Broken Music: A Memoir

***A RARE FIND**AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITTEN BY STING HIMSELF**MANY PHOTOS** ***PACKED SAFELY & SHIPPED QUICKLY***THANK YOU***ANY STING FAN SHOULD HAVE THIS BOOK TO READ & KEEP ON YOUR SHELF***HIS LIFE STORY TOLD IN HIS OWN WORDS MAY SURPRISE YOU***YOU WILL REALIZE WHY HE IS SUCH A MAGNIFICENT MUSICIAN & LYRICS WRITER***DON'T LOAN IT OUT, YOU WON'T GET IT BACK!!***AFTER ALL, IT IS STING****

This books is so poetically crafted that at times it's hard to believe it's about a real life, and not a work of fiction. Sting is an incredibly gifted writer, and I hope he writes more in the future.

Oh my gosh -- Sting --- One of my favorite bass players, and The Police --- one of my favorite groups. Sting is trying way too hard to be clever in his writing. As a result, the writing is extremely pretentious and obtuse. Further, the era I am most interested in is the Police era, of which Mr. Sting does not shine much light on or spend much ink on. Instead, we get just a few pages at the end. I did learn that the reason for the breakup of the Police stemmed in part from Sting having to share 10% of his writing royalties with Andy and Stewart. A comparison of Police music to Sting's solo stuff will illuminate whether or not he was getting a good deal. If you want to enjoy the rise and breakup of the Police, Andy Summer's autobiography is much better. Save your money and listen to Sting's great music.

This book was listed as "New", but had clearly been either on someone's shelf and/or stored badly for quite a while. Fading and "stains" on the page edges indicate it has also bee read by someone at least once. A (price ?) sticker had been poorly removed from the front cover leaving gum and quite some dirt.
I'm not adverse to purchasing second hand books, but I prefer to look for them myself and gauge their condition before buying. I'm not used to be duped into accepting second-hand stuff parading as "new".
And I'm quite disappointed that unscrupulous collectors are prepared to bring the store's good name into disrepute by passing off their unwanted books as if they are a source of new, quality literature.

Based on other negative reviews of this book that I have read, I assume that others came to this book with similar expectations to my own. I expected that I would know a lot more about some of his music and how he came to write it, how his life had shaped him into who he is today, and other curiosities that I had myself. I also realized that when we come to books with our own preconceived notions and expectations, we will always have a jaded perspective that will color our opinion. So, after realizing that all of my expectations would not be met by this book, I was able to appreciate and enjoy it more.

Sting tells about the path taken to get to where he was at the beginning of his solo career. He describes his family and some of the turmoil that he faced with the volatile relationship between his parents. He tells of how he got his nickname (though he certainly doesn't belabor the point). He tells of fateful meetings, of loves lost, of regrets, and even exhibits an astute amount of self-actualization, connecting the relational failures of his parents to his own ability to run away and stay busy.

If you are looking for insight into who Gordon Sumner is and to hear some of his take of what happened along his journey, then this book is a worthwhile read. If you want to know all about why he is who he is with all of the gruesome details of that, you best look elsewhere. Overall, it seems that he wrote this book more for himself than he did for anyone else. That seems to be par for the course in how he has taken his career as well, no longer doing things to make a buck but because it's what he feels will best fulfill him.

It is common knowledge that, for the most part, memoirs are read because of the story they tell and because of who is telling them. Sometimes the writer may tell the tale in his or her own fashion, adding some personality to the story, but memoirs are seldom read out of curiosity for how the writer writes. Only in very rare cases have memoirs had writing as fascinating as their story. One such case is Sting's "Broken Music," which famously details only his young life and has only the briefest mention of his fame with the Police and his greatly successful solo career thereafter.

This is enough, however, because Sting's writing is charmingly and astoundingly eloquent, and his story so pointed that anyone who has truly been reading the book will be completely satisfied, and perhaps even serene. What seperates "Broken Music" from the wealth of other autobiographies and memoirs is that Sting, in his typical fashion, gives the audience neither what it expects or what it wants (or what it thinks it wants): the story of his years with the Police, from their humble beginnings as a wannabe punk group spat upon by record companies to their shock disbandment at the peak of their popularity. Instead, Sting tells HIS story, all the while musing on his shortcomings and the many events that made him into the man he was today.

We see Sting's evolution from an innocent youth, helping his stern father deliver milk in his hometown in Newcastle, to a curious teenager, fascinated by the sounds of the musical revolution in the 1960s, to a twenty-something struggling to balance his personal life with his dreams of fame. Perhaps the most charming aspect of "Broken Music" is that it is the story of an ordinary man who slowly, very slowly, walks to the top of the pyramid of celebrity. It is also a fairly epic tale, to the point where even from its beginning one could envision Sting's story spanning two or even three books. All has not been told by the book's finish - in fact, roughly half of Sting's life remains to be written about - but all that needs to be said has been said.

The book is fast-paced (but not too speedy) and never dull, and on numerous occasions it is even beautiful. Sting's writing, as mentioned before, is dazzlingly eloquent, but it is also honorably candid, unflinchingly self-deprecating, and often quite witty and amusing. The romantic "pop star" is every bit as talented a writer of literature as he is of song. And that's exactly what "Broken Music" is: literature. It is one of those rare instances where a memoir is more than a story - it's a pointed, enchanting literary work.

