Divided Soul
The Life of Marvin Gaye
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Divided Soul
Buy Now for £15.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Dion Graham
-
By:
-
David Ritz
About this listen
In this intimate biography of the Prince of Soul, David Ritz provides a candid look at a star and a friend. Ritz had been collaborating with Marvin Gaye on his story for several years before the singer's tragic death and had conducted a series of extraordinary interviews in which Gaye discussed his deepest secrets. What emerges is a full-scale portrait of a charming but tortured artist, a brilliant singer with a divided soul.
Here is Marvin's story, from his early years in the slums of Washington, D.C. to his rise to the top of the Motown industry, his fall from grace, his comeback, and finally his sudden, shocking end at the hands of his own father. It is also the story of his glorious music and the music of Black America over the past 50 years, an epic tale whose cast of characters includes Diana Ross, Berry Gordie, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder.
©1991 David Ritz (P)1995 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Divided Soul
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- paul s rainford
- 14-03-20
Great retelling of a tragic life self sabotaged and ruined despite huge talent
Interesting but frustrating life story of a massive talent. Well written and entertainingly retold by the narrator of a life of strife and trouble of a man with huge abilities but also of self hamstringing and damage radiating outwards. By the end it is hard to envisage any other outcome than the self destruction that Marvin almost wills onto himself via his life long nemesis and part originator of his demons but this man’s talents should also be celebrated here as both sides of this sad story are excellently put together in a book length that is about right.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Victoria S.
- 02-05-22
What a complex and sad story
I love Marvin Gaye's music, his life was so complicated and messed up. This book captures his journey from cradle to grave. A very interesting listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- miss Verity Hawkes
- 19-02-24
Divided soul
Beautifully narrated story of a tortured genius who’s music lives on still , find music biography’s so interesting
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Bosede
- 24-01-21
Excellent delivery
Loved it. so deep, I feel so sorry for Marvin and his mother. Thanks Dave!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-01-24
Another total waste of a talent!
I have always loved Marvin Gaye’s music, it was my youth, after listening to his story I feel a little different about the person. For all his talent, looks and obvious brain he wasn’t a good person. As is usual for people with so much talent those around him indulged him, helping him to be delusional. His mother I think held the key to his happiness and unhappiness.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- chris b
- 08-04-24
Tragic, but somewhat predictable death of a tortured, spiritual genius.
In the early part of this book it reveals the treatment metered out by his father. Subsequently we see Marvin searching to regain a sense of adequate self, through using addictive substances and sex. A sad and troubled story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elizabeth Francis
- 03-01-19
Amazing Marvin
An excellent book would recommend to anyone not just Marvin fans. gives such an insight into his life and struggles.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Christine
- 02-11-21
excellent so sad
excellent so sad well narrated..easy to listen to.a hard life for such a great man
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 26-11-22
Spellbinding
Loved it. Incredibly interesting all the way through. What a life. A great artist and a tortured human being
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Debs
- 27-03-25
More Than a Motown Legend. Great Read!
A truly powerful and moving read for me. As someone who has always admired Marvin Gaye's music, I found this biography incredibly eye-opening. David Ritz managed to capture not just the public figure but the man behind the voice – full of charm, contradictions, brilliance, and deep pain.
What stood out most was the raw honesty throughout the book. The interviews Marvin gave Ritz were deeply personal, and they revealed so much about his struggles – with fame, family, addiction, and his own identity. I felt like I was being given a rare glimpse into the mind of a genius, someone who gave the world so much yet battled so many demons behind closed doors.
Reading about his journey from the harsh realities of his childhood in Washington, D.C., to becoming a Motown legend, and eventually his tragic death at the hands of his own father, was heartbreaking. But it was also inspiring. His story is filled with highs and lows, and the book does a brilliant job of honouring both.
I also really appreciated how the book explored the wider landscape of Black American music. Seeing names like Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and Berry Gordy brought Marvin’s world to life, and reminded me just how significant his contribution was.
Some parts were hard to read emotionally, but I am so glad I read this. I learned things about Marvin Gaye I never knew, and it gave me a new level of respect for him not just as an artist, but as a human being.
This book is more than a biography – it is a tribute to a complex, soulful man whose music and story still resonate so strongly today
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!