Edith Piaf: Find Me a New Way to Die - Softcover

Bret, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1783199865 ISBN 13: 9781783199860

Publisher: Oberon Books Ltd, 2016

Synopsis

'Every damn fool thing you do in this life, you pay for.' Edith Piaf was one of 20th-century France's brightest stars, an international sensation, and since her death in 1963 has become a legendary figure. Her life story is so compelling that it has become difficult to separate the fact from the fiction, thanks to a wealth of stories, plays, films and biographies designed to lionize: her birth on the pavement of Rue de Belleville 72 on a pile of coats; being raised in a brothel; her role in the French resistance; the near misses with death; the money, the men, the moods, the drugs, the fame. Shrouded by these stories, the 'real' Edith Piaf is often indistinguishable from the legend. Following on from his two bestselling biographies of Edith Piaf, David Bret, in her centenary year, has written an account of the singer's life which centres around previously unpublished interviews he conducted with her friends, lovers, colleagues and songwriters. For the first time, Bret is in a position to reveal the material that was too controversial to publish whilst the interviewees were still alive. This new book will mean a significant revision to the Piaf myth.

About this title

About the Author

French-born David Bret is a leading authority on the French music-hall, and has written books on the subject, besides best-selling biographies of many of the world's greatest show business icons. His range of subjects has been wide--from Gable to Garbo, from Dietrich to Mario Lanza, by way of operatic diva Maria Callas, rock legends Freddie Mercury and Morrissey, screen immortals Rock Hudson and Joan Crawford, British stalwarts George Formby and Gracie Fields, and gay porn icon Joey Stefano.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oberon Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1783199865
• ISBN 13: 9781783199860
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 248