As anyone familiar with Sting, and certainly those who have read his memoirs, will know, he has led a rocky and turbulent life. He was deeply scarred by the feudings of his young mother and father when he was a boy, particularly in one chillingly-described instance in which he finds his mother with her lover. "Broken Music" is the work of a man who has finally accepted his troubles and who has let them shape him, but not control him. It's the work of a man finally at peace with himself and the errors of the past, both from himself and from others. It's no coincidence that the final line of Sting's "Broken Music" is as sweet as any song he has ever composed.

"Broken Music" is Sting's autobiography, covering his early life up to his first American tour with the Police (plus a couple recollections from the 1980s and 1990s). As a fan of the Police, I decided to pick this up, and while it doesn't cover everything about Sting's later musical career, it covered all I could have hoped for about his early life.

Over 15 chapters and an epilogue, Sting recounts growing up in the grey and dreary Wallsend, his school life, his dead end jobs in offices and construction sites, his reluctant life at teacher's college and later as a teacher, and his endless gigging in jazz bands, fusion bands all over Europe. He certainly was a busy bee, in more ways than one. He speaks of his mother's affair with another man, and how it devastated his father, and of the many love triangles he himself found himself caught up in, including the one he had just as he became a father. His writing style is rather wordy, and took a little while for me to get used to, but it does capture his personality perfectly, and that's the most you can possibly ask for in a memoir, I think.

For a fan of the Police, the last half of the book is most interesting. Sting reveals the inspiration behind such songs as "Walking on the Moon", "Roxanne", "Bed's Too Big Without You", "Landlord", and "So Lonely". He makes a lot of references to early songs, some that didn't make it onto the official albums. It helped that I'd heard a lot of the material he was describing from the Police's "Message in a Box" set. He also reveals how he met drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers, and Sting's impressions of the "fourth" member of the Police, Corsican punk guitarist Henry Padovani.

There are many fascinating, shocking and amusing anecdotes here. There's how Sting got his nickname. There's his son Joe's embarassing habits as a toddler. There's Sting's painful recollection of the strap, and of his first impressions of the Beatles, and of his time playing music on a cruise ship. Plus there's Curved Air being asked by Stewart Copeland's Dad to kick a squatter out of a Mayfair flat by playing annoying, atonal music, which was as strange a story as it was funny.

Speaking of the 1970s music scene, Sting name drops so many fascinating groups who he came close to, many of which I've been interested in checking out. Stings runs into the Sex Pistols on the way to pick up the dole. He gets taken to a Gong reunion festival, which turns out to be just as weird as the band. Back in the 1960s he goes to see Jimi Hendrix, and is blown away. Later in life he'd meet Miles Davis and shout some French at him for a recording session. With the various group he'd play with in his youth, Sting would open for artists such as Osibisa and Cherry Vanilla, and be part of festivals that also featured bands like the Clash and the Damned. I can't believe he got so close to so many figures as an "unknown". This autobiography was a great piece of music history, in my opinion, even though it doesn't have that many anecdotes of when Sting was "famous".

It was funny. Even though it isn't a "full" autobiography, ending just before the Police hit it really big, it felt right that it ended where it is. Through the book, I now understood where Sting was coming from, both creatively and as a person, and I didn't really need to hear about him getting famous or what his inspiration was behind his later hits. I mean, I can kind of figure it out, anyway, now that I've read his worldview, his obsessions and his upbringing in his own words. Sting covers fame briefly, as if his friends and his family are far more important, and I think that it was a refreshing stance to take, personally.

All in all, it was a very fascinating look at a musician, his strengths and his weaknesses, which got more complelling the further I got into the book. If you're at all interested, I recommend you pick it up, along with a copy of the Police's "Message in a Box" set, which features some of the early recordings he mentions.

"My live seems plaited by many ropes, like a musical improvisation, composed with the different voices of a J.S. Bach fugue. The "Basso Continuo" is my development as musician, the melody lines flying high above are my human relationships ... " Sting writes in the middle of his thick, idyllic autobiography. The development of his music levels: As a little child he sat under the piano of his mother. She introduced into the horizon of the British family Little Richard (Tutti Frutti) and Jerry Lee Lewis's with his "Great ball of fire". To identify the bass-lines, he slowed down the speeds of his Venyl-records. He lovingly describes the atmosphere in his hometown small music shop: "as Aladdin's magic cave". His first concert-impressions (Beatles, Jimi Hendrix etc.), his gigs in jazz and pop are mentioned and his work as a bass player in an orchestra-sink at Christmas musical performances. His relationships: At first we find the well comprehensible experiences in the dancing halls of the 60s (written with humour), then the adventures while seeking a woman for the whole life (written with blood), then we find the pondering over the complicated relation to his (divorced) parents (written with tears), but especially interesting for me, written with cynicism: the precision with which he represents the details of the subtle hostilities in that school staff, he was forced to work with as a young teacher, before he ventured the great jump in a pure musician career: "I felt like a fish in the aquarium, but one in the false cymbal. There is a intricately maintained truce, a hostility, only badly hidden by a false, polite tone. Did the headmistress smuggled me into the staff as a collaborator? I remained in guard, but one day the swindle would be exposed ... " These lines may serve as a piece of evidence for my classifying, that Sting has literary qualities, coming up to the talent of novelists like John Updike for example ... A book, creating a pleasant emotional effect in every reader with his altogether peaceful, here and there viciously detailed, but mostly positive atmosphere: highly recommendable!

"My live seems plaited by many ropes, like a musical improvisation, composed with the different voices of a J.S. Bach fugue. The "Basso Continuo" is my development as musician, the melody lines flying high above are my human relationships ... " Sting writes in the middle of his thick, idyllic autobiography. The development of his music levels: As a little child he sat under the piano of his mother. She introduced into the horizon of the British family Little Richard (Tutti Frutti) and Jerry Lee Lewis's with his "Great ball of fire". To identify the bass-lines, he slowed down the speeds of his Venyl-records. He lovingly describes the atmosphere in his hometown small music shop: "as Aladdin's magic cave". His first concert-impressions (Beatles, Jimi Hendrix etc.), his gigs in jazz and pop are mentioned and his work as a bass player in an orchestra-sink at Christmas musical performances. His relationships: At first we find the well comprehensible experiences in the dancing halls of the 60s (written with humour), then the adventures while seeking a woman for the whole life (written with blood), then we find the pondering over the complicated relation to his (divorced) parents (written with tears), but especially interesting for me, written with cynicism: the precision with which he represents the details of the subtle hostilities in that school staff, he was forced to work with as a young teacher, before he ventured the great jump in a pure musician career: "I felt like a fish in the aquarium, but one in the false cymbal. There is a intricately maintained truce, a hostility, only badly hidden by a false, polite tone. Did the headmistress smuggled me into the staff as a collaborator? I remained in guard, but one day the swindle would be exposed ... " These lines may serve as a piece of evidence for my classifying, that Sting has literary qualities, coming up to the talent of novelists like John Updike for example ... A book, creating a pleasant emotional effect in every reader with his altogether peaceful, here and there viciously detailed, but mostly positive atmosphere: highly recommendable!

I've always admired the vocal and lyrical talents of Sting and never paid much attention to the man himself. I came across this book in a local store and decided to delve a little deeper. I expected to get a first hand account of drink, drugs, rock 'n' roll and saving rainforests and was curious rather than interested. That all changed after the first few pages. This is a first-rate memoir focusing on the man rather than the music. We learn about his homelife, his relationship with his family, what drove him on to follow his path to success and his own failed relationships. He lays bare his own insecurities and constantly questions his own abilities and rewards many with his praise. The book stops short at the success and demise of the 'Police' and doesn't navigate it's way into his solo career but as a reader, I did not feel short-changed by this. This is perhaps another chapter to be written another time. Sting's writing is extraordinary and displays a hidden talent in narration. A very well written memoir that will appease anyone with the slightest interest in Sting or general pop-culture. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Next Stop - 'Andy Summers, biography', where I believe I will discover a whole different side to Sting and the Police.

I've always felt that there's something extremely rare and delightful about Sting's abilities as a songwriter and performer. I recently purchased his memoirs, Sting: Broken Music and added it to the short list of books I've read. These are my thoughts.

My love of his music is very hard to understand, let alone articulate. Let is suffice to say I love his music... all of it. I was hoping to get a glimpse into his mind through his memoirs, and hopefully find a way to apply his in-depth understanding of music to my own struggles as a musician. What I got instead was felt like a personal letter from a friend baring his life, in full detail, to me. He discloses very early in the book that his motives for writing are selfish, he has so many memories and experiences that he doesn't want to forget, so many lessons he doesn't want to lose over time.

Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of rock history chronicled in this book as well. We get a first-hand glimpse into the early days of The Police and how the band was formed as well as the not-so-glamorous early shows they performed. However, as much as this book touches on The Police I imagine some will finish the book and feel disappointed The Police aren't even mentioned until the last few chapters of the book. To fault the book for this reason is to miss the point entirely.

What I appreciated most about the book is the seemingly unfiltered look at the events in the life of a man who would become one of the most respected musician/songwriters in the world. If you have any interest in Sting or The Police I highly recommend Sting: Broken Music.

Upon first appearance, Sting my seem to some to epitomize the typical aging rock star: socio-political activism; constant touring; always in the limelight. Many resent him for this "overexposed" image they get. He also has never been one to be bashful about his fame and fortune. However, with "Broken Music," Sting completely and successfully turns this image on its head.

Unlike many celebrity autobiographies, which seem to edit the realities of life in favor of hyping the glory of celebrity, "Broken Music" is the tale of a young man on a painful journey of self-discovery. The crux of the story revolves around young Gordon Sumner's contentious and foggy relationship with his distant father. A poet from the start, Sting can sense his father's feelings and longs for a true relationship, and attempts for a time to earn admiration from his father. Sting also discusses his adored mother, and the effect her behavior had upon him, which of course also revolves around the relationship with his father.

The perfect complement to "Broken Music" is Sting's best solo album, "The Soul Cages." This album, released long before his book came out, is a beautiful portrait of a man struggling with, and ultimately coming to terms with, his relationship with his father. Many of the stories on the album, including "Island of Souls," "All This Time," "Why Should I Cry For You," and "Wild Wild Sea" all become vividly more real and understandable in the context of Sting's uncomfortably (at times) blunt and real memoir of his early years. Ultimately, the reader (and listener) witness their protaganist come to terms with his life and journey, and this occurs in a very emotional and beautiful scene in the book from Sting's life, which I will not give away.

