembrance of Mac Miller, the author goes in to a great amount of detail about her self and her love of Cats. Trust me, this is the weirdest remembrance I have ever come across in my life. This author should be ashamed of themselves, but then again, I guess, when you are so self obsessed and the opportunity to write a book for someone else comes along, you would just talk about yourself the whole way through.
September 26, 2022
I gave this a 3/5 because it was both emotionally moving and a bit disappointing. The book is a combination of personal essays from Chesman and interviews with his friends explaining the production of his albums and their relationships with him. I'll first focus on the positive aspects, as I truly feel emotionally moved after finishing this book. I absolutely love Mac Miller, more than any other artist, so naturally I was extremely excited to read this and it was going to deepen my love for him no matter what. I cried reading this book every ten minutes, but I'm not sure if that was because of the quality of the writing or just because I get so emotional reading his lyrics. It was incredibly inspiring to hear his friends recounts of how they remember him as a person, and when I was done with the book I found myself writing a journal entry about my purpose in life and how I want to be remembered. I even wrote a few of the Mac quotes in the book on sticky notes and put them on my mirror. I also feel a deeper connection when listening to songs discussed in the book, as I have insight into their deeper meaning and how they were created. It's cool to know what phase of life Mac was in as each album was produced and how quick his come-up was. I felt the book was successful at highlighting how incredible of a person he was and how many phases he went through.
The reason this book only gets 3 stars, however, is because the actual writing by Chesman was not very good. First of all, it really bugged me how much time she took to write about early albums like KIDS but barely spent ten pages on his much more complex and impressive albums such as The Divine Feminine, Swimming and Circles. When I got near the end of the book, I became concerned with how few pages I had left and how many albums there were left to dissect. My concerns were proven valid, as she barely even analyzed these albums and I didn't feel like she did anything to heighten my understanding of them. Chesman spends the beginning of the album talking about all these personal stories of her as a young kid and in high school, but there's pretty much zero background given on Mac's childhood. No one is reading this book to hear about Chesman. I appreciate being able to relate to someones love for Mac, but clearly I would rather hear about Mac's childhood, personal life, personal stories with friends and family that don't pertain to production, etc. There's really none if any of that. If you purchased this expecting a biography, this is not it. It's really just Chesman talking about herself and random interviews from Mac's friends. While the interviews are cool to read, I would have loved a more personal dive into his relationships with friends/family members not related to work. I still don't feel like I know anything personal about him, other than that he was really kind, creative and hardworking, which I already knew.
My favorite quote of Mac's from the book is "I would just tell myself to worry a little less and not hold onto-don't create all of this weight for things. Everything has so much weight, but it's all just chapters. It's all just pieces of the story. There's gonna be a next part. It's not a big deal. It's not," (228). This means a lot to me because I've struggled with being a guilt-ridden overthinker my whole life. I find myself with a constant pit of guilt in my stomach, and I always find something that makes me feel like a failure. Here, Mac makes me realize that I need to let things go. As he's said, "We're just some motherf*ing kids," and I need to chill out and enjoy my childhood. "Its not a big deal. It's not," could be a tattoo of mine honestly. I need to give myself a break, practice compassion, and talk to myself like a friend. I need to let things go and accept that my mistakes are just a part of my journey as an ever-changing person.
It's hard to give this book a summary, as it's a really unorganized string of interviews with no organization other than the general era that they pertain to. The other half of the book is weird personal essays written by Chesman that really have no relevance to what readers are there for other than some relatability as to the affect of Mac. The book goes from album to album, in order of KIDS, Best Day Ever, Blue Slide Park, Macadelic, Watching Movies With the Sound Off, Faces, GO:OD AM, The Divine Feminine, Swimming, Circles, and a chapter on his remembrance at the end. Each chapter starts out with either an anecdote from Chesman or an analysis of the meaning behind his songs, followed by interviews from his friends on how the album was created. Random stories and analysis from Chesman are sometimes inserted between interviews, too, and there's not a super consistent structure. By the end, she gives up on the personal essays and starts giving barely any meaningful analysis. At the beginning of the book, during the KIDS era, Mac is described as a young, weed-smoking, class-skipping kid who just wanted to have fun and be creative. He's then described to have three creative renaissances, the first being frat-rap, the second being more meaningful, emotional rap, and the third being singer-songwriter type music. You follow Mac's music through it's phases, but not necessarily him personally. The most consistent thing, though, is that everyone interviewed describes Mac as an incredible person, which never falters throughout his phases.
