Behind The Shoulder Pads - Tales I Tell My Friends: The captivating, candid and hilarious new memoir from the legendary actress and bestselling author

by Joan Collins

'The stories, the gossip, the glamour! Discover it all and more' Woman & Home'[A] hugely engaging and riveting memoir' The Lady'Unstoppable, a veritable living legend' Daily Mail'All you'd hope for from the stiletto-stamping diva' The i paper*****'Some stories from my amazing adventures in life I've only ever shared with friends... Until now!'Dame Joan Collins has always believed one should retain some mystery in life, and hide a knowing smile behind one's shoulder pads. Returning in dazzling form, she shares her most memorable moments from a vibrant life in the limelight. From her early years as a young star in the golden era of Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of Saint Tropez to the busy Oscars season, join Joan as she takes you on an incredible journey through a life well-lived!Filled with her most spectacular stories, including with the late Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Warren Beatty, Diana, Princess of Wales and many more, Behind the Shoulder Pads is a tour-de-force of shock and delight in equal measure.Hilarious, intimate, and completely spellbinding, Joan invites you into her life like never before, sharing the stories she only tells her closest of friends.'Joan Collins at her best' 5* reader review'Superb read' 5* reader review'So much fun' 5* reader review

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 28, 2023

About the author

Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE is a Golden Globe Award-winning English actress and bestselling author.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, which is written in a way that it feels like Joan herself is confiding in the reader. She is to be admired for enduring the horrific misogyny of her earlier career and always standing firm on her morals. There’s some really entertaining anecdotes included, as well as some painful ones as well. Joan doesn’t subscribe to the ‘never speak ill of the dead’ rule which I loved, and this book made for another great holiday read.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the criticism I have read about this book is that she has already written about many things in her previous books. In my case, I haven't read her other books but she does include a note at the beginning that some of the stories she has shared before. At any rate, I enjoyed reading this very much. Joan Collins is witty, smart, funny and I think it would be a lot of fun to hang out with her! 

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy going read about the actor her stories

[Angela Mahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to dip in and out of over the festive season or if you are confined to barracks with a broken wrist like I was 😉. A lighthearted read with ample name dropping throughout. I enjoyed the memories of Burton/Taylor and even Cary Grant. Joan writes with a good old fashioned honest and simple perspective of the world, which is refreshing. She’s one of a few left from her era, and has a real zest for life, as well as being a glamour icon at 90 years old. I mean, WOW😯! (And detests revealing her age, as all ladies should🤫)

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another wonderfully entertaining nonfiction book from Joan Collins! This book, like her others, is a delight. She shares some of the same stories she recounts in her other books, but also a lot of never-before shared memories and musings. She also includes information about her dear husband Percy, and he even contributes some content. I am a huge Joan Collins fan and highly recommend any of her books.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Joan flits between past and present effortlessly and there’s lots of detail about her husband Percy and their love affair. She has a wonderful vocabulary using the most hilarious turn of phrase at times. Definitely recommended. Denise x

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen ‘TV bitch’ and Hollywood superstar Dame Joan Collins releases her latest memoir.
Behind The Shoulder Pads - Tales I Tell My Friends is a collection of stories about her glamorous life that she has only shared with her closest friends and family…… until now.
Giving her audience memories of the past and present delivering a light hearted read.
From her upbringing, her sister Jackie, life on the big screen and behind the scenes, her relationships with the rich and famous, her public affairs with some very well known actors, fashion on and off the screen, her current husband Percy Gibson, the love of her life, certain moments in her private life, her children, the Oscar memories, holidaying in St Tropez and working abroad and her times with the royal family.
There’s also some chapters on her most well known tv role as Alexis Carrington Colby in the successful nighttime soap Dynasty.
When she stepped into the heels of the character viewers loved to hate she saved the show from failing ratings and now it’s still watched and adored around the world.
There’s much drama, funny, some sad moments and lots of name dropping.
This cozy, friendly and welcoming biography will delight many.

[Cel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook Ms. Joan narrates her story, I like learning abt her early years how she grew up and her way to Hollywood. I learned from listening to this is that Joan is a down to earth person I always thought she was kind of uppity maybe because of her portrayal of Alexis Carrington but listening to this she is not, she had a brief affair with Henry Bellefonte it didn't last long because you know back then it was illegal (smh) and she also is a germaphobe she states she doesn't shake hands or hug ppl which she states that her mother was a germaphobe as well. I liked her relationship with Jackie her sister they were very close when Jackie died she did not tell Joan that she was sick because she did not want to burden her. She talked abt how Hollywood was back then toward female actors it was all abt if you sleep with me I will give you the part. She also talked abt the wild parties and of course she talked abt Dynasty

[Hanna (Hanna.k_draws) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know all the people that say: I don’t rate memoir because how are you going to rate someone else’s life?
Well I just rated this one 5 stars!
Joan Collins is so well known from Dynasty (and this is where I remember her from when I used to watch it on Sunday afternoons as a kid with my mum hehehe But there’s sooooo much more to Dame Collins than just Dynasty! I was surprised to read what challenges she had faced in her life: financial, emotional, just like any of us common mortals.
I teared up in few places too.
What made this special is the fact that She herself narrates the book. There’s some bits narrated by her husband, but generally it’s JC.
Oh what an interesting and captivating story of her life so far! Hugely enjoyed this 🫶🏻

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! How could it not be? It’s Joan Collins. Boy, can she tell a story!

One of my favorite parts was when she wrote about her childhood World War II London. She had amazing parents who took their two daughters on “vacation” often to the country to avoid the bombings as much as possible. Believe it or not the girls were shielded from the horrors of war until their empty apartment was demolished. The only things the girls missed were their toys.

I adore anything about old Hollywood. This book didn’t disappoint me. I have always heard about casting couches. I had no idea that many of the directors, producers, and leading men were letches too.

[Debbi Barton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rehash of stories already mentioned in previous autobiographies. Just a few tidbits of gossip, namely about those who have passed away - her sister, the Queen, Dodi, Princess Margaret. Glad I only paid 99p on daily deals for it!

[MR K J GILBERT · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book by the true meaning of.the word star

[Grahame Peace · Rating 3 out of 5]

One must admire the glamorous, ever-youthful Dame Joan Collins; she has a sharp wit, achieved global fame and endured with a lengthy career spanning seven decades, never giving up on herself - age cannot wither her.

You may find this book fascinating if you’re new to her roller-coaster life. However, if you’re familiar with her work and career, this book offers no new insights or revelations. In fact, it’s just more name-dropping and a repeat of stories she’s probably told far more times than she should in magazines, newspapers, her many other books, and on numerous TV chat shows, making it rather dull.

[Philip Carman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it better than I thought I would - she is a national icon

[Arto Mutka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Joan Collins' 19th book and 7th memoir the others being beauty books and novels.

Some of Joan's books I have really enjoyed but honestly the last few have been pretty dreadful. In her previous memoir her unapologetic diaries I could not finish it it was just so vile the awful things she said about others. This one is better but a lot of the stories here are pretty damn boring. I was going to give this a 2 star review but some of the later chapters were a bit more interesting but really my life would have been complete without picking up this book.

I have been a lifelong fan of Joan but she needs to stop putting out this mediocre stuff. She says she hopes this isn't her last book, I hope that it will be.

Lots of name dropping and parties but also very boring stuff about getting lost driving to a wedding in the south of France. The chapter where she candidly talked about her sometimes rocky relationship with her sister Jackie was interesting but a lot of the rest I could have done without!

[WM D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first heard about this book coming out. I wanted to read it. What I read of her book I was not disappointed. Very revealing in some parts and very detailed in other parts.

[ms ca simpson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry not for me

I really wanted to like this as I have a lot of respect for Ms Collins but it just was dull .

[Davidinlv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming.