An interesting exercise was to compare this autobiography with another that has garnered acclaim recently. "Broken Music" side by side with Bob Dylan's "Chronicles" may seem to some to be a trite and unimportant process, but several interesting differences and similarities surface. Both men, while different in style and manner, are artists, lyrical craftsmen, and performers. Both obviously felt it important to tell parts of their lives, and the striking differences emerge in their respective memoirs. Dylan also avoids falling into the trap of star-studded memories and fluff in "Chronicles," as most everyone assumed he would. His recollections are spanning and somewhat disconnected upon first glance. He chooses several periods in his life and devotes fairly long chapters to them, in no particular order. This cerebral approach seems to suit the enigmatic Dylan, and the result is excellence beyond what most have achieved in similar endeavors. Anyway, how deep did anyone really figure that Dylan would let the reader inside his own mind? Sting, on the other hand, takes a straightforward approach, beginning with young childhood and leading into young adulthood, while eschewing nearly any "celebrity" encounters. The reader DOES feel that they have spent time in Sting's mind and heart, and whether this is true cannot be known, but the ability to relate to Sting is more accessible.

Both are satisfying, while remaining extremely different in approach. Both have complete command of the language, and use their poetic minds to craft their stories. Sting's is much more emotionally engaging, while Dylan's remains distant. Both are equally fascinating, but Sting's more successfully touches the human heart, while Dylan's more successfully engages the human brain. I would recommend both highly, and would especially recommend listening to "The Soul Cages" before, during, and after reading "Broken Music."

From the first time I read an interview with Sting, I have been left with the strong impression that he is a pompous jerk, one who comes off as knowing better what ails this world and what needs to done to change it. I don't subscribe to his politics, I don't agree with his causes and I don't like most of the music that he penned as the center piece of the group the Police.

Nonetheless, I am open enough to give credit where it is due, and what I must confess, is that he a truly gifted writer, with a life interesting enough to spend the time to read a couple hundred pages of one persons story.

I was startled to find that we share some of the same childhood issues, namely the lifelong drama of parents behaving in selfish ways, a father who was so engaged in his own challenges, that he ignored the accomplishemtns of his son, such that, it stills colors the perception of everything the son does to this day, and the universal pressure of trying to fit in, when you know that you are different, but you can't figure out your place, until a chance happening changes the direction of your life.

Sting is aware and addresses the arrongance label that has followed him since he became a celebrity. While his rationale that it is really fear strikes a chord, it is his surehanded prose that helps to keep the book interesting, especially since this is not a traditional autobiography, but rather, one that is written with the more revealing moments and stages of his life being the focus.

I found his insights revealing and quite honestly portrayed, especially since he does not appear to have an angle nor is he trying to sell an agenda or cause.

The book, to me, is simply one persons reflection of his life, with the accent on his struggle to make it in the music business to reconcile his quasi belief in a some higher power than us,

along with his struggle to gain some perspective from both of his parents deaths, and to make sense of the chaos we commonly refer to as life.

Very disappointed in Sting's recent CD, "Sacred Love," I expected this book to be more of the same- shallow, self-promoting and full of glittering generalities. For some reason, I purchased it anyway. To my pleasant surprise, Gordon Sumner has produced an interesting and sincere memoir, fairly well-written and revealing throughout. As opposed to projecting a slick image of a self-satisfied superstar, Sting humbly lays himself bare, emphasizing the period prior to his becoming successful with the Police. Perhaps the most intriguing portions are those concerning his childhood in which he provides intimate glimpses of his home life, including a tender portrayl of his mother and father's doomed marriage. He describes how, within this context, he nonetheless becomes growingly aware of one thing in particular: he wants to play music. After some false career starts and gigs with several local jazz rock bands around Newcastle, he ultimately heads for London where, with only his hopes and an encouraging wife, he works to make it big. Colorful tales enrich the story while he also acknowledges several helpful comrades along the way. It is a pity that Sting forgot to incorporate the same original spirit in his most recent musical compositions, but that is another discussion. For the moment, this is a good read. The doubters should know that this guy can indeed write prose (as well as those lyrics for tunes), and I would recommend the book both to fans and non-fans alike.

"Son, can't you play something nicer then that," "She struggles to find a

word to describe my efforts" "that broken music?' That is what the

grandmother of sting said about his piano playing at a young age. The book

Broken Music is the autobiography of singer/songwriter/actor, Sting.

Unlike a normal musician's biography about their stardom, Sting chooses to

write about moments of his life that he felt meant the most to him, though

the end does give some parts to the story of how his most famous band The

Police was formed and some of their early shows. The characters vary from

his childhood friends to his band mates Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers,

and Henry Padovini. My personal favorite part is when he visits a Jimi

Hendrix concert and he gives great details on that. The one thing that I

found outrageous about this book was he seemed to make everybody seem like

they were always getting mad and doing bad things but it makes him look

like he is the perfect person and by the things I have heard about him he

has the most horrible temper and had a lot of enmity for other people. But

I did like the fact that he did include the sacking of their original

guitarist Henry Padovini. Over all I give the book a 4 and half out of 5.I was also glad that he did put the birth of his band The Police even though it did not go into to his stardom which was probably a good idea. I suggest this book for mature 8th graders and up because there are some scenes that contain some words and scenes that would take mature readers.But still a great book.

