Harry Styles: The Making of a Modern Man

by Sean Smith

'Fascinating and authoritative' The Daily Express

Sunday Times bestselling author Sean Smith tells the extraordinary story of a modern cultural icon: Harry Styles.

Harry Styles has grown up. The One Direction boy band member so loved by millions has become a truly global superstar - and he's done it without shouting from the rooftops or displaying a mammoth ego.

In this captivating biography for fans from day one as well as a whole new generation, Sean Smith chronicles the development of a thoroughly modern man with boundless charisma who represents a better world devoid of prejudice.

Harry's life changed forever when his mum Anne filled in a form requesting an audition to the X Factor. He left his home in rural Cheshire as a sixteen-year-old and never went back - setting out on a path to become a genuine icon of the age.

Harry Styles: the Making of a Modern Man follows his journey, painting a picture of a man who at times remains an enigma while embracing the world he cares about - his family, his friends and lovers, his music, acting and, of course, the world of fashion.

Harry is the only British male artist to have his first two albums debut at number one in the US; his movie career is flourishing with starring roles in Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman and he is the first man to appear solo on the cover of Vogue. A champion of gender fluid fashion he has proved himself to be an inspiring role model in a world where toxic masculinity has no place.

In troubling and uncertain times, Harry Styles lives to his own mantra that would benefit us all - 'Treat People with Kindness.'

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Celebrity

304 pages, Hardcover

Published May 31, 2022

About the author

Sean Smith is the UK’s leading celebrity biographer and the author of the number one bestseller Cheryl, as well as bestselling books about Tom Jones, Robbie Williams and Kate Middleton.

His books about the most famous people of our times has been translated throughout the world. His subjects include Adele, Kim Kardashian, Gary Barlow, Kylie Minogue, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Aniston and J.K. Rowling. The film Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story was based on his biography of the Harry Potter author.

Described by the Independent as a ‘fearless chronicler’, he specialises in meticulous research, going ‘on the road’ to find the real person behind the star image.

Reviews

[tahlia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look. I bought this from work, it was Harry Styles, I couldn't resist. But this book was hardly an accurate or favourable reflection of Harry's life. It claimed to consider Harry Styles as a 'modern man', that is distanced from toxic masculinity and the such. Yet, whole chapters will focus on Harry being photographed with a single woman and tied romantically to her. I enjoyed the photos in the book though.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about modern man Harry Styles, starting from his childhood, 1D times, solo career and private life. 💫 I assume there will be no new information for hardcore fan, but as I'm not one of them, was able to enjoy the story and get some new bits and bobs of information about Harry.
One I'm sure of - I would never ever would want to be famous. 💥👑 And quite frankly fans can act very rude and also stupid, as much as they might adore Harry, harsh comments about his private life and his girlfriends are just unaccaptable, in my opinion.

[Federica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I didn't know Harry Styles during his time with One Direction, but what an inspirational person he is!

I was attracted to his character by his beautiful slogan "Treat People With Kindness" that promotes his message of acceptance and love, such a great message to spread amongst people!

I found this book well written, very easy to read and informative, I would definitely recommend it for fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Tindra · Rating 2 out of 5]

såg denna boken när jag var i Stockholm i våras och eftersom den handlade om Harry var jag bara tvungen att köpa den.
är lite besviken dock, boken är titulerad ”the making of a modern man” men den fokuserar alldeles för mycket på hans olika förhållanden. tycker förstörde vad som var meningen med boken.
sen blev den lite långtråkig eftersom jag redan visste allt som skrevs om Harrys liv, men that’s on me😀.

om du inte vet så mycket om Harry Styles skulle jag nog rekommendera den men jag tycker inte att den framställer Harry rättvist genom hela boken.

2,5/5⭐️

[C.L. Cannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an absolute sham of a book, and I don't say that lightly. It focused more on making Harry a man-wh*re, making assumptions about his family, and then trying to also be a complete biography of every girl Harry dated. I returned this one, and I never return books; it was that bad and that offensive.

[Charlie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is that what the GP thinks of Harry Styles? What his professional entourage would like us to believe real?
I cannot finish this book. First of all, the bias in the writing is disgusting. I don't know why I believed a writer writing about a real person would have an objective non-biased way of writing about them and That's on me. But the way this man writes about Harry, his family, the band... is so disrespectful and non ironically mean that it just puts me off.
The content is not that impressive either. Pages filler paragraphs. Tangents on side subjects... it's like being stuck in the author brain. And it's not pretty in there. It's cynical and wh*re adoring.
Also wondering if he was paid to mention every single girl/woman that HS has been seen with. And what's with the introduction alone?

