Rating: 
Summary: Hits High Notes
Review: STING's little biography is an interesting approach to the art of memoir. After his work with The Police he redefined himself as an actor in DUNE and THE BRIDE. Then he returned his focus to his music with a more adult contemporary appeal. If he follows the current trend of aging rockers ELTON JOHN, PHIL COLLINS, BOY GEORGE, and BILLY JOEL, we can only guess he'll be writing a Broadway musical next. So with his constant redefinition of self and tendency to go not against the grain, but not necessarily along the expect path, it should come as no surprise that his biography BROKEN MUSIC is not your standard biography. Much like MY FRACTURED LIFE, BROKEN MUSIC focuses on the person who would grow up to be famous rather than the fame. BROKEN MUSIC hits mostly high notes. I enjoyed it. I often forgot I was reading STING's biography and just got caught up in the interesting story of the little English boy who one day would be STING.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written!
Review: Never took a deep interest in Sting until seeing him on the Oprah Show and then reading his memoir. Instantly fell in love with the writing and depth of this person. My only regret, after finishing the book, was that there wasn't another 300 pages of reading I could immerse myself into.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprised by the quality of the writing.
Review: "Broken Music" is an amazing memoir by a talented and intelligent musician. I was very surprised by Sting's ability to write. Sting's story is written in a style which is honest, raw and extremely emotional. I laughed and cried. I felt that I had gained insight after I read this book. I was very impressed by Sting's ability to convey complex emotions and feelings in a touching and deep manner. He could be a writer, aside from being the musical genius he already is. I hope he writes more books in the future. I think he has much to say and he has a true talent for writing. I have loved his songs and music and I loved this book. I highly recommend this book. It deals with issues that are all too familiar to most of us- family, love, disappointments, challenges, coming of age. This book would be a great gift for a parent or a child. All in all, one of the best autobiographies I have read. It is touching, inspiring and enlightening. What more could you ask for from a book?
Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: This is a great book, I would recommend it to anyone who loves a well written story. He's got you from the first paragraph and never lets go. So well written you feel as if you went on the journey with him.
Rating: 
Summary: Great musician, lousy book
Review: I am a Sting fan, so I take no delight in saying, "Ohmigosh. What a lousy book this is." The way it flows (or doesn't), the point of view (super megalomaniacal), and the very language it uses, just put me off. The writing is pretentious. The stories don't come together as a book. And I found his point of view, three pages describing a gig 30 years ago, two sentences about the birth of his first child, kind of shocking. It would have been more apt if he called this a book about his journey in being a musician, not a memoir. Because unless you're completely OBSESSED with music, as he is, you feel that the "life" part of this autobiography is eerily missing. I take no joy in writing a negative review, but I admire him less after reading this. Borrow it from the library if you must read it, but don't waste your money.
Rating:
Summary: great story...
Review: This memoir does not glorify Sting's work or his superstardom, but it does take you through memorable events from his childhood to the success of the Police and to the death of his parents. If you're looking for insight into what the Police did while on tour and what laws--if any--they broke, this is not the place. In fact, the success of the Police is really only hinted at ... and then the story starts to close. There's nothing about his solo career and very few details about the breakup of the Police.
It's a great introduction to Sting's childhood and all the sacrifices he made and work he accomplished to get where he is today. It's beautifully written with well-crafted metaphors and rich details. Did you know .... that Stewart Copeland's dad was one of the founding fathers of the CIA?? Neither did I.
rdnewman.com
Rating:
Summary: A Man with Moonlight in his Hands, or So Wrote Cervantes.
Review: From the Phoenix Jazzmen, Last Exit, and the Police all the way to going solo, Sting heartily delineates his odyssey to stardom. This book of memoirs is literature; creative and of a trenchant literary value, it impersonates his poetry in captivating eloquence and sentimental profundity. From a dysfunctional family and ragged childhood he manages to break free, but the road to his dreams was not sprinkled with roses, nor the past entirely history. I've always admired this man, his music and melodic panache, and felt that behind this artist's calibre lingers a very tenacious will to 'be.' Love, loss, hurt, confusion, incertitude, and despair didn't spare him in the least. Even so, the British Don Quixote never succumbed to life's haphazardness and his windmills never wilted in the midst of tempests. I couldn't put this book down. By his transparent savvy, prosaic spirit, and self-confidence I was trapped and enthralled. My admiration has heightened before this fait-accompli of a human being, eminent writer, peerless musician, and staunch dreamer.
Rating:
Summary: Stand up, speak up and shut up...
