41 Memoirs Everyone Should Read

In relation to World Book Day, Reader's Digest came up with a list of 41 memoirs they believe everyone should read at least once.

Some of these may not be everyone's cup of tea; it entirely depends on who people want to read about

21. A River Could Be a Tree by Angela Himsel

-The author grew up in one of those unique doomsday cults, where the people believe the world is ending and need to be prepared. She was raised to believe that eye makeup was a sin. She navigated to New York, where she converted to Judaism. She maintained a strong bond with her family. Some of her siblings remained in the cult, along with her parents. This 2018 memoir is filled with love, wisdom and humor

22. Once We Were Sisters by Sheila Kohler

-Sheila Kohler grew up in South Africa, but that was not enough to stop her sister from being in an abusive relationship. Her sister died at 39 in a suspicious car accident, and despite the evidence pointing almost directly at her heart surgeon husband, he walked free. Kohler shines a light on the special bond she had with her sister as she talks about a life cut short before she knew it. This 2017 memoir reminds readers that women are at risk for domestic violence, no matter what part of the world they live in

23. The Liar's Club by Mary Karr

-This 1995 memoir shines a light on the author's life growing up with an alcoholic father and mother in 1960s Texas. She includes dark humor and courage as she talks about her family's dark secrets

24. Beloved Strangers by Maria Chaudhuri

-Written in 2014, this memoir tells the story of Maria Chaudhuri's life growing up in Bangladesh. How she obtained education in New England and her search for the balance between the two cultures she knows. She turns everything she says into the most beautiful poetry while moving her story into the future

25. All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg

-This 1998 memoir tells the story of Rick Bragg growing up dirt poor in Alabama. His father was a hard drinking, violent man and his mother who didn't buy a new dress for 18 years just so she could have money to buy her kids clothing. He never loses sight of his roots, as he tells what it was like in that world

26. Stuffed: Adventures of a Restaurant Family by Patricia Volk

-Many memoirs seem to focus on the bad times and dysfunction of people. This 2002 memoir focuses on a loving, quirky, restaurant-owning family. Patricia Volk's grandfather introduced pastrami to the US in 1888 while her dad stayed in the restaurant business in New York until 1988

27. The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

-Peter Matthiessen was a literary legend who died in 2014. He left behind a wealth of work, both fiction and non fiction. His book, The Snow Leopard, released in 1978, is considered legendary. It tells of his journey in 1972 to the deep heart of the Himalayas in search of the mysterious Asian snow leopard. He's also on a journey to search for who he is

28. Still Points North: One Alaskan Childhood, One Grown-Up World, One Long Journey Home by Leigh Newman

-Leigh Newman takes her 2013 memoir and tells readers about growing up in Alaska and includes bits about travel and finding a sense of home. She was on a quest for courage, connection and the deepest adventures to be found

29. Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats by Kristen Iversen

-Author Kristen Iversen recounts in her 2013 memoir what it was like to grow up near a top secret nuclear weapons plant in Colorado. She worked there later on and became increasingly worried by all of the risks to safety and health, especially as people started getting sick at a breakneck pace. She uses her memoir to tell about environmental peril and the dark secrets her family kept hidden

30. Warrenpoint by Denis Donoghue

-Denis Donoghue grew up Catholic in a largely Protestant area of Northern Ireland. This 2013 memoir reflects personal adventure, theology and looking back at the past for the relationship between father and son

31. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

-This 1996 memoir recounts the days of when Frank McCourt grew up in poverty in Ireland and suffered a cruel childhood. The author, sadly, died in 2009

32. When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmerelda Santiago

-The author uses her 1993 memoir to tell what it is like to grow up in Puerto Rico and move to Brooklyn, New York. How she would translate Spanish for her mother at the welfare office. How she graduated with honors from Harvard

33. About Alice by Calvin Trillin

-This is certainly the shortest book anyone will read, at 78 pages. It's a love letter to Calvin Trillin's late wife, who died in 2001. It's tender and loving, with good humor thrown in for good measure

34. Bald in the Land of Big Hair by Joni Rodgers

-Joni Rodgers was only 32 and raising two kids with her husband when she got a bad diagnosis-she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. While there have been many cancer-based memoirs released since this 2001 memoir, this one is special because Rodgers manages to infuse her stories of cancer treatment with laugh out loud humor. And, as the old saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. Rodgers is alive and well to this day

