Kill ’em and Leave

James Brown personifies Black history in America in profound ways, according to James McBride in his “Kill ‘em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul.” I can’t explain it as McBride did. Read the book to learn that against all odds, the irascible, enigmatic, yet generous Godfather of Soul did it his way.

In McBride’s words, “the search for understanding begins at the margins.” He moves in slowly and skillfully though dialog with many of Brown’s band members and associates.

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I liked the book so much I read it again after finishing it. Not that it flows all that well. It is a work of journalism, with analysis of black-white race relations in Brown’s lifetime, insights about famous events, and musical history of funk, soul, Motown and jazz through marvelous specifics about well-known and lesser-known singers, musicians, their bands, managers, and attorneys. You learn a lot about headline acts you thought you knew.

Our book club was taken aback a bit by some nasty anger McBride expresses in the beginning of “Kill ‘em,” including when he indicts as bigoted the entire current South nine pages in, I think. But, McBride tosses many things at the reader that grab and hold on. So, read on Southerners. In fact, he reports that Brown and his pal Al Sharpton thought the North was more racist.

The book gives the reader an appropriate drenching of outrage from the still-on-going, disgusting human behavior over Brown’s will, as attorneys continue to make millions on the vapor of Brown’s legacy, keeping his will in courts and never letting it reach the street, as McBride tells. Brown wanted to leave the bulk of his fortune to the education of poor children in his native South Carolina and Georgia. The kids have received not a penny. Brown died in 2006.

I ordinarily do not like to know much about the artist performing work that I admire a lot. But with James Brown, you sort of know what you will get, and still love him in some way.