The reason this book only gets 3 stars, however, is because the actual writing by Chesman was not very good. First of all, it really bugged me how much time she took to write about early albums like KIDS but barely spent ten pages on his much more complex and impressive albums such as The Divine Feminine, Swimming and Circles. When I got near the end of the book, I became concerned with how few pages I had left and how many albums there were left to dissect. My concerns were proven valid, as she barely even analyzed these albums and I didn't feel like she did anything to heighten my understanding of them. Chesman spends the beginning of the album talking about all these personal stories of her as a young kid and in high school, but there's pretty much zero background given on Mac's childhood. No one is reading this book to hear about Chesman. I appreciate being able to relate to someones love for Mac, but clearly I would rather hear about Mac's childhood, personal life, personal stories with friends and family that don't pertain to production, etc. There's really none if any of that. If you purchased this expecting a biography, this is not it. It's really just Chesman talking about herself and random interviews from Mac's friends. While the interviews are cool to read, I would have loved a more personal dive into his relationships with friends/family members not related to work. I still don't feel like I know anything personal about him, other than that he was really kind, creative and hardworking, which I already knew.
My favorite quote of Mac's from the book is "I would just tell myself to worry a little less and not hold onto-don't create all of this weight for things. Everything has so much weight, but it's all just chapters. It's all just pieces of the story. There's gonna be a next part. It's not a big deal. It's not," (228). This means a lot to me because I've struggled with being a guilt-ridden overthinker my whole life. I find myself with a constant pit of guilt in my stomach, and I always find something that makes me feel like a failure. Here, Mac makes me realize that I need to let things go. As he's said, "We're just some motherf*ing kids," and I need to chill out and enjoy my childhood. "Its not a big deal. It's not," could be a tattoo of mine honestly. I need to give myself a break, practice compassion, and talk to myself like a friend. I need to let things go and accept that my mistakes are just a part of my journey as an ever-changing person.
It's hard to give this book a summary, as it's a really unorganized string of interviews with no organization other than the general era that they pertain to. The other half of the book is weird personal essays written by Chesman that really have no relevance to what readers are there for other than some relatability as to the affect of Mac. The book goes from album to album, in order of KIDS, Best Day Ever, Blue Slide Park, Macadelic, Watching Movies With the Sound Off, Faces, GO:OD AM, The Divine Feminine, Swimming, Circles, and a chapter on his remembrance at the end. Each chapter starts out with either an anecdote from Chesman or an analysis of the meaning behind his songs, followed by interviews from his friends on how the album was created. Random stories and analysis from Chesman are sometimes inserted between interviews, too, and there's not a super consistent structure. By the end, she gives up on the personal essays and starts giving barely any meaningful analysis. At the beginning of the book, during the KIDS era, Mac is described as a young, weed-smoking, class-skipping kid who just wanted to have fun and be creative. He's then described to have three creative renaissances, the first being frat-rap, the second being more meaningful, emotional rap, and the third being singer-songwriter type music. You follow Mac's music through it's phases, but not necessarily him personally. The most consistent thing, though, is that everyone interviewed describes Mac as an incredible person, which never falters throughout his phases.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
The Book of Mac: Remembering Mac Miller is a biography written by Donna- Claire Chesman that recounts the life of the now Deceased musician Mac Miller. The book is written from a host of different perspectives on Mac's life. The book starts very beautifully with a fan telling her story of how his music helped her Conquer a challenging time in her life and gave her the strength to continue even when she felt hopeless. "I watched videos of you freestyling and tried to craft my own 16s whenever my room was empty. It was so grounding and therapeutic. When I hit the flow state while the nurses were away, man, I thought I was finally anxiety free" (Chesman 9). I feel this quote perfectly sums up the feeling of the book and how it was put together. It is a very positive and respectful look on how Mac Miller influenced a lot of people. Along with letters from fans there are also sections of Mac Miller's friends talking about how they met and how he helped them or got help from them. While the book starts out pleasant as we get deeper into Mac Miller's discography it Gets deeper and talks more in depth about the struggles he had with drugs and fame. Although, this book does a very good job of telling the story of Mac Miller's life through quotes by his friends A lot of the quotes Essentially repeat things that were already said, which makes sections of the book longer than they should be. Overall, The Book of Mac: Remembering Mac Miller Is a good read for anyone who is a fan of Mac Miller or is curious about who he was and wants to dive deeper. Some sections went on for a little bit too long, but the characterization of Mac Miller and the in-depth analysis on his music and life is very thorough And gives you a sense of relatability even if you have never listened to a single song. 7/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2024
"There is no reason to live in the dark place once you've gotten all you needed out of its void" -Ocean Vuong
I'll forever remember where I was when Mac Miller died. A bad day on the track, heading into the locker room and Donny blurting out, "dude, Mac Miller just died". 30 minutes later and a passing glance at Twitter was all it took.
Avian and S.D.S before cross country meets
Party on Fifth Ave. New Years Eve 2011
Falling in love with "Watching Movies" Live
Buying Mac tickets for the Rave with Manny and having to get a refund because Swimming never had a full tour.
This was really a beautiful book. Collections of thoughts from the author and then anecdotes from his collaborators over the years. Hearing his musical growth, the creative process, the ability to change and command every room he was ever in.
The book goes album to album starting with KIDS and ending, naturally, with Swimming and Circles. I listened to every Mac project (including his Larry Lovestein and Delusional Thomas work) in the lead up to this and then listened album by album as the chapters progressed. I think this is the best way to approach this book.
There isn't a point to this book. This isn't for posterity; posterity is in his music and every individual story someone has about where they were when he died or what deep cuts are underrated or what his biggest hit is or what album was the best (it's faces, but anything other than TDF is an acceptable answer).
If you are a music fan or a Mac fan or someone who went to high school during the mixtape era circa 2010-2014, this is a must.
I'll forever remember where I was when Mac Miller died. A bad day on the track, heading into the locker room and Donny blurting out, "dude, Mac Miller just died". 30 minutes later and a passing glance at Twitter was all it took.
Avian and S.D.S before cross country meets
Party on Fifth Ave. New Years Eve 2011
Falling in love with "Watching Movies" Live
Buying Mac tickets for the Rave with Manny and having to get a refund because Swimming never had a full tour.
This was really a beautiful book. Collections of thoughts from the author and then anecdotes from his collaborators over the years. Hearing his musical growth, the creative process, the ability to change and command every room he was ever in.
The book goes album to album starting with KIDS and ending, naturally, with Swimming and Circles. I listened to every Mac project (including his Larry Lovestein and Delusional Thomas work) in the lead up to this and then listened album by album as the chapters progressed. I think this is the best way to approach this book.
There isn't a point to this book. This isn't for posterity; posterity is in his music and every individual story someone has about where they were when he died or what deep cuts are underrated or what his biggest hit is or what album was the best (it's faces, but anything other than TDF is an acceptable answer).
If you are a music fan or a Mac fan or someone who went to high school during the mixtape era circa 2010-2014, this is a must.
June 8, 2022
This book was definitely one of the most boring I read this year. However I felt that rating it as one or below would disregard my love for the actual person to book is about. This book was formatted in a way I have never seen before. It almost felt like an interview in words. It would alternate from people who were in Macs life speaking about him and their experiences with him, to the next chapter focusing on the way Mac created one of his albums. This would continue to rotate throughout the book. As I was eager to read this book I felt that this was very unexpected. I thought I was going to be reading stories that were living on even after Macs passing, more of a birth to death type of set up. Instead it focused more on the making of Macs music, which is of course interesting to learn but I was looking forward to a different perspective on his life from his peers. His music was very interesting to learn about still, and the work behind all of his albums was unreal. The way Chesman articulated the smallest differences from song to song was extremely impressive. Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who mainly likes Mac Miller for just his music, or someone who is interested in the way music is made and produced.
