Resistible Demise of Michael Jackson, The (Zero Books) - Softcover

Fresh, allegation-free perspectives on Jackson's life provided one of the year's best books: The Resistible Demise Of Michael Jackson is a collection of essays edited by Mark Fisher, who reckons "only Elvis managed to insinuate himself into practically every living being's body and dreams to the same degree that Jackson did." ... Tom Ewing... posits that much of the singer's later work "sounds like multiple drafts of the same song, a crushed and frightened attempt by a desperate man to get the pain out". With no jokes about Bubbles, and only sadness that he ended up with a "permanent Pierrot-grimace sneer", this is a fine attempt to reclaim Jackson's reputation from the tabloids. --Bob Stanley, The Times

The new anthology of reflections on Jackson's life and work put together by Mark Fisher makes a hugely worthwhile counterweight to the many rush-released cash-in titles published in the indecent aftermath of his death. --www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009

The essays in "The Resistible Demise of Michael Jackson" consummately demonstrate that writing on popular culture can be both thoughtful and heartfelt. The contributors, who include accomplished music critics as well as renowned theorists, are some of the most astute and eloquent writers on pop today. The collection is made up of new essays written in the wake of Jackson's death, and includes Barney Hoskyns' classic "NME" piece written at the time of "Thriller", and contributions from Ian Penman, David Stubbs, Paul Lester, and Chris Roberts.