MJ: THE GENIOUS OF MICHAEL JACKSON

This will be the first full-scale biography that roots the superstar in the contexts that shaped him: his family; steel town Gary, Indiana; and Detroit’s Motown musical community. It explores and celebrates the King of Pop's legendary contributions to music, dance, and popular culture.

From the moment he first stepped on stage with his brothers at a local talent show in Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson was destined to become the undisputed King of Pop. In a career spanning four decades, Jackson became a global icon, selling over 400 million albums, earning 13 Grammys, and spinning dance moves that captivated the world. Songs and music videos like "Billie Jean" and "Black and White" altered our national discussion on race and equality, and Jackson's signature aesthetic, from the single white glove to the moonwalk, defined a generation. However transcendent as an artist and performer, Jackson was also a broken son and brother who allowed his most monstrous impulses to play out in public.

But despite years of scandal and controversy, Jackson's ultimate legacy will always be his music. MJ is the definitive biography of Michael Jackson, celebrating his life and talent through the contexts that shaped him. From his early days with the Jackson 5, to his stratospheric success as a solo artist, to "Beat It" and "Thriller," "Bad" and "The Man in the Mirror," to his volatile final years, his attempted comeback and untimely death, MJ explores the beguiling and often contradictory forces that fueled Michael Jackson's genius. Drawing on over 400 interviews ranging from Jackson's family and friends to celebrities like will.i.am and Ghostface Killah, this must-have for fans offers a rare and panoramic view into the life of an incomparable talent.

Steve Knopper is a contributing editor to Rolling Stone and veteran music reporter who has written for the New York Times Magazine, GQ, the Wall Street Journal, National Geographic Traveler, Wired, Details and many other publications. His 2009 book Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age was prominently featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross and dozens of other prominent radio and TV shows; Tom Hanks called it “amazing.” He has been a featured expert source on “NBC Nightly News,” CNBC, NPR’s “Marketplace,” among others. He lives in Denver with his wife Melissa and daughter Rose.