"What triggered a fascination with Harry Styles [...] were just a few words from [...] Olivia Wilde. [...] Did he deserve such praise from Olivia, I wonder?".

Tells you everything you need to know about what's to come. I reat all the way up to page 70. Confirmed my suspicion. Closing this book now. Never to be open again.

[Ivanka Voytsekhovych · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have finally finished it! Yikes, how bad it is.

The book could've easily been half as long. It is full of unnecessary details, such as Harry's natal chart, for example. It isn't a biography really - just a collection of facts that you can easily find in tabloids or online. I don't see the point of writing and publishing such a thing, except for making money because of the big name in the title.

It is a shallow book, probably aimed at teenagers who would buy anything with Harry's face on the cover. Do not recommend.

[Maewenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

wouldn't say it was not interesting but this book definitely could have been better if half of it was not about harry's 'girlfriends'.
moreover, despite mentioning that they use they/them pronoms, the author proceeded to misgender emma corrin...

[Ali Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst I might not be a teenage girl especially after yet another birthday yesterday, I absolutely loved reading this. I love Harry's music, and being a writer, poet and dancer myself I loved reading about his background and life here in our hometown of Manchester. He has evolved into such a showman, and his character, and intelligence really show through. I pray he continues on that road and doesn't succumb to media hate or any downward slumps as happen to many stars, but then having watched Macca and Diana Ross at Glasto last weekend, there is every chance he could go on to become just as iconic. Sadly by then many of us may not be around to witness! A lovely likeable guy, a well written easy read. And yes if he asked me out I would go age not even an issue!!! Brilliant book.

[Kamali Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crazy, this took me a week to read. It was not digestible to read for me. I felt like I knew most of the things about him because of the Social Media. The only thing I truly enjoyed was the process of the songs and probably his acting career

I only was interested because I was never a fan of 1D growing up, I missed the hype. I don’t call myself a fan to Harry Styles I just listen to the music. I feel like when 1D broke up Harry had gotten the fame out of the rest of the group and It was very set in stone once they all auditioned for X factor.

The book was written like I was reading a long short story because the author kept adding things like he forgot about it.

Id only recommend this if you’re a huge fan because Id feel like you’d agree with the different rumors that went on in his career.

[Charlotte Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

“making of a modern man”
*has a micro biography of every woman who has ever stood near harry just in case they dated bc of course that’s entirely relevant to the making of a modern man*
i didn’t need to know where cara d’s parents live but now i do and i wish i didn’t.
for me the in depth inclusion of all these “possible love interests” completely disrupted the flow and point of the book

[Karen Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t remember the last time I read a book from cover to cover in one sitting, but when I picked this up a few days ago I barely moved until the end of the day when I’d finished it.
Full disclosure: I loved 1D and Harry was always my favourite, and as he’s embarked on his solo singing and acting careers I’ve been a little more obsessed than a 50-something year old woman probably should be!!
So, that said, I found this biography thoroughly enjoyable.
Sean Smith is the author of many other celebrity biographies and his style is easily readable. Here he tells of Harry’s family life and influences growing up, moving from his days at school and early forays into singing, through the X-Factor auditions and the forming of One Direction, to stepping out as a solo artist to become arguably one of the most successful and recognisable performers of today.
His well documented relationships are discussed, as well as some of his struggles, including at times being physically sick due to anxiety before his stage performances.
Smith introduces us to this funny, charming young boy and takes us along on the journey of his development into the charismatic, deeply-thinking, super talented and effortlessly sexy man he has become.
Loved this one 😍

[elizabete k · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

when Simon Cowell got introduced as "great company" and "one of the most charming men in the business", I knew this book was going to be bullshit.

[Tisha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trash

[Gabby Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Harry even more while reading this 🥺 He seems like such a genuine person and you can tell he really loves his fans

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:

“He was always the One in One Direction…”

As One Direction were really establishing, I was settling down in life and had just become a new Mom - probably for the first time in my life since the age of 6, I wasn’t really following of the musical zeitgeist. Ok, I’ve since jumped around the kitchen on many occasions to the Best Song ever, but I wasn’t concerned with who was the cute/shy/joker one in the band - they were completely off my radar as characters, despite my previous love of Smash Hits/Heat magazine style knowledge. On recommendations I’ve tried listening to solo work but that still that didn’t strike me… so why do I stop on the videos on instagram every time Styles stage and live shows appear? Why, despite usually disliking celebrity biographies that read more like extended OK magazine pieces, did this one make me stop and take a look?