-Walker Kennedy

I love the music of Sting and was looking forward to hearing about the man who created it and how the music was created. Unfortunately, the readers get some interesting information, but they do not get the whole story.
The book begins with Sting and his wife, Trudie, in Brazil taking part of a religious ceremony where some kind of psychedelic plant has been taken. In taking this plant, Sting is taking back into his memories, which leads the reader into Sting's past. As a literary tool, this is interesting.
We learn about Sting's troubled childhood as well as his journeyman years as a musician. This was very enlightening and really gave me an idea of who the musician is. However, as a fan since the 80s, I would like to have read more about his time with The Police. This part doesn't come until the last pages of the book and is not particularly enlightening. This part reads as the climax of his career, although I know his career doesn't end there.
Although the book talks of Sting's first marriage and the first meeting with Trudie, the book does not go into the end of the first or the beginning of the second. As this fits with the time of The Police, maybe we will get this in another book down the line.
Still, I would recommend this book for people who want to understand the man behind the musician and the musician behind the man.

I was pleasantly surprised at the writing in this book. Besides a few repetitive metaphors, like describing a drummer's style being similar to whisking an egg, I had no complaints about the writing style and occasionally found it inspiring. Some might think that a man who writes lyrics could also easily write a book. But you only have to read the lyrics of most rock songs to realize this is not necessarily true. There are a few minor blemishes and it should come as no surprise that a man who was able to navigate the treacherous waters of the pop-rock scene has an ego the size of the North Sea. This book makes a case for ego being a form of confidence.

I did find the ending a bit abrupt. I was expecting a return to the opening scene where Sting and his wife participated in a ritual at a Brazilian church. I assumed there would be some kind of wrapping up scene, possibly a summation, but instead the book came to a rapid close leaving a lot of loose ends. It read as if there might be a sequel. If so I look forward to reading it.

Giving this memoir 3 stars seems generous, at least more generous than Sting, who manages to ignore everything *you* wanted to know, and provides instead only what he determines you should, which is pretty narrow. The one exception to this literary anality is his telling of the Ayahuasca experience.
His writing style is acceptable, even comfortable, but it lacks energy. The book quickly becomes a series of episodes that are just dropped there without a center because he fails to connect the dots. It's only in one sliver of his music that I can hear anything that supports his claim to a reggae sound or influence.
In this book, he comes off as phlegmatic; we may know from his music that Sting's heart is in the right place, but unfortunately he provides little insight to that thread in this book.
For his music, I send up kudos...I can recommend Sting, but not his uninsightful memoir.

I was very impressed with Sting's writing ability and this captivating book. At times, I could not put this book down and was very tired the next morning at work! This book is a MUST for any Sting fan and also for those who grew up in Wallsend and Newcastle. My mother was born and raised not too far from where Sting grew up and she wants the book when I'm done.
The only reason why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the first 15 pages. I was getting turned off in the beginning because it didn't seem like it started where it should, which was on page 16. As I read further, it was starting to make a little more sense why he wrote the beginning the way he did, but it may turn off some readers at first. I urge people to read further if they start feeling the way I did in the beginning...it is well worth it!

Ironic that I should receive this as a Christmas present given the struggle Sting has with the Savior's Grace and yet I found the irony just as alluring as the book itself. I spent a full day and read the entire book with anticipation as to the next move or decision he had to face. His life, like so many others, seems to have been wrought with a myriad of decisions and choices that individually amount to very little, yet collectively earned him a "ridiculous amount of money". There are rampant memories of gig's and places along with names and faces that he recalls with clarity and narrative. As a failed musician, I was grossly reminded of my cliff-edge moment of choosing security over fame or passion. As a father, I am reminded of the covenant of marriage and the seemingly foreign language of familial love. As a fan, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn that he had chosen the path I may always wish I had. That he found a discipline in the dysfunction of his family and life that I have yet to really greet or embrace. Perhaps this memoir was more indicting of my life than of his and while another reviewer proffered a healing road as the prime mover for his writing this, I would suggest that it is really written as many things. The least of which is an indictment of humans and the depravity we so thankfully have God's Grace for. I believe the "lady of the lake" is metaphoric and perhaps therapeutic for him, but for me; I am haunted by her and wonder if forgiveness was ever given for her ritualistic killers in his, or more importantly, her eyes. Yes, quick deduction would lead you to the obvious analogy of the very people she represents. Please indulge my weak analogies.
I would suggest that you will find this memoir entertaining and enjoyable to read. The past discussed in present tense did very little to throw me off the scent of this man's journey. His prose is, in my opinion, fine and while I doubt his prime mover was literary praise, he has certainly succeeded in entertaining me for an afternoon and perhaps a while longer than that. I recommend this book to the fan and non-fan as a peek into a life. Not just a celebrity, but a life. The celebrity element had very little to do with my enjoyment and refreshingly enough, very little to do with the book itself. Credit was certainly given where deserved as he reached dizzying heights on the shoulders of peers and giants. He is not one for mincing words of gratitude or self deprecation. I found his arrogance, described as drive or passion, to take a back seat to the story of the manifestation of that drive. The most revealing and recurring concept of this man is his need to keep running from his past and moving forward in perceived progress. He seems to have been running his whole life and this, in and of itself, is the very thing that has blessed him with the fame he so dearly sought. Like some men, he seems to be a vessel of passion sailing errantly on his perception of the world he is surrounded by. The success attained is fleeting in this world as he has seen in the loss of his parents. What personal satisfaction or achievement could possibly bring them back or repair the dysfunction that drove him to success? Has the running stopped? Is he staring at the harsh reality of forgiveness or just creating placation for the duration of a difficult and blessed life? The reflective age of 50 seems to have prompted and inner inventory of passion and feelings and I for one and honored that he chose to share that with whoever cares enough to read it. A bold move to be honored and lesson to be learned that perhaps the decision I made, may be the most daring, challenging, satisfying and risky decision of all. And I haven't sold one song or recorded one note on any of the numerous guitars I own. :) As a fan, I can appreciate his journey and grieve for the God shaped whole in his life. The strains of doctrine have apparently jaded the Grace of God in his life. I hope in his many prayers that he speaks of, he includes a request for clarity of this grace and forgiveness to stop running. He may find a sequel in that issue alone. I proffer that this may be more revealing than the lake will ever be. Forget-me-nots and all.

