It’s called “Me” which is both on the nose and a manifesto.

I feel like if I could get books right as they come out I’d love to do a ‘I read this so you don’t have to!’ but I’m always behind the curve.

I get the distinct impression that whatever editors and ghost writers and cleaners-up-heroes came in to lend a hand had a full-time gig with Elton John. He writes the way he speaks, which is darling, and he isn’t afraid to take the piss at all. He’s aware, exactly, how he’s behaved historically and he’s determined not to be ashamed of it. The man has an excellent sense of humor and humility, particularly in the face of his addictions. I found his abusive romantic relationships, played up as a central theme of the Rocketman film, are lacking. He doesn’t linger. Elton John is all about accountability, particularly his own.

He doesn’t have a bad thing to say about one single person he’s known in his life, just a string of ‘life goes on’ sighs, occasional disappointments, but primarily a lot of gratitude. I was struck particularly by the way he reaches out to people if he’s heard they’ve had a difficult time that he can relate to– celebrities, people in the news, anyone he comes across’s story, he’s willing to be a friend. Some people may find that claim of his to be self aggrandizing or insincere, but I’d disagree. He talks about reaching out to addicts in the music industry and offering his advice and it strikes me like a lot of men of his generation I’ve talked to, a touch sad and wishing someone had done the same for them.

He strikes me as a good guy and also a bitch, which he fully agrees–not afraid to talk about his ego, his outbursts, his own ridiculousness, or the way he yells just like his mother. There is one picture that struck me which he captioned ‘George Michael wanted a somber affair and so naturally I am dressed as Donald Duck’.

I found out after I’d read it that his former wife, Renate Blauel, had sued him over the book. I wondered if I had then read a changed or edited copy as it’s been on shelves for two years now. He honestly only has lovely things to say about her, and how sorry he is that she was dragged into his mess. That seems to be the big theme of the memoir —sorry I’m like this, thanks for coming.