Defending a King ~ His Life & Legacy - Softcover

Dr. Karen Moriarty

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0741470314 ISBN 13: 9780741470317

Publisher: Infinity Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

Reviewed by Alice D. for Readers Favorite

"Defending a King: His Life & Legacy" will leave the reader in a different place at its ending. Even readers who are indifferent to Michael Jackson will be true fans at the end of this book. Author Karen Moriarty takes the reader step by step into Michael Jackson's life and career, convincingly conveying his great musical genius and his inability to deal with the sycophants and cheats who attached themselves to him. As the "King of Pop", his ability to write brilliant songs and dance to their beat could not be matched by anyone else in the music business. But this great talent also made Michael Jackson inept in business dealings. Dr. Moriarty tells of how people who worked for Michael Jackson stole from him right and left. Dr. Moriarty also tells honestly of how Michael never recovered from the horrors of the Neverland 2005 trial and covers his tragic death at the hands of Conrad Murray. Michael was overwhelmed by the lawsuits that came at him incessantly and only wished to have a good night's sleep. Instead, filled with a deadly drug, he died. It becomes clear to the reader that Michael Jackson was a first rate father to his three children, but despite being surrounded by people, he was a lonely, lonely man. Dr. Moriarty speculates that Michael Jackson might have lived if he'd had someone nearby who truly cared about him. She tells that, of his immediate family, he was close only to his mother. Sad!

"Defending a King" is one of those rare books that will touch the reader's mind and heart. It deserves a wide readership for it is well-written and tells of a Michael Jackson who gave thousands to charity work around the world, who would sit with gravely ill children
to comfort them, who was loved by leaders like Nelson Mandella for the good deeds Michael felt he was on this earth to accomplish. Too bad that most people think of Michael Jackson as a bizarre person, associating him and his estate Neverland with perversion. Gifted, good and otherworldly? Yes, Michael Jackson most definitely was.

About this title

From the Author:

WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE THIS BOOK?

Michael Jackson fans and others have praised Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy for many reasons:

~ It discloses the truth about Michael Jackson with respect & passion
~ First-hand witnesses and true friends of Michael are its major sources
~ Michael's last four years are disclosed in detail
~ The author presents a well-reasoned analysis of Michael's personality & behaviors
~ The book dispels the myths - avoids sensationalism & distortions
~ It captures both the mind ... and heart of the reader
~ Michael Jackson, the innocent victim of media & the greedy, is revealed and vindicated
WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS BOOK, DR. KAREN MORIARTY?

                                                               "His kindness and humility."
                                 These are the words that most people used to answer my question,
                                             "What did you most admire about Michael Jackson?"

     It is because of Michael Jackson's goodness - mostly unknown and ignored during his lifetime - that I have been inspired to undertake this project. "A mission" is the best way to describe it. I never experienced a moment of "writer's block" as I was working on this book. Not ever.
    
     The "SECRETS" about Michael Jackson that I discovered were neither sinister nor ugly. Michael chose love, as corny as that sounds. He chose to be a global humanitarian. Michael believed that was his purpose on this Earth -- to "heal the world."

IN THE AUTHOR'S WORDS . . .

     I always believed in Michael Jackson's innocence. To me, his jury trial in 2005 for alleged crimes against children, including kidnapping and molestation, was a misguided, ill-intentioned travesty of justice. I rejoiced when Michael was found not guilty of all 14 counts of felonies and misdemeanors.
    
     When Michael Jackson died suddenly on June 25, 2009, I was stunned, numbed, and deeply saddened. That fateful and pivotal day began what turned into full-time research about Michael; visits to his homes, including Neverland; writing as a volunteer for a secret MJ advocacy group; interviewing many people who knew him; and networking with his fans from everywhere.

     In early 2010, I watched a television program that featured Michael's team of three bodyguards, men who protected him and his children while he was based in Las Vegas from late 2006 to mid-2008. These men announced that they wanted to write a book about Michael Jackson from their "inside" experiences and perspective. They felt like his champions and were determined to dispel the media-created nonsense about their beloved boss.

     Weeks later, after searching unsuccessfully for their book, I contacted the head of security on that team and volunteered my services to help. I believed that it was important that finally there would be a caring and credible book about Michael Jackson. After four days of meetings with two of the bodyguards in Las Vegas and several months of full-time ghostwriting for them, I realized that we were "not on the same page" on some major issues. We had "a parting of the ways," which I describe fully in "The Back Door" chapter. With my husband Robert's encouragement, I changed direction, expanded the scope, and wrote the "definitive book" about Michael Jackson that I had hoped would be available ... but never was.

     During my author's journey, I met with and interviewed many people who knew and loved Michael. They were generous both in spirit and in the information that they shared with me. Everyone knew that we were working together on a project to advance Michael's legacy.

     I made no attempt to work with a conventional publishing company because many "knowers" assured me that the American publishing industry was not interested in a positive book about Michael Jackson. It was trash that sold - sensationalism, rumor, innuendo, allegations, and sordid stories. I self-published Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy in December 2011.

     Michael Jackson fans responded in great numbers. People from around the globe have embraced this book in heartwarming ways.

     Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy was updated during the early months of 2012, incorporating excellent suggestions from fans and other readers. I self-published the second edition with Outskirts Press in August 2012. This edition is now available anywhere in the world. The book became an Amazon Kindle bestseller at the end of that year. I'm so grateful: "It's all for L.O.V.E."
UNANTICIPATED BENEFITS - SPECIAL FRIENDS

     From Michael's two bodyguards, I gained a real feel of Michael Jackson as a private person, father, boss, businessman, friend, and family member. These men knew the greatest entertainer in the world as "surprisingly normal," kind, gentle, vulnerable, and plagued by extraordinary troubles. They were surprised and amazed by their journey as his protectors and occasionally as his confidantes. They loved "the boss" and his "three little ones" -- Prince, Paris, and Blanket.

     When we went our separate ways, we were not friends ... but we were not enemies either. These men never did publish a book about their beloved boss. Perhaps someday they will.

     After that fascinating "immersion" experience, I have been blessed to make friends with many wonderful people of unquestionable integrity, all of whom are advocates of Michael and his legacy. I feel that we are kindred spirits. They have generously shared with me their stories, intimacies, feelings, and experiences with Michael Jackson. I feel humbled and honored to call them my friends.

                                                    The "Dedication" of the book says it all:

                                                        "To Robert, my in-house inspiration,
                                                                                     &
                                                    To Michael Jackson, who changed my life."

     One of the biggest surprises for me has been the discovery of the multitude of individuals whose lives have been changed by Michael Jackson. I've included as many stories from these people as possible in this book.

     I'm especially grateful to....

• Thomas Mesereau and Susan Yu, MJ's defense attorneys in 2004-05;
• David Nordahl, MJ's personal artist and mentor for 20-plus years;
• Larry Nimmer, MJ's advocate and the filmmaker of the only video of Neverland, Michael's home and sanctuary for 17 years;
• Cherilyn Lee, MJ's personal nurse in 2009 and key witness in the Conrad Murray manslaughter trial.

     There are many others whom I would like to include here, but space does not permit....

SPECIAL GOALS

     As a former teacher of English and writing, I incorporated specific goals in Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy:

• This book contains no salacious material; its content is appropriate for teenagers as well as adults of all ages.
• The reader does not need to read it from beginning to end because there are 19 discreet chapters, each with its own theme.
• This biography can be comfortably incorporated into the curriculum at the high school, college, and graduate school levels.

     While I was writing Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy, I was ever-conscious of Michael's beloved children - Prince, Paris, and Blanket. I wanted this book to be a worthy tribute to their father.

LAST WORDS: I encourage readers to write reviews of Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy. Also, I welcome direct communications from readers. I attempt to answer every message.

Find Us On Facebook: "Karen Moriarty" and "Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy"

About the Author:

Dr. Karen Moriarty has worked as an English teacher, counselor, administrator, and consultant in public schools and as a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice. She earned advanced degrees, including her Doctorate, from Northern Illinois University. Baby Richard: A Four-Year-Old Comes Home (2003) was her first book, written because it's a story that had to be told. Karen is married to Dr. Robert V. Moriarty, licensed clinical psychologist and former president of a community college and of a private graduate school. They reside with their feline companions, Stephanie Ann and Tom Riley, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

About this edition

• Publisher: Infinity Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0741470314
• ISBN 13: 9780741470317
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 498