I only asked for one thing for Christmas.... Broken Music. I read it within 24 hours. Delicious. I love the image of him defiantly wearing the tennis shoes on the cruise ship to perform. "They're more comfortable!" I laughed and I cried. A superb read. I was incredibly surprised Sting could write so well and just enthrall the reader with his early years. How very intriguing that he begins with the ayuhuasca experience (risk taker that he is) and then intertwines it with the gut wrenching experiences of his youth. Wow. Bravo. I've always really loved his music, but now it is nice to know that he is a person who actually cares deeply about others, even his teachers -and those were glowing accolades. Je t'embrasse et je t'envoie mille bisous! Une prof de français à Détroit

They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds
In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.
Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,
Strikes each in each by mutual ordering,
Resembling sire and child and happy mother
Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:
Whose speechless song, being many, seeming one,
Sings this to thee: 'thou single wilt prove none.'

I love biographies and autobiographies of rock stars. I have read dozens of them. This is by far the best one yet. Not because I am a huge fan of Sting's music. I like it okay, but he is not my favorite artist by a long shot, but despite this I am telling you right now that this is a very interesting, insightful, entertaining and down right hilarious book to read. I highly recommend it! It has all of the elements you are looking for in a book of this genre. I couldn't put it down and I found myself laughing out loud frequently throughout. Also, I have to say that my respect for Sting as an artist and as a man went up tremendously and I found myself downloading lots of his music after reading this delightful book. Well done Sting!!

They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds
In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.
Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,
Strikes each in each by mutual ordering,
Resembling sire and child and happy mother
Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:
Whose speechless song, being many, seeming one,
Sings this to thee: 'thou single wilt prove none.'

I love biographies and autobiographies of rock stars. I have read dozens of them. This is by far the best one yet. Not because I am a huge fan of Sting's music. I like it okay, but he is not my favorite artist by a long shot, but despite this I am telling you right now that this is a very interesting, insightful, entertaining and down right hilarious book to read. I highly recommend it! It has all of the elements you are looking for in a book of this genre. I couldn't put it down and I found myself laughing out loud frequently throughout. Also, I have to say that my respect for Sting as an artist and as a man went up tremendously and I found myself downloading lots of his music after reading this delightful book. Well done Sting!!

Obviously, with a memoir you get only one side of the story. If you're a Sting lover, you'll be enamored with the book, as you get to know the artist in a very personal way. If you're curious - like I was - about the life of a pop icon told through his own words, you'll find it interesting, perhaps surprising. It ain't the whole story, I'm sure, but it does provide a more than marketing-hyped or critically-insensitive look into the life of a very famous contemporary musician.

I personally greatly enjoy Sting's music, both the stuff he made with Police and his solo work. I do find him arrogant and rude at times. But so what? I can't expect to like the artist just because I like his/her work. Take Michael Jackson, no, I won't go there...

Thus given my perception of Sting's attitude, I was expecting an egotistical treatment of his life. That's not what came across, however. This memoir is candid and revealing, and not recounted by the voice of a cocky megastar, focusing on his triumphs. Instead Sting shares his insecurities, failures, and distressing childhood (hence the "broken music" he played at the piano). We also learn where he go the moniker "Sting." Hint: look at he book's cover shot of him.

I came away admiring Sting for persevering in his quest to become a professional musician, and for his rags-to-riches experience. He may have blazed on the scene as a pretty-boy pop star, but if the memoir is truthful he is largely a self-made man. He struggled hard to get where he was when the Police formed.

Bottom line: This book can be an inspiration to young musicians as well as a vehicle to deepen one's appreciation of Sting as the man and the artist.

Sting's memoir, Broken Music, is written in present tense, which for an inherently past-tense story requires awkward double-takes at times. Past tense would have sufficed and read more smoothly. Despite this, the book is generally well written, although occasionally the author seems intent on dazzling with his writing prowess. A leaner, sparser prose would have been more comfortable and readable. Perhaps he felt the need to make an initial mark on the literary world in this, his first time out, in a similar way to which he marked the music world. I would like a little more poetry and rhythm in his prose akin to what we hear in his music -- pieces with simpler, lyrical content.
Nevertheless, I found his story interesting, entertaining, and at times moving, and he should be pleased to know that he brought tears to the eyes of a reader more than once.
His theme, as I saw it, was the vision of removing himself from the trap of his early impoverished, dead-ended cultural environment. Music was the tool he picked to do so. He never lost his vision, and never settled into a comfortable niche below the summit that he strove for. That ... and he worked his tail off.
I believe and hope that he is embarking on a new career in writing, and that he brings to it the charm and energy that he brought to his music.
Thank you, Sting, for a good read. I wish you well in a new career, but I hope you don't have to abandon your music to do so.

Sting's music, for my taste, has become rather formulated and predictable, albeit very good. I like to call him the Neil Diamond of today's generation.
So how in the world did he write this amazing book?
Technically, it's a steady read that keeps you engaged from page one to the last word. The stories cohere and build an intimate profile of one of the world's foremost performers. It's the ultimate backstage access.
To his credit, Sting speaks with equal honesty about his triumphs and falls, which cover a wide scope of emotional territory. He is proud of his education and artistry but just as open about his professional failures. His failures as a son are balanced with his ongoing internal search for truth and breakthrough. He reveals himself as a typical father who examines his wants against limitations.
Most of all, Sting is exceedingly kind to all his musical mates, performers and management. If you're looking for a punative kiss and tell about the breakdown of The Police, you won't find it here. He openly credits the momumental contributions of Steward Copeland and Andy Summers, in addition to those who assisted his earliest attempts to become a professional musician.
I only have two drawbacks.
1. The books opens in Brazil during a religious experimentation with drugs. I could never tell if the entire book is endorsing drugs for "medicinal" purposes.
2. The last Sting concert I attended was superb. But he quit playing 14 minutes before the amphitheater's curfew, leaving a sold-out audience wondering why he didn't use that time to give us a few more favorite songs. Same here. Sting comes up before the finish line, leaving us wondering what he could have offered with a touch more effort and a better contract with his loyal fans.
Read the book!

When Sting announced that he was writing a memoir, like most people we thought that the book would focus on the life of Sting the rock star and of Sting the celebrity. After all, he has sold close to 100 million albums around the world, fronted the most successful band of the early '80s, subsequently pursued a solo career that has outstripped the success of his Police days in album sales, has been a long-time supporter of good causes raising some $18 million for the Rainforest Foundation, and is generally recognised as one of the most famous people on the planet. It was a no-brainer.
Except that Sting is a self confessed risk taker.
So perhaps we should not be too surprised that his memoir, 'Broken Music', is a product of that risk taking. Instead of opting for the easy route and focusing on the years of fame and success that would have guaranteed wide publicity and huge sales, Sting decided to tell us a much more interesting story. 'Broken Music' is the story of a boy growing to adulthood in an industrial city in northern England; of his relationship with his parents; of first love, lost love, his love of music and where these experiences eventually took him.
As with most individuals, certain events from his childhood are not happy memories for Sting. The separation from his friends as a result of passing the "11-plus" exam that sent him to grammar school and the regular canings at school for trivial offences for example are still resented to this day. Like many families at that time, open displays of affection were uncommon in the Sumner household, and Sting is very open and honest in describing both the relationship between his parents and his relationships with each of them.
Sting had discovered music at an early age through the family's piano and his parent's record collection and later with a battered old guitar donated by an emigrating uncle. His mid-teens saw him learning guitar licks from records, playing music with his friends at the local YMCA and attending Newcastle's Club a Go-Go, where he witnessed influential appearances by the likes of the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Jimi Hendrix.
'Broken Music' tells a fascinating tale about Sting's involvement with his early bands, Earthrise, The Phoenix Jazzmen, The Newcastle Big Band and Last Exit and of his time on a cruise ship with the Ronnie Pearson Trio. Relatively little has been known about this period, and to read it in Sting's own words is a real pleasure. The trials and tribulations of Last Exit - including their Spinal Tap propensity for losing guitar players in bizarre circumstances (to local pantomimes) - make fascinating reading, and fans of The Police will love the unique insight into the chance meetings that led to the formation of the band, and of the pivotal moments in the band's early days.
'Broken Music' (the title actually comes from a phrase his grandmother used to describe his early attempts at playing the piano) is a wonderful written memoir. In turns it is sad, wry, often very funny and always interesting. In retrospect it is no great surprise to find that someone with the ability to write lyrics as beautifully as Sting should be able to write so eloquently and descriptively in a longer form such as this. We found our attention gripped throughout its 300 plus pages and are firmly of the view that the risk of telling the story of Sting 'the man' rather than Sting 'the celebrity' was certainly one that paid off. It is a book that provides a genuinely insightful look at the events that shaped the person we hear on the radio and see performing for us on stage. If this is what Sting intended then 'Broken Music' is a complete success.

Sting puts meticulous effort in his descriptions. Whether it is the setting he is currently in, or a new character to the story, he can be called upon to give a description that gives the reader a clear image to work with. Each character has a separate personality, and that is easily portrayed in Sting's writing. He is tends to say "so there we are" quite often, going into a lengthy and often humorous description of his current situation. In a book that, due to its length, could have turned out as an autobiography, Sting embellishes quite enough to provide clear imagery and keep it interesting.

