With engaging writing, Mary Gabriel brings in Madonna: A Rebel Life a powerful account of the life of one of the world's greatest artists and highlights the influence of her work on culture and society.
Voted book of the year by the Sunday Times , biography of the year by the Guardian and best book of the year about music by the Telegraph .
When she decided to write Madonna: A Rebel Life in 2016, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Mary Gabriel never imagined the result would be a monumental work, spanning over 800 pages. Writing about an artist like Madonna is no easy task; after all, she's not just an entertainment icon, but an artist who has impacted global culture.
The ordinary girl who lost her mother to breast cancer and had to grow up too quickly to care for her siblings would become something much bigger than a pop star: a cultural icon and one of the most influential artists in the industry.
Cultural, religious, social, and political issues have always fueled Madonna's creativity, sometimes making her the target of controversy and voracious criticism. But she never stopped using her notoriety to—often shockingly and even fiercely—champion her causes: women's sexual freedom, LGBTQIAPN+ rights, anti-racism, and the fight against patriarchy, sexism, and xenophobia. Featuring quotes from people close to the artist, Madonna: A Rebel Life presents everything that influenced (and still influences) the work of the greatest performance artist of our time.
With compelling writing and grounded research, Mary Gabriel presents us with a monumental biography portraying the multiple faces of a bold, disciplined, and visionary artist, weaving together the dramas of her personal life, her activism, her questioning of society, and the achievements of one of the greatest artists of our time.
