Well-researched and frank, this full biography includes an account of Harrison's rivalries, drug abuse, religious obsession, marital ructions, artistic plagarism and finally his reputation as a talented, charitable, middle-aged musician.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
An amateurish attempt to curry Harrison's favor.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Quiet One: A Life of George Harrison (Paperback)
Rife with personal bias and the author's "opinions" on Harrison's life and work, as well as other subjects on which the author sees fit to comment, this bio is badly written, bears no touch of an editor's hand, and was not even proofread adequately. Conjecture replaces fact, and much of the book reads like a summation of previously-published articles and books. No new revelations are presented, and important facts and events in Harrison's life are given short shrift or omitted entirely. The few quotes from Harrison's intimates are old, such as statements Pattie Boyd made in the late 70s. Clayon also makes bare statements without any evidence, such as Harrison's having had a "drug addiction", which Clayson never supports with any facts or evidence. This is typical of this sloppy, amateurish mess. Chronology appears to not be Clayson's strong point, either. Worst of all is Clayson's bald statement, at the end of the book, that he simply doesn't like or respect certain [unnamed] persons in music -- and therefore either doesn't write about them or does so as briefly as possible. Eric Clapton thus rates a few paragraphs in this book, despite having been Harrison's friend for thirty years, and having played significant roles in Harrison's personal and professional life. Clapton, whom Clayson states is "overrated", is dismissed in a few sentences. Others only have their names mentioned once or twice. But musicians whom Clayson deems "worthy of respect" are mentioned time and again at length. This sort of naked bias is inappropriate in an allegedly objective look at Harrison's life and work. Clayson's opinions are unsound, his research absent, his writing laughable. While he posits himself as a music insider, in truth he appears to be someone desperately TRYING to be an insider, and attempting to use this book to gain Harrison's approval and respect. Bad form
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Effort and Intent rather than Insight and Content,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Quiet One: A Life of George Harrison (Paperback)
The writer can be remarkably annoying as he is self-centered and opinionated about everything and everyone he writes about. Get past that. His facts aren't always right and the book is neither proofed nor edited well. Get past that too. This is an earnest attempt at biography of a subject who did not want to have any more writing done about his public or private life. The writer really tries to get inside Harrison's music and his world. He succeeds at going deeper into Harrison than most any other writer has ever done, however, and that is worth three stars. While lacking the insight and research into Indian sprituality found in Geoffrey Giuliano's Dark Horse (which has other faults that Clayson doesn't stumble into), he really applies himself to Harrison's solo recordings in a way that no other - to my knowledge - critic has done ever. When Harrison died (or disappeared), the lack of true critical review of his solo work (between 1973 and 1987 at least) underscored what Clayson had achieved. Which isn't to say that he does a great job writing about those many years of recordings, but he does give them an objective, honest and careful listen, putting them into the perspective of his full musical career.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Isn't It a Pity...,
By
This review is from: The Quiet One: A Life of George Harrison (Paperback)
...that this work falls far short of readers' expectations?In reading this book, one gets the feeling that the author is trying to curry George Harrison's favor. Instead of focussing on the former Beatle's achievements and accomplishments, it appears that this author is criticizing and scorning other artists such as Eric Clapton. The irony of it all is that Clayson has written a biography that was of extraordinary caliber on George Harrison, the 1/4 of the box set. This work, on the other hand is a real bust.
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