Marvin Gaye, My Brother

This book was the BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!! It was explicit from begining to end. Frankie Gaye did an excellent job. He said that he and Marvin shared intimate details with no holes barred.... HE NEVER LIED!!!!! He mentioned that Marvin's relationship with Tammi Terrell was platonic even though it appeared more, and that he was devastated when she died. He made mention of the Vietnam War and how that promoted the song What's Going On.The love-hate relationship between he (Marvin) and his father was weird.Jealousy will eat you alive and then you die. A MUST READ.

I've read Divided Soul twice, once when it was first published and again in the late 90's. For me, it was the definitive Marvin Gaye book, until I read Frankie Gaye's book! Frankie Gaye's book is so compassionate and tender, so factual. After all, he was Marvin's best friend and confidante. Whatever you do, do not skip to the end. Read the entire book and when you get to the ending, you will have gone through Marvin's struggle with him, with Frankie. My only regret about this book is that I never bothered to know more about Frankie Gaye.

I read this book, and I think that it is an honest book written by Marvin's brother, Frankie. He was someone who was close to him and knew him better than a paid writer. Most people would rather read spicey sensationlism, and juicey gossip written by someone who never really knew Marvin than to read about the not so spicey truth from one of his sibling. Most people get so used to hearing the rumors, and he-say she-say junk until the real truth seems like a rumor. In real life Marvin was a man who was talented, with numerous problems, and he was killed by his father, who also was a complicated man with problems. Sad as it was, that's probably what happened. No deep dark secrets there, his father was just a mentally ill man who killed his son in a fit of anger or rage, just as Frankie's book says. Marvin should not have never been living with his parents in the first place, since he and his father were having so many problems with one another. Marvin should have been somewhere getting his life straightened out.

This book was a beautiful tribute to Mr. Gaye's brother, Marvin. It gave the reader an excellent insight into the sensitivity that surrounds the Gaye family and not just the trials and tribulations that the public was led to believe about Marvin Gaye while he was with us. I couldn't put the book down and finished it without interruption in just several days. Thank you to the late Mr. Frankie Gaye for writing about the real Marvin Gaye and to Irene Gaye and Fred Basten for making sure it was presented to the public. (I get goose bumps when I think of July 4th -- you'll understand when you read the book!)

There have been many stories written and televised about the life and tragic death of Marvin Gaye. But non comes close to the compelling story told by his brother Frankie Gaye. He was the only one with Marvin when he died and the true circumstances of his death have never been told until this book. It's well written and finally gives us a REAL look into the talented and tragic life of Marvin and his brother. To add to the tragedy, Frankie passed away before the book was published. But now thanks to his wife Irene, the story is available to us all.I highly recommend this book and I hope it makes a great movie someday soon.