Life Commemorative: Michael Jackson

About this book

From this books first chapter: "To be able to float free with gravity exerting no impact. To live in Neverland. To be idolized-to be loved-by millions around the world. "These seem completely unreasonable dreams. But from a boy from Gary Indiana who was special from the first they became more than dreams. They became fundamental needs. And they were achieved during a lifetime that was stunning in its highs and lows and that was ultimately far far too short. "Far too short and more sadly still perhaps poised for a triumphant next chapter. We will never know." While that is true-we will never know-we can revisit and celebrate that extraordinary life and we do so in words and pictures in this special commemorative book. Although Michael Jackson lived just 50 years he spent the great majority of that time in the public eye. We loved his as a boy radiating joy and dancing up a storm in the Jackson 5 his falsetto tenor pouring forth from car radios coast to coast. We were subsequently thrilled by his reinvention as the biggest pop star on the planet with "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" blasting from boom boxes around the world. The best pictures from each era are here. As you would expect LIFE magazine then the countrys preeminent photo journal was onto the Jackson 5 story early-in fact we put the family on our cover when Michael was still a lad. He made the cover several more times and he allowed LIFE exclusive access to his private California sanctum called Neverland. We have combed through our archives and found all the famous shots as well as several surprises including never-before-seen pictures that show the boy and then the man in an unguarded personal way. Also we have taken the best from the portfolios of the worlds top rock n roll photographers and created we think a complete picture of this endlessly compelling entertainer. Michael Jackson was like Sinatra Elvis the Beatles and few others a celebrity who not only made us smile but changed the culture-who altered the way that we looked and behaved. In this book we relive his thrilling life and times which were our time too.