Before You Judge Me

Frequent collaborators Smiley and Ritz (My Life with Maya) trace the roller-coaster weeks leading up to the unexpected 2009 death of music icon Michael Jackson in this sympathetic, if not entirely revelatory, tale of musical highs and personal lows. In the 16 weeks leading up to what would have been Jackson’s comeback tour, what was originally set to be 10 shows became 50, adding to Jackson’s already anxious demeanor about returning to the public eye. Smiley and Ritz wisely spend as much time on the ins and outs of Jackson’s managerial team as they do on his emotional health. As well as the war over who would manage Jackson, the book covers much behind-the-scenes rumbling from the Jackson family, who were eager to stage a Jackson reunion concert. Jackson wanted no part in this but reluctantly considered it to please his mother, Katherine. Smiley and Ritz underscore Jackson’s childlike fascination with cartoons and toys while nimbly sidestepping the unsavory molestation allegations and court battle, and they show how he found the most freedom when lost in the joys of music, both performing and creating. Woven throughout is Jackson’s disturbing dependence on heavy-duty drugs for sleep—he referred to propofol as “milk.” His accidental overdose death is all the more tragic in the context of a time when it seemed his career was getting back on track. Agent: David Vigliano, AGI Vigliano Literary. (June)