I'm a Believer: My Life of Monkees, Music, and Madness

Micky Dolenz thought he was too young to write this book the first time I bought it (he was 48). Well, he sure made up for in enthusiasm what he lacked in age-wise preparation. I love his humorous anecdotes, sarcasm, and directness. I also love his self-mockery and admissions of being wrong when he so blatantly behaved that way. I have always thought he was the best singer in the group and the most talented natural comedian of the bunch. This book does nothing to dispel that concept. In fact, since I have never really liked Davy, I found myself giggling at his nast digs about the munchkin teen idol's love for himself quite often. This book is also living testimony that not every child star grows up to be a useless, jailbound creep and, like he himself does, I admire his parents for taking him out of showbusiness and back into the real world of being a regular kid after Circus Boy was cancelled. He cites this as the major reason that, though he got into his fair share of trouble later both in and after the Monkees, it didn't last. He also shows you a bit of the sad figure that Harry Nilsson, his one-time partner in crime was. He shares what he learned about the price of fame and how he also learned to emerge like a Phoenix from the ashes and become a lucrative director behind the camera. Micky Dolenz is a man of many talents and, in this self-penned history, he unwittingly exposes you to them all. With heart, humor, and some wisdom attained via the school of hard knocks, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read from a man who's still around to tell his tale to those who are willing to listen and learn.

I'm really glad this book is finally back in print. I've read my own copy countless times, and each time it's as funny, cute, and irreverant as the last. Micky had a great attitude towards writing his memoirs, despite initially feeling he was too young at 48 to do that. He doesn't take himself too seriously, and points out at the beginning that this isn't meant to be some dry and strictly factual analysis of his life like too many autobiographies are. He also doesn't focus only on his years in The Monkees; though he admits that will always be a huge part of his life, he realises it was far from the only part of his life, and that important things happened both before and after he was in the band. There are so many anecdotes, vignettes, funny stories, fantasy scenes, scenes written in screenplay format, and flashback in here, one of the reasons why it's so enjoyable and readable. It makes it more interesting and fun. Micky also tells the reader not to take it too seriously, and that perhaps some of the things he describes may not have happened exactly as he depicts them, and says that when you finish reading you should go out and do something to help your community, not just put the book back on your shelf and walk away. There are some valid criticisms about how some things aren't detailed much, but maybe it's because Micky didn't want to hurt the people involved (like his first wife Samantha or his oldest daughter Ami) by revealing too much personal private information to the public. It's enough that we know Micky's first marriage ended in divorce because of the kind of reckless and wild lifestyle he was living in the Seventies; we don't need to know all of the graphic details or who he may have cheated on her with. He respects his loved ones too much to expose them to public humiliation and embarrassment by revealing things that are best kept private. It's a very different style from Davy Jones's autobiography, a book with more graphic and scandalous details. And perhaps Micky didn't reveal the name of his second wife, Trina, whom he had Charlotte, Emily, and Georgia with because they were divorcing at the time this book was originally published, and he was too upset over it to use her name. On so many levels this book is refreshing and a welcome change from the average self-absorbed autobiography with too much information and things that the average reader didn't really want to know about.

I do admitt I am a Monkees fan, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to love anything about them/by them right away. There are a lot of Monkee biographies that are *boring*. They tell you the facts, with no thought of telling them with more energy and excitement. However, I think Micky's book was great because it was hilarious and very real. He wasn't going to just tell you the facts, but rather how he felt and his own experiences. Through him you saw his relationship with the Monkees. I'm not even a Micky fan, I like Davy best- but I still found the book very interesting. It really is one of the few books that can make you smile, laugh, and cry all in one reading.

I have always been a Monkees fan, especially a Micky fan. So I was delighted to read his book. It was very insightful and interesting and i couldn't put it down!! I love this book, it is written ingeniusly as only Micky can do. It also has pictures that really complete the story. I totally recommend this book to all people, and if you are not already a Monkees fan, after you read this you will be.

At first, I checked out this book from the library. Because I've always wanted a copy of this book since I saw it at a Monkee concert last summer. Eversince Easter, I've had my own copy(thanks to a friend). I loved the way he talked about the differences between George and Janelle(his parents). Eventhough, they were fifteen years apart...they had the oposite ways to raise children. His childhood was very interesting as well. I espically cried when he told about when his father passed away. His Monkee stages are very funny/sad and touched me. His "after Monkee" stages, espically touched me about the problems he had to deal with. Espically his first marriage fell apart. I even followed his advice in the preface. I even cried and cried at the end. This book is told by Micky in a great way(happiness, sadness, etc...). I recomend it to anyone who likes Micky Dolenz, and The Monkees. So, I trully liked this book...it's my most favorite book.