Jagger - Marc Spitz

As the Rolling Stones celebrate their fiftieth anniversary, their legendary front man remains an enigma; he hasn't given an in-depth interview in a decade and a half. Drawing on firsthand recollections from rockers, filmmakers, writers, and other artists who have been transformed by Mick Jagger's work, acclaimed music journalist Marc Spitz has created a unique examination of the Jagger legacy. Combining biography with cultural history, Jagger unfolds like a captivating documentary, a series of episodes tracing the icon's rise from his childhood in middle-class postwar London to his status as a jet-setting knight.

Culturally astute, often funny, and painstakingly researched, Jagger offers a far richer potrait than biographies published previously. The book reveals much about his relationships (with Marianne Faithfull and ex-wives Bianca Jagger and Jerry Hall); his complex, creative partership with Keith Richards; his friends, including John Lennon and David Bowie; and his enemies, such as Hells Angels leader Sonny Barger. Spitz goes even deeper, exploring Jagger's many roles: authentic soul man; powerful social commentator; sexual liberator; would-be movie star; and a shrewd businessman with an enthusiasm for much younger women. The myth of Mick is examined and rebooted for the twenty-first century.