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The Wheel of Fortune: The Autobiography of Edith Piaf
Edith Piaf's life is almost as famous as her work. From her birth (which she liked to tell people was in the Parisian streets, her mother shielded by two gendarmes) to her death (when her husband allegedly drove her corpse from the Cannes hospital where she died to her flat, lest her fans think that she had abandoned Paris) her life story was a rags-to-riches tale like no other. A street singer discovered by the nightclub owner who gave her the stage name Piaf (Sparrow), she rose to become a national heroine. Friends with Charlie Chaplin, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jean Cocteau, Maurice Chevalier, and Marlene Dietrich, she was also at various times chief suspect for the murder of her mentor, an alcoholic and a drug addict. But she always seemed to embody, and still does, something of the spirit of Paris. Following her death in 1963, 40,000 people descended on Pere Lachaise Cemetery for her funeral, and, 40 years on, millions remain fans of her music.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
About the author
Édith Piaf
81 books22 followersÉdith Piaf, born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer who became widely regarded as France's national popular singer, as well as being one of France's greatest international stars. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads. Among her songs are "La Vie en rose" (1946), "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1960), "Hymne à l'amour" (1949), "Milord" (1959), "La Foule" (1957), "l'Accordéoniste" (1955), and "Padam... Padam..." (1951).
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 3, 2019
A big disappointment. Boring. I was expecting a story about Piaf’s personal life peppered with some professional stories about her singing and acting. It turned out to be the total opposite . I would say 98% of this book is about her professional life. So many parts of this story could have offered deeper insights into her life. Eg Just one sentence stated “ I too had a baby who died”. That’s it! And again remarking about her father “ my father registered me as missing”. What was that about? There was no mention of the war years. Plenty of mention about how famous she was and all the famous people she mixed with. A star with plenty of ideas about her own importance and fame. But to give credit she does acknowledge this about herself. She bullies producers into her way of thinking for shows and concerts until they relent and give in to her.
I listened to this story on audiobook. It was read by a woman with a nice English accent. This threw me off. It would have been so much better if read by someone with a French accent, in my opinion.
I was turned off Piaf through this autobiography although I acknowledge her immense talent and fame. Maybe some of the interest was lost in translation. Sadly she had a short life.
If one thinks the world would like to read your autobiography then it needs to include much more that just the good bits of ones professional life.
I listened to this story on audiobook. It was read by a woman with a nice English accent. This threw me off. It would have been so much better if read by someone with a French accent, in my opinion.
I was turned off Piaf through this autobiography although I acknowledge her immense talent and fame. Maybe some of the interest was lost in translation. Sadly she had a short life.
If one thinks the world would like to read your autobiography then it needs to include much more that just the good bits of ones professional life.
November 17, 2014
I was brought up on artists like Piaf, and have long thought she had an amazing voice. It seems that it is one that people tend to either love or hate. I dressed as Piaf for a French evening event at college. Knowing my interest, someone bought me a copy of the dvd 'La Vie en Rose' based on her life, but it sat in my drawer for ages waiting for me to get round to it. I did a few weeks ago. I hadn't realised it was in French - my French is VERY rusty - but subtitles made it watchable. I was left unsatisfied - the story jumped around in time and left a lot unexplained. So naturally, I thought I'd be better off with a book.
Sadly, this volume left me equally unsatisfied. It is superficial and sanitised. I cannot say I learned all that much about the woman from either the movie or the autobiography. It has made me curious about the story behind the story, so I've borrowed a biography from the library. I'm hoping it will prove more enlightening.
Sadly, this volume left me equally unsatisfied. It is superficial and sanitised. I cannot say I learned all that much about the woman from either the movie or the autobiography. It has made me curious about the story behind the story, so I've borrowed a biography from the library. I'm hoping it will prove more enlightening.
July 12, 2007
This book was a walk of nostaligia fitting to Piaf's friends, family and fans who grew with her career and music. Not knowing much about her, and craving drama and controversy similar to that of the film based on her life (Le Vie En Rose) I found the book to be bland. She discusses only the happier events of her life, which is understandable and perhaps the translation is poor. I am awaiting another biography about Piaf to become available at my local library (I have it on reserve).
Overall, it was okay. Not what I expected and that leaves me to be disappointed.
Overall, it was okay. Not what I expected and that leaves me to be disappointed.
December 30, 2011
Listening to the voice of Edith Piaf while reading this book (in her songs and in every line, every word of her memoirs) I felt, that every story becomes alive, "visible". I imagined the cabarets and the Paris streets, stages in prison camps and US music halls, where she sang... and it does no matter, that the book seems to be a puzzle of short stories from one person's life, but it does matter, that you can feel through every word, what could make Edith happy, what a great personality she was.
May 4, 2021
The autobiography of one of the definitive voices we've ever seen- la Môme Piaf. Having read both the original French and Peter Trewartha's translation, I thought it was well conveyed and told the chanteuse's life very well. And what a life it was.
From her birth on the streets on Paris, to the amazing heights of her fame as a national treasure, Piaf captivates with both her backstory and her songs. Regardless of whether she spins myths here or not, it remains the stuff of legend. Quite fitting.
From her birth on the streets on Paris, to the amazing heights of her fame as a national treasure, Piaf captivates with both her backstory and her songs. Regardless of whether she spins myths here or not, it remains the stuff of legend. Quite fitting.
June 15, 2016
It's rare to find an utterly honest autobiography and sadly this is also the case here. I actually tend not to read autobiographies as people never paint themselves in an honest light. In the Wheel of Fortune, Piaf goes to great lengths to describe everything that is wonderful about her and her life leaving out a lot of the negative...in essence a lot of her life. If you love this woman's unique voice, let her music do the talking and steer clear of this autobiography.
February 26, 2020
An interesting autobiography from the French Street singer Edith Piaf. I love her music it always puts me in mind of WW2 French Resistance. However, I'm not sure that she really differentiated between singing for French, German or Americans. According to this she did smuggle items into POW camps, but makes light of it. In some ways this audiobook was interesting in what she left out.
Interesting to listen to while doing something more mundane.
Interesting to listen to while doing something more mundane.
March 8, 2021
I was quite disappointed. More a list of her professional anecdotes than actually about her. Lots of name dropping, artists, songwriters & songs alike. It barely touched on her as a person. I did not finish the audio book.
April 21, 2022
I read it in Romanian, I was a little bit dissapointed cause it goes really brief about the personal details and focuses on her career. It is a light reading though, quite dynamic, finished it in about 3 days. More like a brief overview of her own career
October 23, 2020
Another book needs to be written about Edith's famous entourage, the numerous encounters she had with other artists. Moreso, a professional account of her career's journey rather than an emotional diary. A refresher of all the events that were covered in the movie about her, starring Marion Cotillard.
February 5, 2016
Piaf presents her story in heroic fashion. She shares her indomitable spirit. You have to guess where reality merges into a little fantasy. Not one iota of self pity, despite the illness and drugs through her life (these are barely mentioned). A true dreamer and romantic, and a unique talent. I suspect this is as close as you get to Piaff, not factually, but in spirit.
July 12, 2015
It is the first autobiography I have ever read, and it was amazing. Madame Piaf lived a life and not just an existence. The words, 'Live and not vegetate' will remain with me as well as many other words of wisdom that she has shared in her autobiography.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2016
Имах книга за Едит Пиаф, която беше разтърстваща и доста подробно разказваше за живота й. Някъде изчезна във времето и мислех , че тази ще я замени. Но няма нищо общо. Не ме увлече,нито ми стана интересна.
April 1, 2008
It was ok. Saw La Vie en Rose and was very curious about Piaf's life. Didn't really like this book ~ thought there was alot that was skipped over.
Want to read
April 12, 2008After watching the movie, La Vie en Rose, I am interested in reading about this singer.
Want to read
July 16, 2008I really want to know more about her. Can't stop listening to her music lately.
June 5, 2016
I was disappointed that the focus was on her career. I would have liked to have read more about her early life, her emotional life and relationships.
November 30, 2023
O carte scrisa delicat,cu detalii despre viata artistei
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews