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Miles: The Autobiography Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 880 ratings

Universally acclaimed as a musical genius, Miles Davis was one of the most important and influential musicians in the world. Here, Miles speaks out about his extraordinary life. Miles: The Autobiography, like Miles himself, holds nothing back. For the first time Miles talks about his five-year silence. He speaks frankly and openly about his drug problem and how he overcame it. He condemns the racism he encountered in the music business and in American society generally. And he discusses the women in his life. But above all, Miles talks about music and musicians, including the legends he has played with over the years: Bird, Dizzy, Monk, Trane, Mingus, and many others. The man who gave us some of the most exciting music of the twentieth century here gives us a compelling and fascinating autobiography.

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Product details

Listening Length 16 hours and 56 minutes
Author Miles Davis
Narrator Dion Graham
Audible.com Release Date February 01, 2012
Publisher Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B00740L5DK
Best Sellers Rank #29,962 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#51 in Cultural & Regional Biographies (Audible Books & Originals)
#436 in Composer & Musician Biographies
#529 in Biographies of Celebrities & Entertainment Professionals

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
880 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and memorable. They appreciate the interesting stories about jazz musicians and Miles' personal life. The autobiography offers enlightening insights into Miles' background and roots. Readers enjoy listening to the narration in his own words. The book is described as inspiring, lively, and high-spirited.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

66 customers mention "Readability"64 positive2 negative

Customers find the book engaging and memorable. They describe it as a powerful masterpiece with cool pages. The story is honest and reveals deep truths about growing up and living.

"...This book is cool, hip, and truthful. On the shape of the book: Seller described it as in good shape but a bit worn and it was...." Read more

"...of it, loss, race unityand disunity, awareness and manhood; gritty and real, yet in some ways dishonest as to the damage he wrought while a cocaine..." Read more

"...Happy with this good, used copy. It arrived sealed in plastic wrapping, just like new...." Read more

"...when a woman uses too much makeup ... Trane would play some weird, great s***, and Cannonball would take it in the other direction, and I would put..." Read more

31 customers mention "Music history"31 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful into the mind of a musician. They appreciate the stories about jazz greats and Miles' unique music. The book is described as fascinating for jazz fans and musicians alike.

"...I made a great choice. Not only does Miles give a great account of his music, but also recollects other notable musicians in the process...." Read more

"...far beyond mere competence on a chosen instrument.... the early fascination with music,the yearning for the new, creativity, searching, hard work,..." Read more

"...It was about a great musician and his relationship with and impact on other great musicians, their genre and more...." Read more

"...For one thing, Davis shows himself of being the ultimate musician...." Read more

30 customers mention "Autobiography"30 positive0 negative

Customers find the autobiography fascinating and engaging. They appreciate the intimate stories about Miles' personal life and the history of jazz. The book is described as a brilliant biography about a genius and complex man. Readers also mention that the author's rendering of the story is deep.

"...One final note about the read of the book: I like how Davis gives readers insight on how jazz slowly dies through progression of music and the..." Read more

"...clearer sense of jazz history, and it also gave me some interesting background information I could keep in mind as I listen to the old CDs...." Read more

"...All in all, "Miles" is not only a great autobiography, but also a visual portrait of a man with conflict...." Read more

"...Miles is an amazing story and life to read about...." Read more

16 customers mention "Enlightened"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and informative about Miles's background and roots. They describe it as a great read that makes them feel like they are witnessing the action. Readers appreciate how Miles remembers things with accuracy and say the book is an experience.

"...music,the yearning for the new, creativity, searching, hard work, deep research, the search for perfection, experiences that affect everything in one..." Read more

"...There's no need to remain unenlightened. I was 10 years old when I started listening to Jazz. I'm now 69...." Read more

"Miles Davis tells his story in his own language. Great stuff for any fan of Miles...." Read more

"A lot of jazz history inside it. Great to understand Miles's background and roots...." Read more

15 customers mention "Voice"15 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's voice. They find it fascinating and like how the narration is done by Quincy Troupe. The language is well-preserved, and they appreciate that the book is written in Miles Davis' own words. Overall, customers say the book has important things to say and is well-written for musicians.

