Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson
 | |
| Author | Randall Sullivan |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Biography |
| Publisher | Grove press UK |
Publication date | 2012 |
| Pages | 800 |
Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson is a 2012 biographical book written by Randall Sullivan. The book talks about the life and death of American entertainer Michael Jackson.[1][2]
Reception[edit]
The book was met with some controversy, Sullivan argued that Jackson was not a "child molester" and rather, that he was "pre-sexual" having never engaged in sexual intercourse at all. The book also detailed much of Jackson's drug abuse in his later years, money trouble, and "spending habits"—which upset many of Jackson's diehard fans.[3][4] Some fans started an online campaign against the book's sale on Amazon.[5][6] Guardian columnist Deborah Orr points out: many of Jackson's more fanatic followers tend to criticize any negative press about Jackson's life, regardless of evidence or argument.[7] Others called into question Sullivan's source material, and though Sullivan "does an adequate job of chronicling Jackson’s over-the-top fame," he relies on too few verifiable sources to draw his conclusions.[8] Nonetheless, Jackson's longtime attorney, Tom Mesereau, who was also one of Sullivan's main sources for his research on Jackson, came to Sullivan's defense and praised the book for its insight and accuracy.[5] Still, others praised the book; for example, there was "a glowing recommendation from broadcaster and journalist Danny Baker" who called it the "best" book about Jackson; and The New Yorker praised the book's in-depth research, viz., for bringing to light the "financial profligacy and wrongheadedness" of Jackson's life and business choices.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Review: 'Untouchable,' a shallow Michael Jackson bio by Randall Sullivan". The Mercury News. 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ Kakutani, Michiko (2012-11-12). "'Untouchable,' Michael Jackson's Life, by Randall Sullivan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ Lee, Chris (2012-11-14). "Michael Jackson: 'Untouchable' by Randall Sullivan touches nerve". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ Lee, Chris (2012-11-19). "'Untouchable': A prosthetic-nose-and-all look at Michael Jackson". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ a b "Bookmarks: Angry Jackson fans attack 'Untouchable'". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ "Attack reviews on Amazon: An epic Michael Jackson biography sparks debate". GeekWire. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ Orr, Deborah (2013-01-26). "Beware of Michael Jackson's online thought police". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ "Michael Jackson Fans Declare Troll War Against Salacious Biography". Spin. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
- ^ "The Pale King". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
