A Book A Week

You have probably never heard of Nile Rodgers. Born to a teenage, junkie mother and a deadbeat father, Nile never had what most would consider a normal life. As his mother went from boyfriend to boyfriend, he found himself embarking on multiple cross country trips between New York and California and in the care of his two grandmothers. With a lack of guidance, structure, and discipline, young Nile was forced to grow up quickly, and discover a self reliance that would serve as the foundation for the rest of his life.

While you may have never heard of Nile Rodgers, you have definitely heard his music. amongst a childhood full of drugs, abuse, incest, and even murder, a young Nile Rodgers discovered a natural talent for music. By the age of fifteen, he ran away from his family and devoted the rest of his life to his craft. Through his band, Chic, and through many other artists such as Diana Ross, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Madonna, and countless others, Rodgers became the man behind multiple hits including, Le Freak, good Times, We Are Family, Like a Virgin, Modern Love, I'm Coming Out, The Reflex, and Rapper's Delight.

While this story mirrors that of many other artists, all of whom struggle with addiction, poverty, and reaching artistic fulfillment, Nile's tale is a uniquely moving recollection that reads like a great work of fiction. He has a clear voice that is accessible, even to those who, like me, are unfamiliar with his name and career. I was surprised that I could relate to the kind of "matter of fact" views that Rodgers expressed about his life. This memoir is not only an inside look into the creation of some of the best music of the past forty years, but an introspective portrait of a flawed character striving to create a perfect art in an imperfect world.

For more information, visit the author's website at
http://www.nilerodgers.com/
and http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11361604-le-freak.

(week 3, book 3)