35. The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit

-This 2013 memoir starts out with Rebecca Solnit's mother's descent into Alzheimer's Disease. Readers are then taken on a journey that branches off onto various paths, such as fairy tales and myths to a vacation in Iceland and the birth of Frankenstein

36. In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War by Tobias Wolff

-Published in 1995, this memoir tells the story of Tobias Wolff and his time in Vietnam during the Tet offensive. The book takes readers back to the time of the Vietnam War, giving readers an insight into the bloodbath that some of those battles became. A look at a war that never should have happened

37. The Boy He Left Behind: A Man's Search for His Lost Father by Mark Matousek

-Author Mark Matousek was 38 when hired a detective to find his long lost father, who abandoned him when he was 4. He remembers the childhood he had, the reconstruction of his parents lives and being an HIV-positive man. This 2000 memoir is different from other dysfunctional family memoirs

38. The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. Holmes

-A.M. Holmes was a well known author in her 30s when she met her birth parents. What she found both surprised and unsettled her. This sent her on a journey deep into her genealogy. This 2007 memoir is not only about adoption, but personal and family identity

39. The Memory Palace by Mira Bartok

-When author Mira Bartok suffers a traumatic brain injury, she joins her sister in trying to reconnect with their mother, who is suffering from severe mental illness. They had not seen her in 17 years. The story of reconciliation makes for a powerful read. Also toss in the discovery of a locker containing things that the mother kept, which can answer many questions. This book, published in 2011, mixes words with graphic novel-like imagery

40. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

-Published in 1969, this book about legendary author Maya Angelou brings her wonderful life into this book

41. Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life by Jerry Pinkney

-Jerry Pinkney is a children's book author who takes readers on a trip through postwar Philadelphia, where segregation was an everyday thing and drawing and illustration offered an escape from the chaos. With more than 100 books to his name, this book chronicles his life in a series of illustrations. Published on January 17, 2023, the author sadly passed in 2021. The book is filled with original sketches and drawings. Despite this book being written mostly for kids, adults will enjoy it too. It's even inspiration for aspiring artists. And a cool fact is that Jerry Pinkney suffered dyslexia as a child, and the font used in the book is designed for dyslexic readers. So if anyone who has dyslexia reads this book, they'll be able to read it without difficulty

41 Memoirs Everyone Should Read

In relation to World Book Day, Reader's Digest came up with a list of 41 memoirs they believe everyone should read at least once.

Some of these may not be everyone's cup of tea; it entirely depends on who people want to read about

1. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

-If you're a fan of the alternative pop group Japanese Breakfast, you'll love the memoir (released in 2021) about Michelle Zauner. She grew up American born, but of Korean ancestry in Oregon, where there were not many other children of Asian descent. She bonded with her family over the meals of her culture in her grandmother's apartment and battled with her mother's expectations to pursue music as a career. After hearing her mother was diagnosed with terminal-stage cancer, Michelle returned home to act as caregiver and come to terms with various things her mother has passed down

2. Spare by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex

-Released on Jan. 10, 2023, this memoir is about one of the Dukes of Sussex, Harry. He's also one of the sons of the late Princess Diana Spencer. This is an honest look at the ups, downs and everything in between that shaped him as a person. He talks about his childhood, his military service in Afghanistan, and more recent happenings such as becoming a husband and father. The title is inspired by the phrase "an heir and a spare", referencing his status as King Charles's second son and dealing with the grief of losing his mother at a young age

3. Solito by Javier Zamora

-This story is about a 9 year old named Javier. He grew up in El Salvador, raised by his loving aunt and grandparents. One day, he decides to set out on a journey, 3,000 miles away, to join his parents in America. He is alone, but he joins a group of other migrants who use a "coyote" (professional people smuggler), who promises the group it will only take two weeks. Javier makes the trip successfully, and considers the migrants in his group as extended family. His journey actually took two months, as he recalls thirst from the hot deserts, fear of being caught, love and kindness. He eventually grew up to be a poet

4. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

-Despite the suggestive title, it does contain a bit of dark humor. It seems the relationship between Jennette McCurdy and her mother wasn't as rosy as one would think. This memoir, which came out in 2022, details the life of the actress best known for teen-type shows like iCarly and Sam and Cat. She writes with striking honesty about her abusive mother, overbearing mother, whose only request was for her to become a movie star. Also add in eating disorders, addiction and her mother's premature death from cancer, which only added difficulty to the life of Jennette McCurdy. She quit acting to pursue therapy and released this hilarious memoir about trauma, healing and the need to discover your own independence

