Creating Saving Charlie Parker would not have been possible without access to the many great books that document the life and music of Charlie Parker. Various authors may differ on some small details, but by and large, they generally agree as to the general sequence of events in Bird's life. Some concentrate on the actual music more than the life events. In the novel I mention four in particular: Bird Lives by Ross Russell, Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker by Chuck Haddix, Bird's Diary by Ken Vail, and Yardbird Suite: A compendium of the Music and Life of Charlie Parker.
Below is a list, with short descriptions, of the most important books on Charlie Parker. I have organized them in the order of their publication.