A Man Called Destruction

Packed full of info, and it really ties together so many of the disparate things he did across his oft-confusing career.

I initially rated this book only 3 stars because I thought the last ten years of Alex's life were covered sparingly, but it occurred to me that Alex viewed it much the same way. He was no longer striving, but gliding, and who could blame him.

That aside, this biography digs back to the first Chiltons landing in Virginia in the 17th century and draws a line to his youth and sudden fame in Memphis. It celebrates his genius and marvels at how it was squandered on booze and cigarettes and fell prey to the whims of the record industry. Ultimately Alex lived and died on his own terms, and we have his music - and this biography - to tell the tale.