June 11, 2022
🥺🥺🥺
Okay, so let’s start here. I believe in angel numbers and one day in the summer of 2013 the number “39” came to me and ever since then it’s been a special number to me.
This is by complete “coincidence” the 39th book I’ve finished this year. Mac also wears a jersey from my alma mater with the number 39 on it in the watching movies music video.
Anyway, the book. I agree with other readers that the chapters from the author are weird and not very well written HOWEVER I trust the estate implicitly. The author has been a writer on Mac for a really long time. The estate seems loyal to his long-term collaborators and I respect that. I also have the belief/hope that the estate is rolling out stuff on a slow pace so they can feed us for a long time and for that I’m grateful. I’m hopeful for a bigger biography and/or documentary. Of course I don’t know if that will happen, but I’m hopeful.
So this isn’t a big biography or deep dive, but I disagree with other readers that the interviews with his collaborators weren’t enlightening. I learned lots of new stuff. It was cool to hear how everyone spoke about him. It took me so long to get through because of how sad I’d get, lol.
If you’re a Machead or interested in one of my favorite artists of all time, I’d read.
Okay, so let’s start here. I believe in angel numbers and one day in the summer of 2013 the number “39” came to me and ever since then it’s been a special number to me.
This is by complete “coincidence” the 39th book I’ve finished this year. Mac also wears a jersey from my alma mater with the number 39 on it in the watching movies music video.
Anyway, the book. I agree with other readers that the chapters from the author are weird and not very well written HOWEVER I trust the estate implicitly. The author has been a writer on Mac for a really long time. The estate seems loyal to his long-term collaborators and I respect that. I also have the belief/hope that the estate is rolling out stuff on a slow pace so they can feed us for a long time and for that I’m grateful. I’m hopeful for a bigger biography and/or documentary. Of course I don’t know if that will happen, but I’m hopeful.
So this isn’t a big biography or deep dive, but I disagree with other readers that the interviews with his collaborators weren’t enlightening. I learned lots of new stuff. It was cool to hear how everyone spoke about him. It took me so long to get through because of how sad I’d get, lol.
If you’re a Machead or interested in one of my favorite artists of all time, I’d read.
April 6, 2026
"There'll never be real closure for me because I always imagined ten, fifteen, twenty years in the future doing an acoustic album that reflected on middle age." - E. Dan(252)
Mac Miller is far and away my favorite musical artist, and Most Dope by Paul Cantor was a super awesome book for me as a big fan. Not to say that this book is bad in comparison, but it is definitely less about Mac than Most Dope is, and is more about the author Donna-Claire Chesman. I read the book and enjoyed it of course, in part because of the many interviews Donna did and quotes put in the book as a result, I just find it a little annoying how the author called this "The Book of Mac" and says things like;
"This book is not, and never was, about me" (270)
I don't think it is a bad thing to write about your personal experience with an artist, I just don't understand why Chesman felt the need to act like it is some sort of an unbiased biography or something. It's a good book about somebody's interactions with an artist, surrounded by quotes from people a little more personally involved in his life.
March 7, 2022
i really liked this biography just touching over mac's life. i think my only problem with it is that it often felt a little unstructured. you could get the general sense of my what people were talking about, but there was no opening question or leading statement to connect back to with all of these different character's in mac's life. i did appreciate how chesman brought all of these figures together to talk about mac and show how close their relationship was, both in music and in real life.
i wish we were able to get more information about the making of "the divine feminine" and "swimming." maybe there was just enough information, but you're always left wanting more.
i recommend listening to the dissect podcast covering "swimming" and "circles" because it does an excellent job of diving into what many people consider mac miller's best work. i haven't finished the series just yet, but hopefully i will be able to soon.
my favorite mac miller song is "small worlds." what is your favorite mac miller song?
i wish we were able to get more information about the making of "the divine feminine" and "swimming." maybe there was just enough information, but you're always left wanting more.
i recommend listening to the dissect podcast covering "swimming" and "circles" because it does an excellent job of diving into what many people consider mac miller's best work. i haven't finished the series just yet, but hopefully i will be able to soon.
my favorite mac miller song is "small worlds." what is your favorite mac miller song?
