Catch a Fire

The Life of Bob Marley

By: Timothy White

Narrated by: Peter Macon

Bob Marley: One Love is coming to theaters in January 2024 from Paramount Pictures.

This is the classic biography of reggae legend Bob Marley, updated and revised for the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death.

Bob Marley left an indelible mark on modern music, both as a reggae pioneer and as an enduring cultural icon. Catch a Fire, now a classic rock biography, delves into the life of this man, the leader of a musical and spiritual revolution that continues today. The book chronicles Marley's life and career, as well as the milieu that shaped his spiritual and political beliefs.

Under the supervision of the author's widow and with the collaboration of a Marley expert, this fourth edition contains a wealth of new material, including many revisions made by the author before his untimely death. This new edition, factually updated throughout, chronicles Marley's legacy in recent years, as well as the ongoing controversy over the possibility that Marley's remains might be exhumed from Nine Mile, Jamaica, and reburied in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where hundreds of Rastafarians live.

Fascinating inside information about the intrigues of the reggae music business, the dramatic rise of Marley's musical offspring, the complex legal struggles surrounding the Marley estate, and a sweeping social history of modern Jamaica, as well as the Rastafarian religion, also make up this expanded edition.

©Timothy White. “Notes on the New Edition” by Judy Garlan (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A gripping biography. I enjoyed it immensely.” (James A. Michener, #1 New York Times bestselling author)

“Probably the finest biography ever written about a popular musician.” ( San Francisco Chronicle)

“White has a deep appreciation for reggae’s immediacy, hypnotic power, and contradictions…An exhaustively researched labor of love.”—Chicago Sun-Times

comprehensive foray

pretty good. very detailed. very well read. interesting and informative. delves into the backgrounds of all interested and important figures in Marley's life.

epic novelization of Bob Marley and Jamaica

Fascinating history of post-colonial Jamaica, 1960s-1990s. Marley goes from spiritual country bumpkin to world music, stir it up in the concrete jungle BLM ambassador, underdog superhero and global superstar. Bob is to sufferers everywhere a positive vibration. One-love. But I gather some find the book a difficult slog. I ate it up. It seems to me if you like biographies that turn into vivid history, and/or have any interest at all in Bob Marley or Jamaica, you will learn a crazy amount about those topics. And the telling is epic and even cinematic (btw, where is the Bob Marley reggae Boogie Nights or Godfather trilogy?), including militarized outlaw street gangs, bitter, violent Cold War politics, gun-toting Rude boys, assassination attempts, Rastafarian dread culture, and massive outdoor rebel rockers reggae political benefit shows. Cannot recommend more.

JAH LIVES

very Vivid account of a unique Legend. when you begin to listen to Bob Marley's music you truly understand all he had was Redemption songs. beautifully put together, and the narration is exquisite

Great well researched biography

All of the things you wanted to know about BM! Also the reader was great. Not too much background but enough. I enjoyed the book very much. Go to Jamaica, you too will love it.

A Good read

Where does Catch a Fire rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the middle.

Would you recommend Catch a Fire to your friends? Why or why not?

No,because the narrator's voice sounds fake & the story seems to be missing something I can't quite put my finger on.There was a lot more controversy surrounding his music than what was mentioned in this audio book.

What three words best describe Peter Macon’s performance?

Puffed-up,weird,unrealistic sounding voice.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Bob's mother visited his father's house after he had left them.

Any additional comments?

No.

Exceptional

Exceptional dedication and research by Mr. White fantastic writer who made Bob Marley come alive as a mystic, prophet and supremely talented singer and songwriter

I Get It!

I see why so many people consider this the place to get Bob Marly's story. Only reason I don't give 5 stars is because I try to save that for stories of fiction, unless to me it was so good, I couldn't put it down.

Bob's the Man!

Incredible story about an incredible man. It's also need to hear all the artists she inspired and all the love he brought to the world.

Perhaps the best biography I've ever read

This is one of the two best bios I've ever read, the other being "when giants walked the earth" by mick wall (about led zeppelin). Reason being, they both read like stories as opposed to day to day followings or extended reviews of the music (though, admittedly, I felt as though the records themselves could've been given more attention and live performances are barely covered). When the book discussed Marley's youth, I saw him as any other Jamaican boy and not the superstar he would become, he was the main character in a story and not the subject of a report as is often the case with biographies. Again, the music aspect of Marley could've received more attention, and while I personally appreciated the lengthy portions on Garvey & Emperor Haile Selassie (I am Jamaican and know little about these essential figures as my parents were christians and didn't teach me about them) I could see how it could be annoying for a less interested person, hence the four stars, but i was amazed by this book! And I can't say whether it is 100% accurate, but if they used it in court there must be something to it!

Very powerful book

If You didn’t know Bob Marley after this you will and you’ll get a insight to what we all should be thinking alike. One love and jah bless