Dion

August 19, 2024
Life coach Jablin teams up with rock singer Dion DiMucci for an effusive, photo-studded celebration of the latter’s life, faith, and career. Jablin, who first met Dion when the singer visited his elementary school in 1987 and later became his protégé, recounts the artist’s lessons on success, substance recovery, and faith (“God doesn’t live within space and time,” Dion once told Jablin. “He created space and time”). Elsewhere, Dion discusses his musical influences, including Hank Williams and Roy Orbison, and famous contemporaries like Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, and Stevie van Zandt share brief tributes (van Zandt calls Dion the first to bring “Pure Bronx—New York—Italian—Street Gang—Wiseguy attitude” to rock ’n’ roll). The book is at its most captivating when Dion himself is talking about music, often in almost spiritual terms, as when he describes rock ’n’ roll as a blend of “dream and reality.... When I lay down a great rhythm track, it tends to bypass the critical-thinking part of the mind,” or quotes St. Augustine (“When you’re singing, it’s like praying twice”). Unfortunately, such revealing moments are hampered by the worshipful tone in which they’re presented (“I stared at my mentor in awe. His spirituality permeated the car,” Jablin writes at one point). Only the rocker’s most ardent fans need apply.

September 20, 2024

Very few pop stars can get away with a single name-Cher, Beyonc�, Bono, Drake, and Madonna are in that rare pantheon. In that same group is the first-generation rock and roll singer Dion. With his original group, the Belmonts, and as a solo artist, Dion scored indelible hits, including "The Wanderer," "Runaround Sue," "Ruby Baby," and "Abraham, Martin and John." Dion (b. 1939) continues to record new material and here shares the secrets of his longevity and positive spirit. While the book includes much of Dion's life story, the primary focus is on his philosophy and Catholic-rooted spirituality. He relays stories in conversational form with his cowriter/mentee, Jablin. Topics include handling life's challenges, moving beyond self-centeredness, and overcoming alcohol and substance use. Included throughout are pictures and ephemera from his public and personal lives, humorous anecdotes, and guest appearances from famous fans, including Paul Simon, Little Steven, and U.S. Bishop Robert Barron. VERDICT Dion's friendly and laid-back approach to writing makes this an easygoing read, appealing to rock and roll biography fans and self-help readers.--Brett Rohlwing

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