He also effectively utilizes plot structure, beginning with the current time and putting the whole story in a drug-induced flashback. He goes into detail about his childhood to set up the story and actions of his adult life, and simultaneously tells the various story arcs (school, his jazz band, Last Exit, Frances and the baby, Last Exit, the Police) as they go on, effectively giving clarity to the hectic nature of his life while also preventing the story from being too confusing for the reader. Finally the story comes full circle, and we learn about what caused him to go to Rio de Janeiro in the first place experience the epiphany that spawned his memoir.

Most importantly, however, is the ongoing theme of self-inquiry going on in Stings head. He constantly questioned what is best for him (both mentally and financially), how to be a good father for his baby, as good friend to his peers, and a good husband for Frances. With each major plot-changing choice, he deliberates an extensive length of time, questioning his own values, self-worth, and overall intelligence. The reader feels immense sympathy for his situation, and continues to cheer him on, whether his choice was successful or not.

I would expect nothing less from Sting. The words danced off the page and created the most vivid details in my mind. It was almost undescribable and it felt more like I was watching a movie then reading a book.
I believe there are certain books in our life that we don't select, but rather, the book picks us. If you find yourself drawn to this book then read it, because it will expand your mind. At times, it will make you laugh out loud (the passage about going parking with his lover and getting his car stuck while his father and date smoke a cig) or cause your heart to ache with regret (when he silently follows his mother's car on his bike and learns her horrible secret). Or it makes you so violently angry (the passage when he is being beaten at school)or it makes your spirits soar (the passage about giving the murdered woman a proper burial). This book takes you through every human emotion and you are fortunate to be let inside the mind of musical and literary genius.
If you are a Sting music fan then this book is even more intriguing. The song 'When we Dance' takes on a whole new meaning when he is able to articulate a war scene in graphic detail in the book's opening passage.
Before he writes another book, he would do well to read
Neal Walsch's 'Conversations with God Volume 2' this will get rid of his religious guilt and anger. He raises so many questions that can be easily answered in Walsch's book. Overall, a work of literary genius that has awakened and stirred my soul. I hope there are many more to come.

Having been a Police and Sting fan since grade school (thanks in part to my mom blaring Synchronicity and Dream of the Blue Turtles thoughout the house), I was really excited to read an autobiography. I read a couple of the Sting biographies. In the end, I found the autobiography to be less interesting than the biographies. Possibly because he didn't expand on some sordid details in A Tale in the Sting or maybe because he didn't deny them either. What I found interesting were the stories of his childhood, his work many stars like Miles Davis, and his mother's affair. It's worth a read. I am thinking of reading it again.

Dear Sting: I just finished your powerful book. As a fan of yours, I was, of course, very pleased with your work -- this generous helping of memories about growing up in Newcastle, and your formative years. I got the impression that you had three goals with the book. One: to exorcise some guilt about and bring some closure to some of the still-open wounds in your life -- such as your relationships with your parents, your former wife, and with your former band mates from Last Exit. Two: to trace and share the growth of your career, examining the milestones and turning points that led you to become the artist you are, and provide some encouragement to others who are as "musically obsessed" as you. And three: to say "thanks" to all those whose positive influence pointed you in the right direction along your path to stardom and success. I especially enjoyed your tributes to your teachers, I felt you were in a real "groove" during this portion of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed your sense of humor, your attention to detail, your metaphors, your compassion, and your courage to share such intimate moments, such as saying goodbye to your parents. My only wish is that you write another book of equal depth and intimacy, starting at about 1983, around the time I saw you at Shea Stadium. You have said in other books and interviews that this night was a pinnacle moment in the history of the Police, and also the point at which you had decided to bring and end to the band. It would be thrilling to read about your experiences while touring the world with the Police, and examining the process which led to your decision to "go solo." I suspect I'm not alone in wanting read your thoughts about the forming of the Blue Turtles Band, the making of "Bring on the Night" and all your subsequent solo albums, your love affair with and marriage to Trudy, and how you became involved in world causes like Live Aid, Band Aid, The Secret Policemen's Ball, Walden Woods, The Rainforest Foundation, and Amnesty International, to name a few. Thanks, Sting, for the generous helping of your innermost thoughts from when you were a child. I suspect you have at least another two or three more books in your heart to share. I only hope you can find the time and desire to open your heart again. And soon. Sincerely, Tom

Imagine yourself leafing through old albums and journals and prying open dusty, secretive, yellowing cardboard boxes with the entire "Soul Cages" album spinning in your mind.

That's what "Broken Music" is to me.

I had thought that I picked up this book because I'm a fan of his music, although I was certain that I would find little reference in this memoir to the music I had grown to love. What I was pleased to discover was that I am more a fan of Sting. This is more like an answer to an unspoken "why;" as you read you will begin to understand Sting's musical motifs far better than if you had simply looked up his bio on any old website. What better way, after all, than to sit at the storyteller's feet?

Reading Sting reminds me in turns of Frank McCourt and James Herriot, with Sting's seeming fascination for "the world behind the world" (to borrow from "Constantine") weaving in and out of his fabric of memory. I began to find this not in his intro about his experience with ayahuasca, but in his passages about his mother and his apprenticeship in tending fire.

Read this not for the music, but for the man.