It could have been the late night Christmas after eights eating/wine drinking over indulgence but after I fell asleep whilst listening to this book, I dreamt that I met Styles outside my house… he was initially wearing braces and cool clothes, but ended up writing me an open hearted note stating that he was struggling, and then in a hoody, ended up curled up on my sofa all cheeky but confused, and blatantly exhausted by life. My husband appeared in the room to remove the blankets that I was tucking him in with each time, I’m sure as a representation of the press stripping him back, but I wanted to look after this grinning, oversized personality. The description in the book as a “romantic and unabashed” character hit the nail on it for me though - it’s not often that someone with such charm and cheerful life lust is left fairly untainted by the circus. I’ve ended up writing this a bit after finishing the book, and although still essentially a fan biography (fairly well balanced rather than totally gushing), it’s a book that I’ve ended up thinking about more than expected… and those instagram videos seem to be multiplying, but I’m not turning off just yet…

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I haven't followed Harry's career as closely as a true 'Directioner', I remember him shooting to fame as my uni-mates, and I watched the obligatory Saturday night X-Factor all those years ago.

This easy to read biography not only covers some of the early days of One Direction but covers the spit and Harry becoming a musician, style-icon, and celebrity in his own right.

For those who follow Harry's every movement, it will come as no surprise that he worked closely with Gucci, supported various charities and proudly supported multiple movements such as LGBT rights and BLM.

This book draws a direct comparison between previous musicians who have used their fame and brand to portray 'toxic' views. In contrast, throughout his time in the limelight, Harry has used his popularity and authenticity to spread a message of love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher HarperCollins for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Phoebe Bordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love this book. a fantastic and interesting read if you are a harry styles fan wanting to learn more about the juicy, delicious, and "modern man" who stands for everything in his power including the mentions of the #timesup movement, LGBTQAI+ community that is ever-expanding "TINA SHE'S GAY" - one of my favorite quotes.

Sean Smith has really gone into detail about Harry's personal life including his life before fame and 1D, the way he was raised alongside his bigger sister Gemma, and his relationships including Taylor swift, caroline flack, and now the infamous Oliva Wilde. This man is truly a blessing to be living in the same time as him.

great read, 9/10 for this book.

[Jezs Reynoso · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have start this book thinking oh I like Harry Styles and I want to know more about… well what a deception of book it’s clearly a public relations…noting to be said that 60% is about all of his PR relationships no one who read the book will actually believe he had it because he loved them… at the end it’s a management created book with zero to nothing to said about the artist… what a fail.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was terribly written. The prologue or foreword, First Impressions, read like the author was about to write her PhD thesis. The reference list would have been pretty short: old episodes of X Factor and Wikipedia. I am a big Harry Styles fan and I couldn’t finish it.

[Becky (beckyy.readss) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have followed Harry Styles since his X-Factor audition way back in 2010 and I have followed all the guys from one director and seemed them live once and Harry last year. My parents and everyone know me how much I like Harry. So obviously, my mum bought me this book maybe 2 years ago and I have finally got around to reading it. Now before I start this review, I struggle with non-fiction books as it is and especially ones where it’s not the person directing the book but someone else, especially when it’s a reporter.

Sean Smith tells the story about Harry Styles. He has grown up. The One Direction boy bad member who is loved by millions has become a truly global superstar and he’s done it without shouting it from the rooftops or displaying a mammoth ego. Harry’s life changed forever when his mum Anne filled in a form requesting an audition to the X-Factor. He left his home in rural Cheshire as a sixteen-year-old and never went back – setting out on a path to become a genuine icon of the age. This book follows his journey, painting a picture of a man who at times remains an enigma while embracing the world he cares about – his family, his friends and lovers, his music, acting and the world of fashion.

This book didn’t have new information for me. I just felt like it didn’t go into more of a deep dive which I would have appreciate. It just seemed like a wiki page that has been typed up with a bit more of glitter. For a book with the title of The Making of a Modern Man – the whole book was about him being straight or being with this girl, or that girl. I think five of his sexual relationships got mentioned from his high school girlfriend to Kendall Jenner. There were hints of his fashion and how he got there and yet there was three chapters about it and the last one was to do with his Vogue cover which I would have loved to have known more about.

Sean Smith’s voice was very plain, and it took me a while to get into. The photos were great, and the book cover was nice.

[ulcovan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I should have expected it. For a very long time i have not read a bigger bullshit that this book. As a big fan of Harry and as a person who follows him through the years, i must say this book is cringe. It looks like the autor came across some articles at The Sun and decided to put them together to make a book. This shit contains nothing but a PR image of Harry Styles. Autor is incappable of writing one sentence where he doesn’t mention sex or women. As if entire Harry’s carrer was about which women he dated. You can look at this book as a entire Harry Styles dating history. Oh and by the way does the autor even knows half of them if not all of them are completely bullshit and PR relationships? As a fan this book is disgusting. I love Harry with my whole heart, his lyric do really have deeply meaning more than sex. His words saved many peoples life yet it’s still more important to mention that his girlfriend was there too. I feel like i have read about women more that him. Also the way autor mentions 1D is another level. So disrespectful, only Harry Harry, basically saying One Direction was Harry Styles and The others. As if 1D was such a bother for him. Disgusting, disrespectful, and i hope Harry never reads a sentence of this. And i didn’t even mention all of that. There is multiple lies, untrue or manipulated informations. I think someone from high PR management gave an homework to Mr Smith to write this book and he wrote it one day before submission. I’m disgusted and i truly hope i forget this book ever existed.

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harry Styles: The Making Of A Modern Man, by renowned biographer Sean Smith, was an informative read, especially for those who had no prior knowledge about Harry Styles, however it was an impersonal biography. As far as I could tell, there had been no interviews mentioned by Smith which had been carried out with the intention of this book. Whilst this didn't bother me explicitly, I think that this book is something that anybody with access to Google could have written. There is nothing in it that is exclusive to Sean Smith's work.

Additionally, I must pose the question of how can a biography be written of someone who is not yet thirty?

Nevertheless, I did really enjoy reading about one of the most important musicians in the world at the moment, and somebody who has scaled impossible heights of fame at such a young age, as well as challenging gender stereotypes. The book was enjoyable, and addictive. I finished it within a few days, though I get the sense that this biography has barely scratched the surface: there is so much more to Harry Styles than Sean Smith - or indeed anybody - could ever chronicle.
I don't even think Harry himself could write about it all.

This book provides a perfect base for anybody to learn about Harry Styles. It is simple and straight forward, and almost completely up-to-date. Despite its simplicity, there is an element of mystery involved - just as there is with Harry Styles himself. Sean Smith has done a magnificent job of showing this.

[Amanda Woolley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read with lots of interesting information about Harry Styles. The author highlights things that have shaped him into who he is today from his childhood, through various relationships of a romantic nature as well as family and friendships, his time in 1D, acting and his solo career up until the later stages of 2021 when he finally got to begin performing his "Love on Tour" tour after it was initially postponed due to covid-19 and the year of publication of this book.
The author does go off on a few tangents about other people, which I felt dragged on a bit and weren't really necessary. I am also confused as to why an astrology chart and write-up by a different person all together were slapped at the end of the book?

[abbey ruscoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm some interesting insights in overall what felt like a report-style essay about his life. It was interesting to read about how interconnected the music/film/production/arts industry is, and I really enjoyed the commentary on his artistic inspirations for both music, fashion and philosophy - life imitates art and all that.

It definitely felt like there was some clear bias which is perhaps inevitable in a 3rd person biography but it did make the whole thing seem impersonal and had the sort of depth you could get from articles online.

Definitely interesting enough to read in a sitting though, perfect for a relaxing summer read.

[Tomás · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a challenge to write a biography from a 3rd person perspective. The first chapters were dry. Recalling Harry’s journey with One Direction felt much more like a
timeline of facts than an invite into Harry’s inner world - his thoughts, inspirations and feelings. The best comes towards the end though, when we get a little bit more insight into who he is as a person, the inspiration behind lyrics, the activism and the books he reads. Overall a fun read for fans of his music, but I would recommend waiting for an autobiography ;)

[Heather v.E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was super disappointed with this book. You could have gleaned the same information in 3/4 of the book from watching the One Direction documentary and the other 1/4 from what you read about Harry online. It would appear that the author did not even interview Harry; as a result the biography is very impersonal. The writing style reminded me of a high school research report. I much preferred the in depth articles in Rolling Stone. Alas, the book will probably sell anyway just because it is about Harry.

[Vroni · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had it good moments but especially on the first half it was mostly about the women he was rumored to be dating. I expected this book to be more of a story line of who he became who he is with his clothes and music but it was so much about his "girlfriends" and it said "this song is about this girl" like Harry said it was like this. That was for me personally the reason I didn't like it that much. I'm a Harry fan and I personally think there would have been way more things to tell about him than all this "relationships".

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as an audio book, so missed out on the photographs that were in the print version.

It was vaguely interesting in parts but felt a bit overly focussed on his personal relationships whilst simply repeating the vague speculation that has filled the press/social media surrounding HS for years.

It would have been interesting to know more about the inspiration behind some of the songs, but HS himself remains fairly enigmatic on the subject so it remains a mystery and guess work.

Perhaps I am not enough of a fan to fully appreciate this although I do enjoy much of his music.