"...He is bold in this book, holds no punches, tells no colorful stories (I still can't get the taxi cab story with Bird out of my head), and he remains..." Read more

"Bought the audiobook years ago, which is a great narration by Quincy Troupe...." Read more

"...this book what he brings in his trumpet playing: a unique, totally fascinating voice...." Read more

"...his love for music to strive to perfect his art and communicate his emotions through his trumpet and his musical guidance of other musicians...." Read more

10 customers mention "Enlightenedness"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and engrossing. They describe it as inspiring, provocative, and high-spirited, with juicy details about influential jazz composers and players.

"...work, deep research, the search for perfection, experiences that affect everything in one's life, enlightened, eclectic, lots of sex, the..." Read more

"...So miles was all of that, with a huge passion, huge EGO, some can say racist as well, but looking back it is hard to image the plight of American..." Read more

"...This book is so rich, lively, and high spirited it should be rated as a true American classic. Yes, there is also plenty about the music." Read more

"...Juicy tidbits about most of the influential jazz composers and players of the mid twentieth century, some wonderful insights about American race..." Read more

8 customers mention "Pacing"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They appreciate the author's honesty and vision. The biography is described as a visual portrait of a complex man with conflict. It's a good portrait of Miles Davis.

"...the lack of it, loss, race unityand disunity, awareness and manhood; gritty and real, yet in some ways dishonest as to the damage he wrought while a..." Read more

"...Being a used copy, it’s well thumbed, but not smudged or damaged. Great value for the price." Read more

"...; is not only a great autobiography, but also a visual portrait of a man with conflict...." Read more

"...I let my wife read this book she was fascinated by his honestly and vision...." Read more

7 customers mention "Humor"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the author's humorous storytelling style. They find the stories engaging and leave a smile on their faces.

"...would enjoy it straight from the man's mouth and in his hilarious at times bluntness." Read more

"...Insightful and at the same time hilarious how he tells his story." Read more

"...imprivisation the musicians lived with shows the depth, awareness and humor that emerges in this way of living." Read more

"...autobiography is filled with great stories often times humorous recanting Miles' life." Read more

Good used copy
5 out of 5 stars
Good used copy
Bought the audiobook years ago, which is a great narration by Quincy Troupe. Always wanted to buy the book, which includes a few pictures and notes as well. Happy with this good, used copy. It arrived sealed in plastic wrapping, just like new. Being a used copy, it’s well thumbed, but not smudged or damaged. Great value for the price.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2014
    This book was really awesome! I am a young, beginner jazz enthusiast so I started with the King of jazz and worked my way around. I made a great choice. Not only does Miles give a great account of his music, but also recollects other notable musicians in the process. Which makes it worth wild to study their music further too. I thought this book was going to read like a memoir, you know very tight and numerical and mostly personal, and I was wrong. But its in a good way Davis moves from person to person, place to place and it keeps readers (at least me) on their heels. The first thing I ever heard about Miles Davis (way before I discovered his music) was that he was mean, disrespectful, and cold. Miles confirms these personality traits but he also justifies them in an odd but believable way. He made me understand why he grew so cold and by the end of the book (the last few pages I'm on now) he makes me sympathize with him.

    I have read many reviews about the book and most are correct. He is bold in this book, holds no punches, tells no colorful stories (I still can't get the taxi cab story with Bird out of my head), and he remains upfront and personal throughout the read. Some say he is simply racist, contradictory, and hateful toward his musical peers, but those people fail to understand the story of black folk. The whole of this nation and the western world is one big contradiction and I think, indirectly, Davis displays this fact through his references to events and stuff in his life. And as for disrespecting other legends, he doesn't do this in a way that demonizes them. He gives Bird the worst time (second to maybe Coltrane or Monk) but at the same time he explains how he worshiped the jazz god. For the most part, everything Davis explains is true about the story of our people and our music and lifestyle. If you don't like it, you may find that you are apart of the problem, black or white. This book isn't a literacy masterpiece but I truly believe Davis put his feelings into this good read and that makes it a must read for music lovers.

    One final note about the read of the book: I like how Davis gives readers insight on how jazz slowly dies through progression of music and the emergence of Funk and "White Rock" and "Hillbilly music". He explains how the music (jazz) becomes white washed and another stolen item from the black experience. He also gives a great account of his own progression through the years of bebop, ballad, "cool", fusion, and free jazz forms. This book is cool, hip, and truthful.

    On the shape of the book: Seller described it as in good shape but a bit worn and it was. There was now notes or marks inside and that made me very happy. Came before it was scheduled to, but who complains about stuff like that? Not me!
    25 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2016
    Well, what is there to say? As a hard-core music fan and someone who has known some of those mentioned in the book, this is a reality that so many are unaware of, a reality far beyond mere competence on a chosen instrument.... the early fascination with music,the yearning for the new, creativity, searching, hard work, deep research, the search for perfection, experiences that affect everything in one's life, enlightened, eclectic, lots of sex, the appreciation of beauty in all of its forms, love and the lack of it, loss, race unityand disunity, awareness and manhood; gritty and real, yet in some ways dishonest as to the damage he wrought while a cocaine addict. This book will change some people, repel some people, and leave some amazed as they travel through Europe on long train rides, such as yours truly. I refused to read it for a long time because he hit Cicely Tyson! Of course there were others, too. Artistic genius is glorious and too often destructive to all of those in its area, a hot but irresistable fire whose burns are, nonetheless, bragged about for a lifetime by some. Some of us have learned to steer clear, quite content to live what appears to be a boring life made richer by those we cannot fathom. I suggest, to the beginner, to those grizzled with experience, and all those in between that you read John Szwed's brilliant biography of Miles, "So What," first. It will lend much-needed perspective.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
    Bought the audiobook years ago, which is a great narration by Quincy Troupe. Always wanted to buy the book, which includes a few pictures and notes as well. Happy with this good, used copy. It arrived sealed in plastic wrapping, just like new. Being a used copy, it’s well thumbed, but not smudged or damaged. Great value for the price.
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good used copy
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
    Bought the audiobook years ago, which is a great narration by Quincy Troupe. Always wanted to buy the book, which includes a few pictures and notes as well. Happy with this good, used copy. It arrived sealed in plastic wrapping, just like new. Being a used copy, it’s well thumbed, but not smudged or damaged. Great value for the price.
    Images in this review
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2016
    Miles Davis brings in this book what he brings in his trumpet playing: a unique, totally fascinating voice. Read this passage: "After [Cannonball]'d been with us a while and then after Trane came back, the sound of the band just kept getting thicker and thicker, almost like when a woman uses too much makeup ... Trane would play some weird, great s***, and Cannonball would take it in the other direction, and I would put my sound right down the middle or float over it, or whatever ... And then Paul's anchoring all this creative tension between the horns, and Red's laying down his light, hip s***, and Philly Joe pushing everything with that hip s*** he was playing and then sending us all off again with the hip-de-dip, slick rim shots that were so bad, them 'Philly licks.' Man, that was too hip and bad" (222). Besides the music, Miles opens up about his failed marriages, heroin addiction, various encounters with the police, and a whole lot of other stuff as well. He has a lot of really weird beliefs: "I'm a number six in numerology, a perfect six, and six is the number of the Devil. I think I have a lot of the devil in me" (136). And with Spotify, you can find all the music he references very easily. I highly recommend this work.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2024
    Purchased this book, fully read the description. Got the book, it looks like the original book cover was glued on from maybe another book? Idk, wasn't to happy because of how much I paid. But, the pages were cool. I bought it to read so yeah, but won't purchase again from the Seller. Sorry but you didn't represent your item correctly in my opinion.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • James M. Fisher
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you love Miles....
    Reviewed in Canada on October 23, 2024
    Then you'll want to read this book in his own words. Expletives galore, but that's Miles, baby.
  • Anton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great biography of a musical MILEStone
    Reviewed in Germany on March 3, 2023
    1990 paperback edition. Must-have for any jazz cat like myself. A few B&W photos inside. Lean and mean edition, what can I say more?
  • Carolina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great
    Reviewed in Spain on January 10, 2023
    Great book for Miles lovers
  • Patrizio
    5.0 out of 5 stars read it mofos
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on September 30, 2022
    read it mofos
  • David Chase LOPES
    5.0 out of 5 stars Juste sublime... Comme son œuvre
    Reviewed in France on August 2, 2022
    C'est merveilleux !