May 2, 2022
Donna-Claire Chesman wrote a beautiful tribute to her favorite artist. Weaved together with personal essays about the music of Mac Miller and interviews with some of the people who knew him best, The Book of Mac is a stirring reflection on Malcolm’s life and career.
Mac Miller has quickly become one of my favorite artists, and this book made me see him not only as an artist, but as the incredible human being he was. Malcolm had a passion and drive to pursue his vision, to experiment and try new things with his art, but he was also one of the most genuine, honest people, both in his art and with the people around him. He loved his people and went out of his way to take care of them, even if it came at his own expense. Malcolm is someone I aspire to be like.
Thank you, Donna-Claire Chesman, for this incredible tribute. And as always, thank you Malcolm for the beautiful life you lived. 92 till infinity. ✌🏻⚪️
Mac Miller has quickly become one of my favorite artists, and this book made me see him not only as an artist, but as the incredible human being he was. Malcolm had a passion and drive to pursue his vision, to experiment and try new things with his art, but he was also one of the most genuine, honest people, both in his art and with the people around him. He loved his people and went out of his way to take care of them, even if it came at his own expense. Malcolm is someone I aspire to be like.
Thank you, Donna-Claire Chesman, for this incredible tribute. And as always, thank you Malcolm for the beautiful life you lived. 92 till infinity. ✌🏻⚪️
January 4, 2022
My favorite parts of the book were reading the interviews from his friends, it really brought Mac and his work and personality back to life. I felt disappointed in the book until I realized that as a society we often look for the trauma, as it is something we’re drawn to. The book focused on Mac as a person and an artist. It didn’t focus on his demons, mental health, struggle with substances etc. it touched on those facts but it wasn’t a center, which is what Mac, his family and friends wanted, Mac was so much more than his demons and his death. In that aspect, I think the book did a fabulous job talking about Mac as a person and his passion for music and artistry. I think a lot of people were looking for an autobiography—something for closure from macs death—but that’s something we unfortunately will never get. I liked reading about his progress as an artist and his heart as a human.
May 16, 2022
I can't think of a way that this book could have been done better. Reading a book about Mac Miller, written with permission and backing from his family by an avid Mac Miller fan is everything. I think that this is a book that accurately dives into his albums and is something that Mac would be very proud to read.
Because I've been a Mac Miller super fan for over 10 years, most of the people that were interviewed for this book were names that I am familiar with. It is extra important that his friends, colleagues, etc. were interviewed.
This book is done right. It doesn't take too much time to dive into the gossip about his death or any gossip at all for that matter. It speaks to his love of music, who he was as a person, and the legacy that he leaves behind.
I am so thankful for this book.
Because I've been a Mac Miller super fan for over 10 years, most of the people that were interviewed for this book were names that I am familiar with. It is extra important that his friends, colleagues, etc. were interviewed.
This book is done right. It doesn't take too much time to dive into the gossip about his death or any gossip at all for that matter. It speaks to his love of music, who he was as a person, and the legacy that he leaves behind.
I am so thankful for this book.
December 7, 2021
Man I’m so thankful for this book and for Mac Miller. I rediscovered his work in an entirely new context through reading this. I spent my time reading this while also listening to his discography. My 35 minute commutes in New York were spent absorbing and diving into this as much as possible. The stories and interviews throughout the book are incredible and paint Malcolm in such a human light, not avoiding his drug habits but including every aspect of who he was. I appreciate how this book captured his joyful spirit and how happy we was too, it wasn’t all dark all the time.
Thankful for this book. Thankful for Mac Miller. Thankful to Donna for writing this and sharing her work and life with the world. I’m better because of this book.
Thankful for this book. Thankful for Mac Miller. Thankful to Donna for writing this and sharing her work and life with the world. I’m better because of this book.
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