ME

Reginald Dwight, better known to us as Elton John, offers a candid and surprisingly detailed memoir. The musician himself provides a heartfelt and precise narration of the brief prologue and epilogue. Narrator Taron Egerton's performance of the bulk of the audiobook is, at best, tolerable and, at worst, grating. Egerton's success as Elton in the movie ROCKETMAN does not translate well; the excitement he generates for nearly every sentence of the audiobook quickly blurs the subtleties in Elton John's journey from middle-class Londoner to international megastar. Having played Elton in the movie, Egerton may have attempted to re-create the man's vocal qualities. However, this choice is stylistically wanting. Nonetheless, fans will undoubtedly enjoy the insights. It's all here: drug addiction, depression, family dramas, and traumas--sensitively and articulately portrayed. W.A.G. 2020 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2019]