A few months back, I read Ascension: John Coltrane and His Quest, by Eric Nisenson. Although not intended as a fully detailed biography of John Coltrane, it does cover his full lifespan nicely. The real focus of the book is his musical progression, eventually leading into free jazz. Quite good, it's clearly written -- and does not achieve this clarity by oversimplifying. There's much food for thought, for music or life in general, including some choice quotes from Coltrane. I like this one:
"But, overall, I think the main thing a musician would like to do is to give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows and senses in the universe. That's what music is to me -- it's just another way of saying this is a big, beautiful universe we live in, that's been given to us, and here's an example of just how magnificent and encompassing it is. That's what I would like to do. I think that's one of the greatest things you can do in life, and we all try to do it in some way. The musician's is through his music."