In a 2015 interview withGawker, Taraborrelli described his evolution as a writer:
I think as you get older as a writer, your standards change. When I was a kid, my standard was very simple: If it was true, I put it in my book. That was it. There was no wiggle room to that. I’ve been through enough in my lifetime to realize there has to be more of a standard in biography than just the truth. There has to be an eye toward empathy. There has to be an eye toward understanding interpretation. There’s a lot of nuance that goes into a biography that is bigger than whether or not something is true. When I was a kid, it was a simpler time. Today, I weigh everything on a moral compass. It has to do with: Is it fair? Is it hurtful? Is it going to cause people pain? That’s a big part of my process today that when I was a kid, I never considered.[10]
Taraborrelli's book, 'Jackie - Public, Private, Secret,' debuted at #3 on the 'New York Times' bestseller list on August 6, 2023. The follow up, "JFK - Public, Private, Secret" debuted at #4 on the 'New York Times' bestseller list on August 9, 2025.
Kirkus Reviews foundCher – A Biography to be "a fun read, and even moving".[11]The Observer reviewedDiana Ross – A Biography as "fawning" and while acknowledging the comprehensiveness of the book, regretted that the writer held back unfavorable information about the subject because he was a personal fan.[12] It saidThe Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe was written by "an indefatigable gossip hound" and criticized his vocabulary.[13] TheGay & Lesbian Review said thatMichael Jackson – The Magic, the Madness, the Whole Story was a "comprehensive and even-handed biography".[14]The New York Times calledJackie, Janet & Lee "deliciously readable".[15]
