What do you think?
Rate this book
Dandelion: Memoir of a Free Spirit
â The rare celebrity-crammed memoir that would be worth reading even without the bold-faced names."--Kirkus ReviewsCatherine Jamesâ neglect by her young, beautiful mother cast a shadow over her Los Angeles childhood and made her long not for normalcy, but just for escape. Escape to her beloved grandmother Mimi, or to her Aunt Claire, a former beauty queen who'd had a glamorous life with ex-husband Busby Berkeley. Escape to her father, a race car driver who had been out of her life almost since the day she was born. Escape even to school, where she would at least be taken care of. Instead, Catherine was finally abandoned by her furious mother to become a ward of the state before she reached her teens.A chance meeting with a very young Bob Dylan inspired Catherine to run away with only one to get to Greenwich Village. Dandelion follows Catherineâ s extraordinary life, as she is entranced by Eric Clapton; taken up by the beautiful people in Andy Warholâ s Factory; and begins romances with rockers Jackson Browne and Jimmy Page.While raising her son, whose father was Denny Laine of the Moody Blues and Wings, Catherine finally returns to her West Coast roots, reconnects with her family and discovers that her mother hasnâ t changed but her father heâ s become a heartbreakingly garish transsexual. Moving and shocking by turns, Dandelion is a completely different view of a celebrated pop culture scene, and a fractured mother-daughter relationship. â Jamesâ storyâ ¦take[s] this movingly written autobiography well beyond the realm of sex, drugs and rock & roll.â â Music Connection
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
30 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Catherine James
58 books19 followersCatherine James was a Wilhelmina model and a photodouble, as well as an artist. She has spent most of her life in California and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 10, 2022
"Dandelion: Memoir of a Free Spirit" by Catherine James blipped back on the radar recently when news about a lawsuit against Bob Dylan was reported. While Catherine James is not believed to be the plaintiff in that suit, this book contains preposterous content regarding her interaction with Dylan, and also other musicians. Her claims can be easily debunked by more authoritative sources and historical facts. Google is your friend Catherine, you clearly failed to use it before conceiving tall tales for this manuscript.
Here all this time the public believed Dylan was a moody and difficult man, even when surrounded by his entourage, when in fact he was just a peach of a guy who took Catherine, aged 13, to a carnival and won a stuffed animal for her! He talked with her for hours by the fire! Jimmy Page, the year he married his young and beautiful second wife from Brazil, invited CATHERINE to be his date when Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Jackson Browne loved her madly but her jealous ex tore up all the photographs of Catherine and Jackson together so no proof remains! She hung out with Jimi Hendrix right before his death! Her expired visa to stay in England was extended by six months by British customs because Mick Jagger was waiting for her at the gate! It just goes on and on. The only indisputable fact is that Catherine begat an illegitimate child off Denny Laine who in the broad picture of rock history is a somewhat minor figure. When this manuscript was optioned by a publisher at the time when “groupie books” were the rage, a short relationship with Denny Laine was insufficient to sell a book, hence the very obviously embellished encounters with more famous names.
Was her mother abusive and neglectful? Probably. Was it as extreme as described? Unlikely. What is the truth behind her placement in an “orphanage” while she had two living parents? Perhaps her own behavior and incorrigibility? It is suspicious that while Catherine freely names all the famous men she claims to have bedded, she refused to name her mother’s famous “folk singer” boyfriend whom she states abused her. If this book had gotten more exposure, which apparently it didn’t since it is out of print, it would have been the next “A Million Little Pieces” a la James Frey.
Here all this time the public believed Dylan was a moody and difficult man, even when surrounded by his entourage, when in fact he was just a peach of a guy who took Catherine, aged 13, to a carnival and won a stuffed animal for her! He talked with her for hours by the fire! Jimmy Page, the year he married his young and beautiful second wife from Brazil, invited CATHERINE to be his date when Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Jackson Browne loved her madly but her jealous ex tore up all the photographs of Catherine and Jackson together so no proof remains! She hung out with Jimi Hendrix right before his death! Her expired visa to stay in England was extended by six months by British customs because Mick Jagger was waiting for her at the gate! It just goes on and on. The only indisputable fact is that Catherine begat an illegitimate child off Denny Laine who in the broad picture of rock history is a somewhat minor figure. When this manuscript was optioned by a publisher at the time when “groupie books” were the rage, a short relationship with Denny Laine was insufficient to sell a book, hence the very obviously embellished encounters with more famous names.
