Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley – A Musical Biography of Jamaica's Icon from Nine Miles to Global Stardom

I got wind of this book when an excerpt was published in - of all places - the Wall Street Journal. It turns out the author, Christopher John Farley, is an editor at the Journal, which probably explains how it ended up being excerpted there. Bob Marley is really the great popularizer of Reggae in Europe and the U.S., going back to the late 70's and early 80's. He was the rage when I lived in Jamaica from 1977 to 1979. His album "Exodus" was a hit at the time. Marley died in 1982 of brain cancer, at the age of 37. The cancer may have been induced by the vast volume of ganja (that's marijuana) he ingested in the form of giant spliffs in the prior 15 or 20 years. Since his death, his popularity has grown exponentially. The album "Legend", kind of a "Bob Marley and the Wailers" greatest hits album is one of the all time bestsellers worldwide. And "Exodus" was named the "album of the century" by Time Magazine. In fact, the book is very good, very enjoyable. It takes you from Marley's birth in 1945, discusses his family, the fact that his mother was black but his father was mostly white, his life as a poor boy in Kingston, and his musical aspirations. The author Farley was born in Kingston himself but raised in upstate NY and attended Harvard. He interviewed all the major people who are still living and knew Marley well. And there is an extensive bibliography. There's a whole heap of stuff about Jamaican culture, about the influence of slavery on the culture, and the author paints a nuanced picture of life in Jamaica in the 50's and 60's. Marley was very much a man of his culture. A sincere Rastafarian, married at 21, at least seven children by four different women. Able to survive by his wits in a culture where many of the artists and producers carried guns as a matter of course. Marley spent a good deal of time in the U.S. In fact he was a member of the UAW! He worked for several years in Delaware in a car parts factory. This all before the big breakthrough in 1972, when he produced on Island Records (through Chris Blackwell - Island Records was a British label) his first big album, "Catch a Fire". So the book is a fine looking glass into Jamaica, it's culture, and the group, Bob Marley and the Wailers. There were a number of people who moved in and out of the Wailers, but the two who were there the whole time were Peter Tosh (shot dead in his own house in 1987) and Bunny Wailer who is still making music in Jamaica. The book inspired me to get an early album of the Wailers. A collection of ten of their early songs, the "Millenium Edition". Good, but a rough album, in the sense that the songs were all produced in Jamaica, without exactly state of the art production facilities. More importantly, they lack the rock influence, which was probably crucial to driving their popularity overseas. I also got another copy of "Reggae Bloodlines" a great book from the late 70's - great text, great pictures - off Amazon, second hand. I am surprised this book wasn't in Mr. Farley's excellent bibliography. Brigid and I are fans of Marley. In April 2005, while visiting Jamaica, we stopped in the tiny village of Nine Miles to see where Marley was born. We were on our way from Runaway Bay on the north coast to the town of Mandeville where we had met and been married in 1979. There's a museum and a kind of shrine there, where he is buried. We didn't go in but simply had a look in the gift shop and chatted to the museum "guides." It's an interesting trip if you want more out of Jamaica then just beaches and Red Stripe beer.

This is a wonderful book to read to gain a clear understanding of Bob Marleys start in life. He struggled ten years before finally catching a break and meeting producer Chris Blackwell who did a great job marketing his music. This book is fresh, direct and easy to read. Contains a few new interviews that add to our overall understanding of Bob Marleys efforts. Clear and concise writing. I do wish the author had kept going because his narration is very good. He stops after the Catch a Fire album. Very well balanced and compares favorably to the book "Catch a Fire." I highly recommend this book. Good job, Chris Farley.

The book is a bit difficult to get into in the beginning but once you get past the speed bump everything else is smooth sailing. Good book but so for the best is Written by his Widow. Rita Marley.

One of the best I have read re. Marley. There are a few discrepancies between what this author says & what Rita Marley has written in her memoir, which then both may differ from what other bios. have stated. We will never know. I do appreciate a biographer who does not swallow the conventionally accepted stories. Much here to enjoy - & well written.

I separated this set and gave them for gifts. They are awesome and so easy to do now I want more

This book really shows how Robert Nesta Marley was meant to be a star in this world. He really stood out

This is truly a well written book. From the moment I received it I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks to the wonderful writing of Mr Farley. I look forward to his other books as well as more info on Bob Marley.

Do not, I REPEAT, Do NOT waste your time or MONEY on this so-called book. This man knows nothing about Bob, Rasta, OR BLACK CULTURE. It's an insult to us who are Rasta, Jamaican and fed up with Americans USING Bob for their gain. This is why true Rasta, only reason and Follow Jah. We not on their path to glory fame money. One day a voice will emerge chosen by Bob himself to speak the REAL TRUTH, and that will become the true story. Too much SAID, not enough WISDOM Foolish man, soon find hiself wit other fools. Now, I waste my time no more. Bob trust nobody: we tired of this. Jah bring Truth.