Review: Ironic that I should receive this as a Christmas present given the struggle Sting has with the Savior's Grace and yet I found the irony just as alluring as the book itself. I spent a full day and read the entire book with anticipation as to the next move or decision he had to face. His life, like so many others, seems to have been wrought with a myriad of decisions and choices that individually amount to very little, yet collectively earned him a "ridiculous amount of money". There are rampant memories of gig's and places along with names and faces that he recalls with clarity and narrative. As a failed musician, I was grossly reminded of my cliff-edge moment of choosing security over fame or passion. As a father, I am reminded of the covenant of marriage and the seemingly foreign language of familial love. As a fan, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn that he had chosen the path I may always wish I had. That he found a discipline in the dysfunction of his family and life that I have yet to really greet or embrace. Perhaps this memoir was more indicting of my life than of his and while another reviewer proffered a healing road as the prime mover for his writing this, I would suggest that it is really written as many things. The least of which is an indictment of humans and the depravity we so thankfully have God's Grace for. I believe the "lady of the lake" is metaphoric and perhaps therapeutic for him, but for me; I am haunted by her and wonder if forgiveness was ever given for her ritualistic killers in his, or more importantly, her eyes. Yes, quick deduction would lead you to the obvious analogy of the very people she represents. Please indulge my weak analogies. I would suggest that you will find this memoir entertaining and enjoyable to read. The past discussed in present tense did very little to throw me off the scent of this man's journey. His prose is, in my opinion, fine and while I doubt his prime mover was literary praise, he has certainly succeeded in entertaining me for an afternoon and perhaps a while longer than that. I recommend this book to the fan and non-fan as a peek into a life. Not just a celebrity, but a life. The celebrity element had very little to do with my enjoyment and refreshingly enough, very little to do with the book itself. Credit was certainly given where deserved as he reached dizzying heights on the shoulders of peers and giants. He is not one for mincing words of gratitude or self deprecation. I found his arrogance, described as drive or passion, to take a back seat to the story of the manifestation of that drive. The most revealing and recurring concept of this man is his need to keep running from his past and moving forward in perceived progress. He seems to have been running his whole life and this, in and of itself, is the very thing that has blessed him with the fame he so dearly sought. Like some men, he seems to be a vessel of passion sailing errantly on his perception of the world he is surrounded by. The success attained is fleeting in this world as he has seen in the loss of his parents. What personal satisfaction or achievement could possibly bring them back or repair the dysfunction that drove him to success? Has the running stopped? Is he staring at the harsh reality of forgiveness or just creating placation for the duration of a difficult and blessed life? The reflective age of 50 seems to have prompted and inner inventory of passion and feelings and I for one and honored that he chose to share that with whoever cares enough to read it. A bold move to be honored and lesson to be learned that perhaps the decision I made, may be the most daring, challenging, satisfying and risky decision of all. And I haven't sold one song or recorded one note on any of the numerous guitars I own. :) As a fan, I can appreciate his journey and grieve for the God shaped whole in his life. The strains of doctrine have apparently jaded the Grace of God in his life. I hope in his many prayers that he speaks of, he includes a request for clarity of this grace and forgiveness to stop running. He may find a sequel in that issue alone. I proffer that this may be more revealing than the lake will ever be. Forget-me-nots and all.
Rating:
Summary: Broken Music, Broken Praise
Review: Sting's memoir, Broken Music, is written in present tense, which for an inherently past-tense story requires awkward double-takes at times. Past tense would have sufficed and read more smoothly. Despite this, the book is generally well written, although occasionally the author seems intent on dazzling with his writing prowess. A leaner, sparser prose would have been more comfortable and readable. Perhaps he felt the need to make an initial mark on the literary world in this, his first time out, in a similar way to which he marked the music world. I would like a little more poetry and rhythm in his prose akin to what we hear in his music -- pieces with simpler, lyrical content. Nevertheless, I found his story interesting, entertaining, and at times moving, and he should be pleased to know that he brought tears to the eyes of a reader more than once. His theme, as I saw it, was the vision of removing himself from the trap of his early impoverished, dead-ended cultural environment. Music was the tool he picked to do so. He never lost his vision, and never settled into a comfortable niche below the summit that he strove for. That ... and he worked his tail off. I believe and hope that he is embarking on a new career in writing, and that he brings to it the charm and energy that he brought to his music. Thank you, Sting, for a good read. I wish you well in a new career, but I hope you don't have to abandon your music to do so.
Rating: 
Summary: AS HONEST AS HE CAN BE
Review: I am a huge Police fan- that said, I'm a little disappointed Sting basically chose to skip over those 5-6 years of his life where he was on the top of the world. I have heard that he is rather ashamed of that debaucherous period in his life, but whether that is the reason the early 80's was left out of this book is debatable. This book also dispells the common belief that Sting is a man of the highest morals- this is a man that replicated his mother's behaviour, and eloped with a neighbour after being married with a young child- all the while, bagging her out for being unfaithful to HIS father.
Talk about hypocrisy!- but I suppose we should forget all about that and just concentrate on saving the rainforests hey?
The book is well written and very honest (in parts), and is obviously better than another serving of the absolute tripe he has been churning out since the mid 90's. In this writer's opinion, most of his work since Ten Summoners Tales has been nothing short of bland, so to read this book was definately a refreshing experience. It would appear he can still get in touch with his raw emotions when he has to. Kudos to you Sting! Now when the hell are you, Stew and Andy gunna do another world tour???!
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