Was her mother abusive and neglectful? Probably. Was it as extreme as described? Unlikely. What is the truth behind her placement in an “orphanage” while she had two living parents? Perhaps her own behavior and incorrigibility? It is suspicious that while Catherine freely names all the famous men she claims to have bedded, she refused to name her mother’s famous “folk singer” boyfriend whom she states abused her. If this book had gotten more exposure, which apparently it didn’t since it is out of print, it would have been the next “A Million Little Pieces” a la James Frey.
February 27, 2018
After a very rough start with an abusive and neglectful society woman for a mom, Catherine James led a charmed life. She always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, which led to her meeting, befriending, and forming relationships with many of the titans of Sixties rock. The laid-back, more open nature of the time, as well as her own background, ensured James's cultivating of these incredible experiences.
True, there were experiences that were maddeningly skimmed-over. There were times I really wanted more detail about the rock stars and less about the homes the author lived in or what she ate. And the last couple of chapters especially, when the author attends the deathbeds of two family members, struck me as more than a little of the creative re-imagining people tend to engage in to make themselves look better and difficult situations more manageable.
Also: Denny Laine, of the Moody Blues and Wings, is the father of James's child and is a serious jerk.
True, there were experiences that were maddeningly skimmed-over. There were times I really wanted more detail about the rock stars and less about the homes the author lived in or what she ate. And the last couple of chapters especially, when the author attends the deathbeds of two family members, struck me as more than a little of the creative re-imagining people tend to engage in to make themselves look better and difficult situations more manageable.
Also: Denny Laine, of the Moody Blues and Wings, is the father of James's child and is a serious jerk.
December 7, 2012
Wow, what a compelling life story. The title, Dandelion, is from a poem the author's grandmother used to read to her and symbolizes Catherine James's free-flowing adventures. She experiences mental abuse at home, life in an orphanage, life as a runaway, has a child with Denny Laine of the Moody Blues and wins the love and friendship of many, including Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. The author has a beautifully romantic nature and with every new relationship, making love is like a glittering eternal paradise. Sadly, the magic usually dies. James says she has opportunities for a more comfortable life, but knows that she didn't come to earth for that. She has an interesting overview of the life she chose and I ended up admiring her strength of spirit and deep certainty about her purpose. Predictably, her most wonderful gift ends up being her son. But nothing else is predictable in this story. I really enjoyed living vicariously through her story for a few days. It's worth ignoring the many typos and just focusing on the romance and wild times.
June 7, 2009
I had never heard of Catherine James before reading this book, but I was hooked after reading her opening description of a luncheon with the world's ugliest transvestite---her father. Her childhood was very Dickisonian and priviledged at the same time, and her teenage and young adult years included being part of the lives of many famous rockers (although she isn't an arrogant name dropper). Great read for any fans of 70s rockers, for sure!!
August 3, 2011
I loved everything about it.....the 60's, the rebellion, the music, and the young girl story.
July 13, 2015
Had enough so stopped reading on page 78. Ugg it is just over the top drama that is makes the book questionable. oh and loves to name drop.
Read
March 7, 2014Loved the writing style. A very emotional memoir of a very intriguing life. I mean, this girl hung out with Bob Dylan when she was a teenager and had relationships with Mick Jagger and Jimmy Page(although, it seems most girls from the 60's/70's slept with Jimmy Page...he was a bit of a man whore.)
Different from Pamela Des Barres "I'm With The Band". Catherine James had amazing experiences and also a lot of unfortunate ones. Pretty jealous that she got to spend time with Bob Dylan(most jealous), Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger. Also pretty jealous she witnessed George Harrison playing "My Sweet Lord" at a party. That's just enviable.
This woman seems to be very sweet and I quite enjoyed reading about her life. I thought it was sweet how she wrote about most people with adoration. She didn't come across as bitter about anything, even when people treated her poorly. She didn't even seem bitter about being abused by her mother when she was a child.
Definitely an interesting read for anyone who loves anything to do with that beautiful time when music was amazing and inspired people to just do crazy things like run away from home(or in this case, an orphanage) to be part of the scene. This woman definitely met a lot of amazing people on her journey.
Different from Pamela Des Barres "I'm With The Band". Catherine James had amazing experiences and also a lot of unfortunate ones. Pretty jealous that she got to spend time with Bob Dylan(most jealous), Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger. Also pretty jealous she witnessed George Harrison playing "My Sweet Lord" at a party. That's just enviable.
