Elton John: The Bitch Is Back

by Mark Bego

Here's the straight (and not-so-straight) scoop that every Elton John fan has been waiting for -- from the addictions, toupees, affairs, and scandals to the triumphant later years. Elton John has sold over 200 million records and has more than 56 Top 40 singles. He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Tony. Rolling Stone ranks him #49 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Yet no book published in the U.S. has so successfully captured the passion and complexity of Elton John's life, much less his music. His stylistic versatility, combined with his flamboyant stage shows and memorable costumes, make him an unlikely combination of John Lennon, Noel Coward, Barry Manilow, and Liberace. In a marketplace that regularly disposes of its pop icons, Elton John has been a musical force for decades, bringing his unique talents to venues as diverse as Broadway and Las Vegas. In The Bitch Is Back , Mark Bego brings this music legend to life.

Genres: Biography, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Music

375 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although it contains all the facts (exhaustively), I have never read a biography written with less compassion for its subject. Bego repeatedly mocks John in a way that comes off as more bitchy than critical, and he seems oddly uncomfortable with John's being a gay man. If you have no other way to learn about Elton John's life, then this book is for you, but I'm sure there must be something better out there.

[ED · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. The whole book is a compilation of events with some quotes and comments thrown into it. It has absolutely no soul. It was as if I listened to a very badly constructed TV documentary...

[Steve Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very impressive and thoughtful representation of the life and times of a musical genius. Loved it!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

As bios go, this is great, but I think it could use an index. I didn't realize how prolific a songwriter Elton John was. I definitely know more about him now than before.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elton John has lived a life that included suicide attempts, and being Knighted by the Queen of England. He has had number one records in four decades, he has written songs for the music industry and the stage. He performed in a rock opera -- movie, The Who's Tommy and won many awards. Yet, when he first came to the US, the concert he came to give, was secondary to his desire visit Tower records to buy more LP's!

Elton was a closeted gay man, in a time when David Bowie was claiming to be gay, while actually bi-sexual.

The book includes lists of Albums, Singles, concerts with dates and sales levels in various countries, only some of which have salient points to the story being told, but the whole book isn't a catalog of Elton's (extensive) catalog of accomplishments. Elton bristles at being called his original name, Reggie, Reg from Pinner or Watford Rege. Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He also has the distinction of being the first rock star to have been married to both a woman and a man.


If you like Elton John and his career as a middle of the road rock writer and performer, you'll like this book.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography of Elton John was released in 2009, although the author covers the period from 2000 to 2009 in less than 20 pages. The most time is spent on the peak of Elton's record sales in the 1970s and to his substance abuse problems and sexual identity searching from the late 70s through the 90s.

Elton John is my all time favorite SOLO artist (I'm not including groups here, or the Beatles would top my personal chart), but he unfortunately sounds like someone I would not really care to know personally; his temper tantrums are well-known by those who work with him as "Elton's little moments". However, the sections of the book that focused on the making of his fabulous music over the years was by far the highlight of the book for me.

It was a good read, but I think there are better biographies out there for Elton John.

**#12 of 120 books pledged to read/review during 2016**

[Gato Negro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book was an excellent and truly marvelous, extremely detailed account of Elton's life, it was not the kind of book one can plow through in a few days' time. Every chapter held so much information that I would read a few (mostly at the gym, while listening to Elton's music on the iPod) and then put the book away for a few days in order to read other things. Elton is one of my favorite musicians, and although I realized he had demons (since many of them have been made public in the last 20 years or so) I did not realize how tortured he is...perhaps that is why he is such a genius. I recommend this to any serious fan who wants a birth to present day historical look at the life of Reginald Dwight.

[M.L.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The early stuff is good, but as the biographer gets closer to modern days, the more the biography reads "And on this day Elton did this. And this day he did this." Sort of an annotated calendar.

It's lacking interviews, comments, insights from people close to Elton John. It does have some snide digs at Elton John's expense--calling him a fat, gay clown--which feels mean-spirited for a biographer, and never offers any opinions about why Elton John may act like a gay clown.

I did enjoy this the first time I read it, but it seems shallow now.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy Elton John's music and find him very interesting. However, this book failed to captivate me. I did realize that as a person he's not one to admire. Talented but his character traits are ones I don't care for.

[Glo Sollecito · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book falls prey to the fatal mistake of biographies. It is so easy for a bio to become simply a recitation of dates, names and events and that is what this is for the most part. I'm giving it two stars because obviously a enormous amount of research went into it