Gavin's captivating biography of the singer measures a gifted, tragic, and frustrating man. George Michael was an extravagantly talented, warm soul singer whose work was both painfully and passionately erotic. He was a songwriter of true artistry and substance, and his music conquered the world, starting in the late 1980s. His constructed image – that of a hyper-macho sex god – played a significant role in the pop culture of his time. It also concealed – for a time – the secret he struggled to reveal: Michael was gay. Soon, his obsession with fame would begin to turn against him. As one of the most privileged yet tormented men in the industry self-destructed, the press showed little compassion.

George Michael: A Life explores the compelling story of a superstar whose struggles, as well as his songs, continue to touch fans around the globe. Celebrated music biographer James Gavin traces Michael's transformation from the shy and awkward Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou to the confident, dominant half of the leading British pop duo of the 1980s, Wham! He then describes Michael's sensational solo career and its subsequent decline. With a deep analysis of the creative process behind Michael's albums, tours, and music videos, as well as interviews with hundreds of his friends and colleagues, George Michael: A Life is a profound, definitive portrait of a pop legend.