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Divided Soul

The Life of Marvin Gaye

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About this listen

In this intimate biography of the Prince of Soul, David Ritz provides a candid look at a star and a friend. Ritz had been collaborating with Marvin Gaye on his story for several years before the singer's tragic death and had conducted a series of extraordinary interviews in which Gaye discussed his deepest secrets. What emerges is a full-scale portrait of a charming but tortured artist, a brilliant singer with a divided soul.

Here is Marvin's story, from his early years in the slums of Washington, D.C. to his rise to the top of the Motown industry, his fall from grace, his comeback, and finally his sudden, shocking end at the hands of his own father. It is also the story of his glorious music and the music of Black America over the past 50 years, an epic tale whose cast of characters includes Diana Ross, Berry Gordie, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder.

©1991 David Ritz (P)1995 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Cultural & Regional Entertainment & Celebrities Music Sociology Celebrity Biography

Critic reviews

"[David Ritz] tells Marvin Gaye's sorrowful story with remarkable insight and sensitivity....Divided Soul is often startlingly candid, but it manages to avoid lurid sensationalism, no mean feat given the particulars of the story: sex, drugs, child abuse, show business scandal." ( The Nation)
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I have always loved Marvin Gaye’s music, it was my youth, after listening to his story I feel a little different about the person. For all his talent, looks and obvious brain he wasn’t a good person. As is usual for people with so much talent those around him indulged him, helping him to be delusional. His mother I think held the key to his happiness and unhappiness.

Another total waste of a talent!

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Interesting but frustrating life story of a massive talent. Well written and entertainingly retold by the narrator of a life of strife and trouble of a man with huge abilities but also of self hamstringing and damage radiating outwards. By the end it is hard to envisage any other outcome than the self destruction that Marvin almost wills onto himself via his life long nemesis and part originator of his demons but this man’s talents should also be celebrated here as both sides of this sad story are excellently put together in a book length that is about right.

Great retelling of a tragic life self sabotaged and ruined despite huge talent

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Brilliant book. It ebbed and flowed easily. Just a shame what happened in the end. Read all the Motown books but hadn’t ever seen a book about Marvin

Brilliant

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In the early part of this book it reveals the treatment metered out by his father. Subsequently we see Marvin searching to regain a sense of adequate self, through using addictive substances and sex. A sad and troubled story.

Tragic, but somewhat predictable death of a tortured, spiritual genius.

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Beautifully narrated story of a tortured genius who’s music lives on still , find music biography’s so interesting

Divided soul

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