Mingus: A Critical Biography (A Da Capo paperback)

The British pianist and journalist Brian Priestly has written the first biography of Charles Mingus, and it's an excellent piece of work. His emphasis tends to be on the music, which he discusses in a lucid and lively manner. But Priestly recounts the life, too, exalting Mingus's devotion to his art and treating even his most self-destructive fiascoes with even-handed sympathy.