This Thing Called Life

Prince's Odyssey, On and Off the Record

By: Neal Karlen

Narrated by: Neal Karlen

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

This program is read by the author, and includes archival recordings of conversations between the author and Prince. A warm and surprisingly real-life biography of one of rock’s greatest talents: Prince.

Neal Karlen was the only journalist Prince granted in-depth press interviews to for over a dozen years, from before Purple Rain to when the artist changed his name to an unpronounceable glyph. Karlen interviewed Prince for three Rolling Stone cover stories, wrote “3 Chains o’ Gold", Prince’s “rock video opera”, as well as the star’s last testament, which may be buried with Prince’s will underneath Prince’s vast and private compound, Paisley Park.

According to Prince's former fiancée Susannah Melvoin, Karlen was “the only reporter who made Prince sound like what he really sounded like”. Karlen quit writing about Prince a quarter-century before the mega-star died, but he never quit Prince, and the two remained friends for the last 31 years of the superstar’s life.

Well before they met as writer and subject, Prince and Karlen knew each other as two of the gang of kids who biked around Minneapolis’s mostly-segregated Northside. (They played basketball at the Dairy Queen next door to Karlen’s grandparents, two blocks from the budding musician.) He asserts that Prince can’t be understood without first understanding ‘70s Minneapolis, and that even Prince’s best friends knew only 15 percent of him: That was all he was willing and able to give, no matter how much he cared for them.

Going back to Prince Rogers Nelson's roots, especially his contradictory, often tortured, and sometimes violent relationship with his father, This Thing Called Life profoundly changes what we know about Prince, and explains him as no biography has: a superstar who calls in the middle of the night to talk, who loved The Wire and could quote from every episode of The Office, who frequented libraries and jammed spontaneously for local crowds (and fed everyone pancakes afterward), who was lonely but craved being alone. Listeners will drive around Minneapolis with Prince in a convertible, talk about movies and music and life, and watch as he tries not to curse, instead dishing a healthy dose of “mamma jammas”.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

©2020 Neal Karlen (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“The stories, like Prince, are irresistibly fascinating and as elusive as float-like-a-butterfly Muhammad Ali, the rock star’s idol. This memoir is easily the most telling book about the late Prince thus far.” (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

A Must Read for Prince Fans

Fascinating insights into the genius who can never be fully understood. Neal Karlen explains why so many who knew and worked with Prince have widely varying perceptions of him: socially awkward loner or a social butterfly who hosted star-studded parties and late night jam sessions for fans? Perfectionist or a virtuoso who was more concerned with getting his music on tape than making it sound pristine? Tyrant or philanthropist? Yes.

This thing called life

Like many Prince fans I have read or listened to many of the fascinating stories about Prince. What has become very clear is the people who knew Prince from his younger days in Minneapolis or worked with Prince have a much more intimate story of him as a person than someone on the outside. This is very good audiobook but not for typical Prince fans who may get offended by some of the personal stories or audio recordings of Prince talking.

What a Unique Perspective on the life & times of Prince 💜💜

If you want an outsider’s view as he becomes a real insider , almost unbeknownst to himself... then this is the memoir for you.
Karlen uses relatable imagery and terms that Prince himself would use to tell and weave the story of a rock genius.
Sit back in the convertible and let Neal take you for a ride on the Prince Expressway of life, love and the Question of U.

A solid, well-crafted window into Prince, the human.

Neal gives a semi-insider’s view into the true man Prince likely was, what he showed to others, the identities he took on and cast off, and the melange they all made to confound people looking to figure him out. Having read more than a few books on Prince, I found this one engaging, insightful, fair, and eye-opening. Feels like Neal gave us a closer look into an extremely complex figure than many have managed. The opening chapter about Prince’s death was also very moving. Worth your time if you’re a fan.

If you’re more interested in the life of Prince over a deep musical study, this is the title for you

Quite a bit of repetition in regards to certain stories or references throughout parts of the book, but nonetheless a very fascinating and somewhat bittersweet look into the life of Prince by someone who had direct access and could even be considered a friend.

Wonderfully sad and amazing

Wonderfully sad and amazing story from the inside out. Love is in the details! Thank u Neal!!!

Dope!

I truly think Prince would’ve liked it this raw and uncut. It was definitely“BAD”!

Wow

This is the first biography I have read about Prince. I read it while listening to the amazing Audible version, containing actual recordings of interviews with Prince. I admit, I was not a big Prince fan when I was growing up in the 80s, but my best friend was, and I read this when, in our 50s, she convinced a group of us to go to Minneapolis and visit Paisley Park (and other places). This book gave me a unique insight into the person known as Prince and the city of Minneapolis as I took the VIP Paisley Park Tour, contrasted with a visit to George Floyd Square. Thank you, Neal.

Loved !

I loved this book it was very insightful and real, for me it painted a picture of a man who led an extraordinary life doing what he loves best Music.

Life happens to all of us and how we respond is the most important.

I love you prince ❤️

Intriguing

I enjoyed listening to the interviews. Hearing Prince’s voice is moving. Karlen’s relaying of his experiences with Prince- who he was and wasn’t really smacks of truth. It made me question who really knew the man. Who did he trust? It made me listen to everything Prince was saying, searching for truth. At times depressing , because at the end of the day, a big portion of Prince’s life is depressing. His loneliness really resonates. But as relates by Karlen, he lived a full filled life, a life of purpose as an artist. But his human side remains a mystery and it seems that’s is how Prince wanted it…