5. Departure Stories: Betty Crocker Made Matzoh Balls (And Other Lies) by Elisa Bernick

-Elisa Bernick mixes hilarious stories of growing up as a Jewish girl in a white Christian Minnesota suburb in the 1960s and 1970s, trauma from various generations, a family run by an unhappy wife along with recipes, jokes, scrapbook pieces, memories together to paint a picture of a dysfunctional family

6. The Yellow House by Sarah Broom

-In New Orleans, the home in which Sarah Broom was raised was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. She puts forth personal history and memories, such as being the youngest of 12 children, in her 2019 memoir

7. All the Way to the Tigers by Mary Morris

-Mary Morris took a trip to India and while there, got the chance to see Bengal tigers out in the wild, open and free. In her 2020 memoir, she calls them "the truly last wild things." This book mixes history, natural science, the significance of tigers and philosophy, personal dealings with Morris's past. She also notes how important tiger conservation is

8. Dimestore: A Writer's Life by Lee Smith

-Lee Smith is a Southern writer who took a vacation from writing novels and instead wrote a letter about her Appalachian upbringing. This is an honest, open eyed look into a way of life that no longer happens. This book, published in 2016, will give you a look into the life of the author and the world in which she grew up in

9. Threading My Prayer Rug by Sabeeha Rehman

-The author, Sabeeha Rehman, and her husband immigrated to New York 40+ years ago from Pakistan. They were both placed in an arranged marriage. When they set foot in New York, the culture shock was intense, to say the least. While remaining a devout Muslim, she was able to make friends with her neighbors while maintaining her faith. Not only did she raise a family, but she also advocates for interfaith understanding. This book debuted in 2017

10. Educated by Tara Westover

-Grit and resilience are two words to describe this 2018 book. Tara Westover was raised by survivalists in the mountains of Idaho and the only expectation of her by her parents to eventually become an obedient wife who doesn't question a thing. She fought to get an education. Despite the odds and various setbacks, she was able to make it to Harvard and earn a PhD from Cambridge University

11. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

-Paul Kalanithi is a neurosurgeon and a new father. He was only 36 when he got the bad news: he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He goes from saving lives one day to losing his own the next day. In this 2015 memoir, he asks the most important question: What makes life worth living? Where do we find meaning? What do you do when your life has no future and ordinary goals no longer make sense? There was no cure for his cancer and he died in 2015. Despite his death, this book remains alive for the world to read

12. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

-This 2020 memoir in essay form is an important lesson about race, in particular Asian Americans. Cathy Park Hong is the daughter of Korean citizens who immigrated to a new land, and Hong explores the topics of family and friendship, shame and self doubt

13. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest by Cheryl Strayed

-Published in 2013, Cheryl Strayed felt her life was slipping from her at only 26. Her mother died, her marriage dissolved and she was depending on drugs to get her from day to day. With the mindset that she had nothing to lose, she decided to embark on a hike on the perilous Pacific Crest Trail, which is 1,000 miles long. She was completely unprepared for the hike, but it changed her in so many ways

14. On the Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks

-Oliver Sacks was a neurologist who wrote dozens of books. Prior to his 2015 death, he released this book, which gives readers an insight into the years before his death

15. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

-Jesmyn ward explores institutional racism and poverty in this 2013 memoir. She recounts how five black men died within five years in and around the Mississippi community where they all were raised and living. One of the men was the brother of the author while the others were from the community. This book explores addiction and economic struggles

16. H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

-After losing her father, naturalist Helen Macdonald processes her grief by adopting a hawk. Specifically, a goshawk she named Mabel. The wild tendencies of the bird mirror Macdonald's own feelings at the time. She details the goings on of her and her bird in this 2016 memoir

17. Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson

-Cicely Tyson, who passed away in January 2021, had released a memoir only days before. She was able to break racial barriers in a time when roles in acting were not plentiful for black actresses. She took roles that presented black women with realistic dignity. She won an Emmy, Oscar and Tony before her death at 96 and was able to inspire generations of people

18. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

-If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be a scientist, read this 2016 memoir. Hope Jahren is a paleobiologist who specializes in plants and trees. She gives an insight into the work in the lab and field

19. Boy, Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith and Family by Garrard Conley

-The author was only 19 when his parents found out his secret: that he was gay. They pushed him to attend inpatient gay conversion therapy with the hope of making him heterosexual (straight). Released in 2016, this open, honest look shows the journey Garrard made as he came to terms with his sexuality and standing up for his own self. It sheds light on a dark practice that probably still goes on to this day

20. Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

-Susannah Calahan was a newspaper journalist who, at age 24, thought she was going insane. She would have uncontrollable outbursts and delusions that could be terrifying at times. Initially, her doctors thought she was abusing alcohol while others believed she was suffering a severe mental breakdown. There was hope when a doctor who took the time to treat her discovered the reason behind her unusual behavior. She was diagnosed with a rare but treatable autoimmune disorder called anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. With her family by her side and her own perseverance, she was able to not only recover but also put together the pieces of a medical jigsaw puzzle that could have ended differently. This 2012 memoir went on to become a successful movie

The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere

This is a short book. You can easily finish this book in a day or two. But heads up, it's sad

Summary

-Robert Layton is a rising attorney at his firm Williams, Mather & Hurst. With the long hours he puts in at work, his wife, Kate and two daughters, Lily and Hannah, are virtual strangers to him. He wants only the best for him and his family. Nathan Andrews is a second grader with a father named Jack, who works as a mechanic for City Auto Service, a sister named Rachel and a mother named Maggie, who's slowly dying of ovarian cancer. He only wants more time to spend with his mother. One Christmas Eve, destiny intervenes when Robert, who is doing last minute Christmas shopping, sees Nathan struggling to pay for a pair of shoes for his mother, "so she can look beautiful when she meets Jesus tonight", says the little boy. The boy does not have enough money, so Robert pays for the remainder and the boy runs out of the store, forever changing not only his own life, but Nathan's as well

-There was a movie made based on this book, starring Rob Lowe, but for some reason, in the movie, Maggie is said to have some sort of fatal heart defect. In the book, she has ovarian cancer. I'm not sure why they didn't keep it true to the book in the movie. Maybe, with it being on the Hallmark channel, they wanted it to be PG-13 or safe for all ages, who knows. Or maybe they thought ovarian cancer would be too mature for audiences

Charlie Watt's Passing: A Year Later

The Rolling Stones are still performing, despite long time sticksman Charlie Watts not being behind his iconic drums

It was first announced in August 2021 that Charlie Watts was not going to participate in the upcoming Rolling Stones tour. In a statement released by him: "For once my timing has been a little off. I am working hard to get fully fit but today I have accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while. After all the fans' suffering caused by COVID, I really do not want the many fans who have been holding tickets for this tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation. I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me."

Everyone assumed that Watts would return as soon as he recovered from what a spokesperson described as a "completely successful" procedure. Details were not released. It was 2004 when Watts had beaten throat cancer, which he chalked up to smoking heavily long ago. He had revealed any other health scares since then. It was on Aug. 24, 2021 that the news was out: Charlie Watts had passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in a London hospital

A mass flood of condolences poured in. Ringo Starr wrote on Twitter "God bless Charlie Watts. We're going to miss you, man." Many who gave their sympathies also complimented him on his unique style of drumming. Robbie Robertson commented "Charlie's drumming is powerful and unique. His approach is entirely his own and helped shape the sound of rock 'n' roll." Guitarist Ronnie Wood was closest to Charlie. He recalled his last visit with him. "We watched horse racing on TV and shot the breeze. I could tell he was pretty tired and fed up with the whole deal. He said, 'I was really hoping to be out of here by now.' Then after that, there was a complication or two and I wasn't allowed back. No one was." The last show Watts played with the Stones was a year earlier on Aug. 30, 2019 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It was one stop on the No Filter tour, which started in 2017 and was scheduled to end in 2020. The COVID pandemic put an end to all major touring

One of the first things on the minds of all Rolling Stones fans was whether the band would carry on with their rescheduled 2021 tour dates. It was to be confirmed they would, with Steve Jordan on drums. Prior to the tour starting back up, The Rolling Stones performed at a private event at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. At the show, Mick Jagger said "We all miss Charlie so much. We miss him as a band, we miss him as friends, on and off the stage." About a day later, the band kicked off the tour in St. Louis, performing at The Dome at America's Center. It marked the first time in 59 years the band has toured without Charlie Watts, but his presence was still strong in the photos and videos shown on the big screen. It was a sort of nod of respect to the passing of a fellow band member and friend

Steve Jordan, who replaced Watts on drums, was no stranger to the band. He had extensive experience working with them. He'd played with them and Keith Richards' solo band, The X-Pensive Winos. Keith Richards mentioned he was hesitant to tour without Watts. But Charlie encouraged him. "Charlie said to me 'You can do it with Steve. He can take my seat anytime.' And he talked me into it." Despite the positive encouragement and long resume, about mid-tour Jordan admitted it was still a tough job to have. In October 2021, Jordan admitted "There are people that don't understand that I lost a friend. So they're happy for me, but they don't understand that I'd rather not have this be the case. But The Rolling Stones have really, really done everything in their power to make the transition smooth and sympathetic and empathetic. They've been cognizant of everyone's feelings. I personally appreciate that."

Days prior to Watts' death, a special 40th anniversary box set edition of Tattoo You from 1981 was released. The special reissue included nine songs that the band returned to the studio to finish up, blissfully unaware it was the last time they would work with Watts. In a September 2021 interview, Mick Jagger said "I did some stuff with him in the studio very recently, while we were doing the Tattoo You things. Charlie did some work on just a few fills and stuff like that. And then we started messing around, we did some other things." A year later, a documentary titled My Life As a Rolling Stone debuted on Epix. Each episode was about a different member of the band. Work on the series had just begun when Watts passed away. Like the tour, the remaining band members had to finish what they started

Executive producer Steve Condie told Ultimate Classic Rock in an interview. "In a strange way, it made [the band] think we should be doing this because we want to show their appreciation of him." The final part of the series was about Watts, featuring his fellow Stones members and other musicians, talking of old times and showing their appreciation of him and his talent. "They wanted a program that would be devoted to him, in which they themselves - Ronnie, Keith and Mick - could say what they felt about Charlie, but also an opportunity for a broader audience to understand this extraordinary guy. It was a difficult period for them, obviously. It threw things into a little bit of doubt, but in the end, I think we all came around to the feeling that, actually, you know what? We've got to do this."

For the remaining band members, this tour and adjusting to life without their good friend and drummer doesn't happen overnight. Keith Richards told CBS in March 2022 "[It] is strange to turn suddenly and, you know, after all these years, you expect that face there!" Despite the fact Jordan has kept the drumming up to par, Watts is considered irreplaceable. In a 2021 interview, Jagger stated "It seems like only yesterday that I was in the studio with Charlie, joshing around. It's just so weird and then very sad. And I mean, it's such a long time that you work with someone like that, and you get to know someone so well and their quirks and their idiosyncrasies and they know yours. And there's a language in communication with musicians, obviously, or anything else...That's very rare. I miss that so much."

On the first anniversary of his passing, Mick Jagger posted a clip of photos and videos set to the 1974 Rolling Stones song "'Til the Last Goodbye" on his Twitter feed. In the clip, Jagger said "He had a great sense of humor. Outside the band we used to hang out quite a lot and have interesting times going. We liked sports, we'd go to football, we'd go to cricket games. We would have other interests apart from just music." Ronnie Wood also posted a series of photos, mentioning Watts' late wife Shirley, their daughter Seraphina and granddaughter. "Charlie, missing you every single day. Shirley, Seraphina and Charlotte, we hold you close in our hearts."

Watts had a reputation as "The Quiet One" in the band, compared to his rowdier bandmates. He was more content to stay in the hotel room or even visit local jazz clubs than engage in post-show parties like some rock musicians would. In a 2012 interview with Classic Rock, Watts stated "I'm very private. I'm not really that interested in talking about me." Watts was interested in music first. Everything else that came with it, be it fame, money, legacy, was sometimes a burden. He was also highly respected among other drummers. His style of playing was heavily influenced by jazz, but was simple and powerful. He was powerful without being aggressive. Complex without showing off. Judging from the level of tributes pouring in, he was definitely respected among his fellow drummers. The impact he had on music won't soon be forgotten. In the 1966 film Charlie is My Darling, he stated "Maybe it's an inferiority complex I've got. Or maybe I am great after all."

Rob Halford beats prostate cancer during COVID-19 epidemic

You read that right. As if we all don't have enough to worry about, cancer is always looking for its next victim. Cancer doesn't care if we are in the middle of a crisis. Cancer doesn't care who you are. And during this massive crisis, Rob Halford was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he successfully beat it.

In an interview with Consequence, Halford had this to say. "I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that's in remission now, thank God. That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events. I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love the most."

In a new chapter of his 2020 memoir Confess, Halford had not discussed his private cancer battle in public. Instead, he detailed them there. He mentions first seeing symptoms in 2017 and after extensive testing, he got his diagnosis. "How did I feel? I felt a combination of shock, horror and, oddly, relief - at least now I know! 'Am I going to die?' It was all I could think of. I know blokes who've died of prostate cancer. 'No, you're not going to die, Rob' said Dr. Ali." He underwent a prostatectomy on 7/5/2020. He also underwent chemo treatments in April and May of this year after more cancer was discovered around the area of his prostate and even underwent an appendectomy after a tumor was found on his appendix.

"It's been a draining year, I can't deny it, but I'm delighted to have come through it. I feel like I've had the most thorough MOT [measurements, observations, tests] that a Metal God can have."

Halford is not alone in his medical scare. Guitarist Richie Faulkner had to spend some time in the hospital after the band's Sept. 26 show at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville. An aorta in his heart ruptured during the band's performance of "Painkiller" and as soon as the song concluded, he was rushed immediately to the hospital. Judas Priest postponed the remainder of their 50th anniversary tour. Faulkner was in surgery for 10 hours and had five parts of his chest replaced with mechanical components. He joked "I'm literally made of metal now. Although I have a recovery road ahead of me, as soon as I'm able to get up and running again, you'll be the first to know and we'll get back out there delivering the goods for you all!"

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock about Judas Priest's 50th anniversary tour and the follow up to 2018's Firepower, Halford had this to say. "The clock's always ticking with Priest, and you can't do too many things at the same time, otherwise things get wonky and they don't get the care and attention to detail they deserve. But I have a sense that it's going to be sooner than later. We're not going to make you wait three, four or five years as some of us have done."

Ronnie Wood recalls last hospital visit with Charlie Watts

Ronnie Wood, guitarist for The Rolling Stones, was always seemingly, the one closest to Charlie. Not only because their birthdays were within a day of each other, but for additional reasons. One of them being that Charlie championed for Ronnie to get the same amount of pay as the other members of The Stones after he'd been with them for a while, no longer a new member of the band. After Charlie passed, Ronnie reflected on spending time with Charlie prior to his death.

Ronnie said he was the final member of The Rolling Stones to speak with the band's drummer, who was hospitalized in London. It was the same room Ronnie had been in while he fought cancer in 2020. Ronnie jokingly said "We call it the Rolling Stones suite" in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

In the same interview, he added "We watched horse racing on TV and just shot the breeze. I could tell he was pretty tired and fed up with the whole deal. He said 'I was really hoping to be out of here by now', then after that there was a complication or two and I wasn't allowed back. No one was."

Mick Jagger talked about having Steve Jordan on drums and the healing effect of the Stones continuing their No Filter tour.

In an interview with Apple 1 Music host Zane Lowe, Jagger revealed "Some people said 'Oh, Charlie died, and you should not have done the tour - and stopped'. And other people would think 'The thing about the Rolling Stones throughout their career has been their resilience in the face of adversity'. And we've had our ups and downs, mostly ups, to be honest -but we've had adversity. And this was probably one of the most difficult ones."

Meanwhile, in a Vanity Fair interview, Steve Jordan had his say on the matter. "There are people that don't understand that I lost a friend. So they're happy for me, but they don't understand that I'd rather not have this be the case. But the Rolling Stones have really, really, done everything in their power to make the transition smooth and sympathetic and empathetic. They've been cognizant of everyone's feelings. I personally appreciate that."

What Does This Button Do?

This is the title of the recently released memoir, written entirely in his hand, by none other than Iron Maiden front man Bruce Dickinson. There is no reason to doubt the validity of the information in this book considering it was written by him. It is funny in parts because he adds his own little thoughts and comments.

This book, like most if not all biographies/autobiographies, takes readers on the journey from day one of his life to current day.

His parents, Sonia Hartley-Dickinson and Bruce Dickinson Sr, were just 16 and 17 when they got married and had little Paul Bruce Dickinson. Because they were so young when they had him, Bruce's parents were on a very poor financial standing and sent the young boy to live with his maternal grandparents. His maternal grandmother all but referred to him as the spawn of Satan, the reason her daughter disappeared while his maternal grandfather raised him like the son he never had. To get back on a very even financial keel, his parents flipped houses. They would buy and redo houses and then sell them. Bruce spent most of his childhood moving from house to house. He jokingly says that most people have addictions. His parents' addiction was moving houses.

Like most kids, he was bullied. He went to a variety of schools, ranging from extremely rough Manton Primary to Manor Top Primary, to the somewhat more posh Sharrow Vale Junior to straight up boarding school Oundle. At every school, he was given the annoying label of "new kid" and thus was subject to midnight beatings with pillows, clothes being sodden with water when he was elsewhere, dried eggs in his bed and other tortures. But one lesson his grandfather instilled in him was to never let someone get the best of you. They might be bigger than you, but they are most certainly not better. He also taught young Paul (his proper first name, as he was still going by that name at the time) to defend himself, but quickly had to reiterate the idea of when to hit and when not to hit. Something hardly anyone at all knows about Bruce is that he has a sister who is six years younger than he, Helena. While Bruce describes his birth as "accidental", her birth was planned, as in his parents planned on having a child while Bruce's birth could be described using the title of one of his solo albums, an "Accident of Birth".

What inspired young Paul to go into music was hearing Deep Purple's "Child in Time" blasting out of the study of one of his fellow Oundle mates. He was struck by the song and asked said classmate what it was, which was returned with a look of stupidity, as if he asked the world's stupidest question. Now Bruce had an idea of what he wanted to do. Like most musicians probably do, Bruce was in the choir in church when he was younger. He was even told that, while at Oundle, where he was also in the choir, that he was definitely not a candidate for singing. He had a letter sent to his house at Oundle, reading something like "Paul Dickinson, Sidney House. Definitely not a singer". How ironic

It was when he was in high school that he discovered he could really sing. While in class one day, he overheard some classmates saying they needed someone on vocals. He stepped in and offered his services. While at rehearsal one day, the bass player of this group tried to hit the high notes on "Let It Be" by The Beatles. Bruce stepped in to bolster said bandmate's vocals and something amazing happened-he could hit the high notes and every note in between. Suddenly, it was as if a light had been switched on. Now Bruce knew what he was made to do-sing! He went out and bought a microphone almost immediately. He decided to at least try and get some kind of education. He sat through exams and passed with enough good grades to get into college, so he applied for Queen Mary College in London, which confused his parents to no end. While happy their number one son was heading off to college, they were confused about the college he chose, as he had never been to London at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While moving through various bands like Paradox, Styx (in no relation whatsoever to the AOR band known for "Renegade"), Shots, Speed, he finally managed to get into something big when Samson, a band known for hard rock and boogie rock thrown together with Judas Priest-style breakneck paced playing, had called him up, asking if he was interested in joining them as a front man. He brought his Ian Gillan, Deep Purple influences with him, adding a Gillan-esque wail to almost every song. In fact, he mentions a funny moment in here involving Gillan. When he and Samson had recorded one of their albums in Kingsway Studios, owned by Ian Gillan, Bruce was such a huge Purple fan that nerves overtook him and he had to run to the bathroom lest he throw up on Gillan. Ian had actually gone down to the men's room to check on the young man and to this day, Ian jokes with Bruce about having vomit all over his shirt from the first day they met.

Samson



Samson with Mel Gaynor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The moment that history would be forever made was in 1981. Samson was at the 1981 Reading Festival, Iron Maiden were suffering badly because their then singer, Paul Di'Anno, was ruining his voice with substances. Maiden needed a new singer. And fast. Luckily, luck was on Maiden's side. Their manager, Rod Smallwood, was impressed by the vocal acrobatics of Samson's front man, so he and Maiden founding member/bassist Steve Harris auditioned Bruce in an out of the way area of the festival. Bruce felt awkward singing in front of a lot of people. Something must have convinced the large Yorkshireman of this young man's talents, because the next thing he knew, studio time was being booked and Bruce was officially the new Maiden front man.

Iron Maiden 1981



Iron Maiden 1982

Bruce was in Iron Maiden from 1982-1992. He made the majority of the albums with Maiden, each one breaking big records in America, which most if not all bands dream of making it big. As the 1980s started slipping into the 1990s, tensions started rising like floodwaters in the tight world of Maiden. Frustrated over the tensions of writing just as many songs as Steve Harris and yet Steve's songs getting used, Bruce was frustrated and seriously considering quitting. But then, tensions like this may have started as far back as 1984, the year of the World Slavery tour, in support of 1984's Powerslave. To this day, the entire band will describe that as the most punishing tour they have done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By 1986, the year Somewhere in Time had come out, Bruce was getting increasingly frustrated with the fact that he was writing just as many songs as Steve Harris, but the other band members often laughed because they sounded almost like Bryan Adams-type rock and Spanish guitar-type stuff. Adrian Smith was also getting frustrated. It had nothing to do with songs; he was writing songs, but he felt the band seemed to be chasing trends instead of holding true to who they were. In 1990, the year of No Prayer for the Dying, Adrian quit. 1990 also marks an important time for Bruce-the release of his first solo album, Tattooed Millionaire. He had put his heart and soul in to this, covering and writing the songs he liked, including a successful heavy metal overhaul of the David Bowie/Mott the Hoople classic "All the Young Dudes".

To handle the guitar on No Prayer for the Dying, Bruce had brought in former White Spirit and Gillan guitarist Janick Gers. His high energy antics and dancing on stage would pump some fresh blood in to the band. But all would not be rosy for long. 1992 was the last year for Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden. Fear of the Dark was the last album he would make before pursuing a solo career, with Janick working with him and soon Adrian working with him instead. Janick became the full time replacement for Adrian while Adrian Smith had gone to work with Bruce. The 1990s proved to be, in the eyes of some Maiden fans, a difficult time. From the low-ranking 1990 album No Prayer for the Dying, to the somewhat more successful 1995 The X Factor and 1998 Virtual XI albums, the band had brought in former Wolfsbane front man Bayley Cook aka "Blaze" Bayley. Meanwhile, with Bruce, he was cranking out solo album after solo album-1990's Tattooed Millionaire, 1994's Balls to Picasso, 1996's Skunkworks, 1998's The Chemical Wedding, 2001's The Best of Bruce Dickinson, 2005's Tyranny of Souls.

 



 



 



 



Prior to the recording process of 1996's Skunkworks, Bruce had been in the progress of obtaining his pilot's license. He was fond of aviation history and was in possession of a twin-engine Cessna plane, which he flew while the band helping him tour the album Skunkworks flew with him. He then thought bigger. And as time went on, he upped his pilot's license to the point where he could now fly large engine Boeing 757's, 747's, 737's. He now could fly Iron Maiden around on a personalized jet dubbed Ed Force One. 2000 would mark the year of the return to Maiden for Bruce and Adrian. At first, it was questionable how a three guitar lineup would work. Adrian was, not shockingly, questioning it, saying "Three guitars? It'll never work!" Steve thankfully proved it wrong. And in no time, all three guitarists got along great, to the point of them being dubbed "The Three Amigos" or the "Triple Axe Attack". The first album with the now reunited band was 2000's Brave New World. The band would churn out album after album, such as 2003's Dance of Death, 2006's A Matter of Life and Death, 2010's The Final Frontier and most recently 2015's The Book of Souls.

 

 





It was during the process of making The Book of Souls that Bruce had not been feeling well. He was sweating profusely, seeing blood when he brushed his teeth. After a trip to the doctor and a biopsy on a lump on his neck, it revealed a shocking diagnosis-cancer of the head and neck. Bruce went through aggressive chemotherapy treatments, which thankfully cured it, but had some rather devastating after effects. He was worried about what the guys in the band would think, so he routed it through Rod Smallwood, having him tell the band he had cancer. He described losing his hair almost immediately, losing his appetite, typical symptoms of chemotherapy. He also described, in details better left unsaid but discreetly, issues of not being able to relieve himself in the bathroom. He described intense pain in his mouth from the chemo and having to raid practically every drugstore in London just to find oral anesthetics just to help him sleep. He laughingly mentions that while going through chemo, he lost weight almost immediately, but received six pack abs, but warned that was not the way to do it.

Cancer aside, the chapter in the book that he mentions his cancer is titled, hilariously, Fuck Cancer. That should cause a few giggles. The book is hilarious in some parts, very serious in others, overall a good book. He talks about a type of ale called Red N'Black, The Trooper, referencing surprise surprise, Iron Maiden. He talks about losing his taste buds for a while because of the cancer treatment and relying more on sense of smell when it came to brewing the ale and he even mentioned that he used himself and Nicko as test drinkers, since he and Nicko are the only ale drinkers in the band. Shockingly enough, he doesn't mention meeting his first wife Jane or his second wife Paddy or mention the birth of his kids Austin, Griffin or Kia. He says that it would be overkill to go into detail of how he met his first or second wife or the birth of his children.