This woman seems to be very sweet and I quite enjoyed reading about her life. I thought it was sweet how she wrote about most people with adoration. She didn't come across as bitter about anything, even when people treated her poorly. She didn't even seem bitter about being abused by her mother when she was a child.
Definitely an interesting read for anyone who loves anything to do with that beautiful time when music was amazing and inspired people to just do crazy things like run away from home(or in this case, an orphanage) to be part of the scene. This woman definitely met a lot of amazing people on her journey.
May 21, 2013
This was a really good read. I had to keep reminding myself that it was a memoir. Hard to believe all of this actually happened to someone! And I never got the impression that she felt sorry for herself. What a strong & beautiful woman.
January 7, 2013
I enjoyed this after a long self-imposed reading break. Ended too abruptly for me but still up my alley.
January 15, 2015
I really like to read memoirs....this one is pretty good. now if you all think you have wicked parents, cuz her family was a hoot....
July 30, 2022
From the horrific abuse James suffered as a child at the hands of her deranged mother, to running away so young and then getting pregnant before she was even sixteen, to spending her time with rock and roll legends people only dreamed about, this was definitely a bittersweet read. Throughout all of her physical and mental abuse, whether at the hands of her family or romantic partners, James never lost her spirituality. She always knew God would take care of her and the people or circumstances she needed at the exact perfect moment were provided. James is a woman who took the bull by the horns so to speak, and never faltered in finding the person she was really meant to be, while raising a son on her own as a young teen. If you love autobiographies, especially the ones written during the rock and roll era of the 60s and 70s, this is a perfect book for you.
One thing that nagged at me -- Pattie Boyd's name was consistently spelled incorrectly. They were friends, but her name was written as Patti Boyd or Patti Harrison throughout the book.
Some of my favorite lines:
"Some of my early memories are slightly hazy, but most of it sticks in my head like bright colored Polaroids."
"Just like in a steamy romance novel, we slid down the wall in slow motion, lost in dreamy liquid kisses."
"He inhaled my breath, still stealing my soul; I could almost see the misty vapors passing between us."
One thing that nagged at me -- Pattie Boyd's name was consistently spelled incorrectly. They were friends, but her name was written as Patti Boyd or Patti Harrison throughout the book.
Some of my favorite lines:
"Some of my early memories are slightly hazy, but most of it sticks in my head like bright colored Polaroids."
"Just like in a steamy romance novel, we slid down the wall in slow motion, lost in dreamy liquid kisses."
"He inhaled my breath, still stealing my soul; I could almost see the misty vapors passing between us."
December 12, 2019
I really enjoyed this book of Catherine James's life, so much so that I re-read it! I see other reviewers disappointed in the fact that she did not go deeper into the details of her relationships with musicians. That's actually why I enjoyed it so much. I am a huge fan of 1960s/1970s music and have read other books about "groupie" lives. This one stands out from the rest as it does not focus on those relationships too closely, which can really draw a book out and become name droppy. This woman's life story is far more interesting than the intimate details of those men, and quite frankly i respect her for not delving deeper into the relationships. I admire her for she is clearly a woman of strength and class. I enjoyed the casual, conversation style of the book as well.
November 30, 2021
Adore this book. Gives you a sense of what groupie/bandaid life was like. I was obsessed with I’m with The Band (and literally pursued an entire career with the passion it brought me) so I loved the mention of Pamela. I really like that it doesn’t give the musicians centre stage but rather her life, struggles, triumphs and it makes the men seem like side characters. I love that it’s real and raw, there are certain things you feel could not possibly be true but it just makes sense with the context of it all. The story is really quite tragic. I tried to take my time with this one but ended up going through it quite quickly. Recommend!! Listen to the fitting music in the time between reads to enhance the experience.
January 12, 2019
Favorite of the Groupie Books
Easy, engaging read. When it was over I still wanted more. James is an extremely resilient woman and seems to have weathered her tragic childhood with grace and without the narcissism and emotional instability of other muses such as Bebe Buell and Patti Boyd.
Easy, engaging read. When it was over I still wanted more. James is an extremely resilient woman and seems to have weathered her tragic childhood with grace and without the narcissism and emotional instability of other muses such as Bebe Buell and Patti Boyd.
March 5, 2021
It turns out that the people who loved the music were far more interesting than the ones who made the music. This story is a sunbeam. The femininity in rock n roll is the final culmination of romanticism, magic, belief and starry eyed wonder.
December 7, 2017
The writing was repetitive but I really enjoyed the story!
June 3, 2018
If you are nosy and starstruck, you will love this. Also, if you are an abusive parent, this will make you feel good about yourself.
January 8, 2020
Alrught
Was a quick read, interesting storyline. I personally got the feeling the writer was complaining alot of the time, not entirely detailed regarding incidents.
Was a quick read, interesting storyline. I personally got the feeling the writer was complaining alot of the time, not entirely detailed regarding incidents.
January 19, 2020
Good book!
That was a really wild story! Tragic and heartbreaking but also incredibly interesting and inspiring. It is well-written and engaging.
That was a really wild story! Tragic and heartbreaking but also incredibly interesting and inspiring. It is well-written and engaging.
May 27, 2021
Brilliant, beautifully written first few chapters then then goes rapidly downhill and descends into What I Did On My Holidays. Repetitive and disappointing.
September 20, 2021
Book was only ok. The price tag is too high considering what it is, plus the many spelling mistakes in the kindle edition. Wish that I could turn back time and reverse this purchase!
February 22, 2017
Made me miss England terribly! Loved the stories of a chaotic, nomadic and music filled life!
August 6, 2011
Catherine James’ relationship with her young, beautiful and wickedly irresponsible mother informed her Los Angeles childhood—neglected enough that she was strapped to a chair at night while her mother cavorted on the Sunset Strip, Catherine longed not for normalcy, but just for the chance to get away. To get away to her beloved grandmother Mimi, or to her Aunt Claire’s, a Hollywood version of Grey Gardens stuffed with racks of the former beauty queen’s 1930’s ball gowns and memories of grand parties with Claire’s ex-husband Busby Berkeley. To get away to her father, a dashing race car driver who had been out of her life almost since the day she was born. To even get away to school, where she would at least be taken care of. Instead, Catherine was finally abandoned by her furious mother to become a ward of the state before she reached her teens.
It wasn’t until a chance meeting with a very young Bob Dylan inspired Catherine to make her escape—as a real runaway, breaking out of the California orphanage with only one goal: to get to Greenwich Village. DANDELION then becomes a look through the eye of a needle, as Catherine experiments with Eric Clapton; a peek through the viewfinder of a Polaroid, as Catherine is taken up by the beautiful people in Andy Warhol’s Factory; and a glimpse through a haze of smoke, as she begins romances with rockers Jackson Browne and Jimmy Page.
While raising her son, whose father was Denny Laine of the Moody Blues, Catherine finally returns to her west coast roots, reconnects with her family and discovers that her mother hasn’t changed but her father has: he’s become a heartbreakingly garish transsexual.
Moving and shocking by turns, DANDELION is a completely different view of a celebrated pop culture scene, and a dramatic mother-daughter relationship.
It wasn’t until a chance meeting with a very young Bob Dylan inspired Catherine to make her escape—as a real runaway, breaking out of the California orphanage with only one goal: to get to Greenwich Village. DANDELION then becomes a look through the eye of a needle, as Catherine experiments with Eric Clapton; a peek through the viewfinder of a Polaroid, as Catherine is taken up by the beautiful people in Andy Warhol’s Factory; and a glimpse through a haze of smoke, as she begins romances with rockers Jackson Browne and Jimmy Page.
While raising her son, whose father was Denny Laine of the Moody Blues, Catherine finally returns to her west coast roots, reconnects with her family and discovers that her mother hasn’t changed but her father has: he’s become a heartbreakingly garish transsexual.
Moving and shocking by turns, DANDELION is a completely different view of a celebrated pop culture scene, and a dramatic mother-daughter relationship.
November 16, 2014
Not a perfect book, but a compelling one. I was expecting a juicy, light, gossip-filled book by one of the most infamous groupies ever to grace the Sunset Strip. Instead I got a sad and fascinating memoir about an unusual and difficult childhood. The parts about Catherine's relationship with her mother are raw and feel very truthful. It's hard to read about the abuse she endured as a child. Once Catherine leaves home (with inspiration and help from a young Bob Dylan), the book becomes a little less compelling. Her stories about Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and many others are interesting, but I found myself more interested in the things that were glossed over -- even relationships with husbands, for example, sometimes take up only a few pages. Other times, meetings with celebrities that turn into relationships seem extremely fortuitous. The reader often gets the impression that there is more to the story than the author is telling. Despite this, the book is a very interesting read, and a life story well told. I
April 26, 2015
I decided to read about Catherine James after being introduced to her in Pamela Des Barres book I'm With The Band-Confessions Of A Groupie. Where Miss P's story is an exciting, light read about a happy, free-spirited girl who finds herself in the center of the rock and roll cosmos of the 1960's, Catherine's story is one about true survival. She was born unto a horrible, abusive mother and was left to her own devices at such a tender age. The circumstances were so dire that she made a decision to go out and find her own way because she felt that anything was better than the way she was living. Like Pamela, she met some very colorful (now legendary) figures who would make a huge impact on her life but she had to claw her way through some very hard circumstances just to retain some semblance of sanity and control over her life. She, like her friend Miss P, is a woman I would love to sit down with and just listen to her tell her story! What an interesting, compelling read! You won't be disappointed with this memoir!
April 8, 2016
This was a very engaging story about a woman who started life in a horribly abused setting.It goes on to how she had survived in her life and all of her interesting experiences with a "Murphy's Law" type of life back in the 60's and onward.
Her stories range from meeting Bob Dylan at an early age, to meeting Denny Laine and having a son by him, to partying with many of the well known and famous rockers of the 60's and 70's to her affair with Jimmy Page (like most every girl who knew him then I think, lol), failed marriages and more.
I could definitely empathize with her in many of her circumstances as many held true for me too, in a very eerily way. It appears she was able to purge herself of many of her emotional demons through writing this story and I'm happy for her.
I really enjoyed the read, my only complaint is I wish she had gone into much more detail about some of her life and relationships.The book read like journal or a Cliff-Notes version of a potentially great biography.
I hope she writes more.
Her stories range from meeting Bob Dylan at an early age, to meeting Denny Laine and having a son by him, to partying with many of the well known and famous rockers of the 60's and 70's to her affair with Jimmy Page (like most every girl who knew him then I think, lol), failed marriages and more.
I could definitely empathize with her in many of her circumstances as many held true for me too, in a very eerily way. It appears she was able to purge herself of many of her emotional demons through writing this story and I'm happy for her.
I really enjoyed the read, my only complaint is I wish she had gone into much more detail about some of her life and relationships.The book read like journal or a Cliff-Notes version of a potentially great biography.
I hope she writes more.
August 28, 2014
Though an entertaining read, I would not name it as one of my favorite female memoirs of the time period. Considering that it was looped together with Just Kids, I'm with the Band, Wonderful Tonight, and Miss O'Dell, I expected Catherine to have had more run-ins with various musicians. To her credit, she did not drag the book along, and it read at a brisk pace, coming in at a little over 200 pages.
October 23, 2008
Catherine James was born of wealthy Hollywood parents who were possibly a couple of the worst parents a child could have. She overcame this handicap not merely surviving, but succeeding on her own starting in her mid teens, aided by her beauty, creativity, determination, and famous people in the popular (drug) culture of the 60's. Several places early on she mentions that she wanted to be a nun, however her risky behavior did not show any knowledge of or guidance in religion. I was attracted to her story because, though I grew into adulthood during that period, I knew little of the culture she experienced. The writing is compelling,straightforward and easy to finish in a couple of hours.
February 3, 2009
This book is a train wreck. As it began it reminded me very much of "Go Ask Alice", only because this woman's life is ridiculously unfortunate. I really did not enjoy it. It was written in a conversational tone, and not a good one. It had several grammatical mistakes-which I attribute to poor editing on the end of the publisher-which immediately turns me sour on a book. It is interesting if you are into the 60s and 70s music scene, with a lot of name dropping-pretty sure this chick slept with everyone famous in the music industry. I am not really into all of that-so for me it didn't do much. It seemed like a somewhat self-indulgent memoir.
May 12, 2008
This book makes me want to kiss my mother. Thank you, Mom, for providing me with the basic necessities of life, such as food and a little love and touch...
Young Catherine James endured such horrible circumstances that she preferred being sent to youth detention over life at home with her messed-up mom. What follows is a life of adventure (many rock musicians), luck (sky-high beauty), mayhem, and a number of marriages (well, and divorces). Oh, and her dad's a bit wacky too. I like the revelatory style of memoirs, and she's a crisp, no-nonsense, funny writer.
Young Catherine James endured such horrible circumstances that she preferred being sent to youth detention over life at home with her messed-up mom. What follows is a life of adventure (many rock musicians), luck (sky-high beauty), mayhem, and a number of marriages (well, and divorces). Oh, and her dad's a bit wacky too. I like the revelatory style of memoirs, and she's a crisp, no-nonsense, funny writer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews