LOUDRead…Gil Scott-Heron: Pieces of a Man

This post contains Press Samples
Dear Pennies & Pens,

Today, I’m introducing a new section of de la Pen…All Pen Everything called LOUDRead pronounced “LoudRed” where I’ll be featuring book reviews. Some of you may remember my earlier reviews of biographies on Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.

The book I’m reviewing today also features a biography of a music icon, Gil Scott-Heron.Gil Scott-Heron is considered to be the Godfather of Hip-hop. In Gil Scott-Heron: Pieces of a Man, author Marcus Baram takes us on a journey through Gil’s life.

I’ll be honest, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it’s amazing to see Gil get the biography he deserves. But at the same time, I wish the book would’ve been more descriptive and included more details.

The best thing about the book is that it reveals so many amazing facts about Gil. Who would’ve known Gil worked with music heavyweights like Clive Davis and performed on SNL after being invited by Richard Pryor?

Then there’s the facts about Gil’s personal relationships. Gil was raised by his grandmother and when she passed away his mother took over. However it wasn’t until Gil was 26 that he met his father. Oddly enough, being abandoned by his father didn’t make Gil step up to the plate when he became a father.

In essence, I enjoyed learning more about Gil, his life, and work. I’ve always been obsessed with the voice I heard on the last track on Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy but I never knew it was Gil reciting his most famous poem The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. After reading this book, I will definitely be checking out more of Gil’s work.

Overall, I think this book is worth checking out. It’s the first biography on Gil and it’s important to know the artist who inspired so many other artists. Gil serves as inspiration to Kanye West, Mos Def, Jill Scott, Eminem, and Prince.

I know you’ve heard of those artists so you should know who came before them. #ThrowbackThursday should be more than a hashtag and excuse to post old photos, it should be about remembering those who came before us and celebrating their work.

Although this book lacks descriptive language that gives you the “I felt like I was there” feeling, it provides you with a framework and context to understand Gil so that you can interpret his music.

If want to know more about Gil Scott-Heron, the is a great introduction. In essence, please check out this book here: www.amazon.com/Gil-Scott-Heron-Pieces-Marcus-Baram.

Disclosure: This post contains press samples. de la Pen…All Pen Everything received a complimentary copy of the book from St. Martins Press. All views and opinions are those of de la Pen…All Pen Everything. See the full disclosure policy here: Disclosure and Copyright Policy