[George Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is authentically Joan through every capital letter and full stop. Joan writes a window into the world of movies and entertainment. It was a very easy and enjoyable read but it’s not the best celebrity memoir I’ve read.

A complaint would be many stories in this book have been told before on tv shows or interviews and it’s generally the stories that involve some of the more intriguing of Joan’s acquaintances, like meeting Marilyn Monroe at a party.

The book is subtitled ‘Tales I Tell My Friends,’ which, personally, I would say indicates the stories would be of a deeply personal or gossipy nature but mostly aren’t. For the most part, the stories are just behind the scenes of some jobs she’s had or the context of how she’s got certain jobs plus how she met her current husband. The one exception would possibly be her detailing how she cheated on a boyfriend with her current husband and very quickly defending it by saying her ex-boyfriend treated her badly. Going into more detail about how badly he treated her, would have sold the sub title of the book more.

One of the most tender moments of the book was also the shortest chapter: her relationship with her sister. Joan writes about watching her sister’s (writer Jackie Collins) documentary and it revealing things she didn’t know. Joan hints at the two having many ups and downs with quickly listing some moments but it feels like she’s teasing the reader by not being ready to open up fully. But this almost feels like a theme throughout the book that the best parts are too short or there isn’t enough to the story. Joan writes that she’s done a lot to ensure money is coming in and it made me question is this book one example of that?

The book ends on a chapter about how kids nowadays are so much different from when she grew up. Not only does this not meet the books supposed objective, I felt it was a weird note to end on as it feels like a blog entry about the same old fluff you hear from people of her generation.

She states she’s friends with Liza Minnelli and says singing with her is a highlight in her life, however she misspells her name throughout the book.

Last note: her writing can be very jarring where she has the tendency to jump from one event to another, sometimes going 40 years into the past or future.

[Rich ✧ ✭ ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joan Collins is back with her 8th memoir.

I simply adore Joan & I’ve followed her career since I was a boy, enchanted by her glamour & sophistication. Joan has starred in countless Movies and TV shows having been in entrainment for over 70 years. Dynasty, The Stud, The Bitch, Footballers Wives, American Horror Story… there’s nothing she can’t do!

Having been disappointed with her previous book ‘My Unapologetic Diaries’, I was worried this might’ve followed suit however I’m pleased to report that Joan is on fine form with her classic wit & entertaining tales from showbiz.

Joan has spent her entire adult life in the tabloids having been apart of the golden era of Hollywood, experiencing the highs and lows of an acting career, and in the glossy mags for well publicised marriages & divorces. She’s had a life well lived & she’s treated readers to spectacular stories throughout this book.

In this book you get showbiz, glitz, glamour, a luxurious lifestyle & a name-drop on every page! It’s escapism & an insight into Joan’s glam life with lots of great stories. There’s a really interesting chapter on her relationship with, Jackie Collins, which answered many questions I’ve had over the years.

Whilst I can see why some stories might rub a misguided reader up the wrong way with ‘Rich People Problems’ (staff leaving with short notice meaning she has to wash up herself, shock horror!) I found this one fascinating. I love the glamour & the richness of her life & it’s been rightfully earned through her extensive career.

Joan is hilarious throughout and her sarcasm, quick wit and sometimes bitchy comments had me chuckling throughout. I’ve no doubt some of these stories are somewhat exaggerated at times but many are remembered with such brilliant detail.

Her love for Percy shines through in these pages & it’s clear they’re a dedicated, perfect couple & a wonderful team together.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends is an intimate, hilarious, and completely spellbinding new memoir by legendary English actress and author Joan Collins. In her memoir, Joan shares anecdotes from her eclectic and vibrant life, from dodging air raids during World War II to her iconic role in Dynasty.

Part of what makes this memoir so hard to put down is that it's not just about famous names and the situations Joan was in, but that she interweaves stories about her family and relationships. These things were truly important to her, like falling in love with her husband, Percy. She writes beautifully about her children. She had a horrible scare when her daughter Katie was in an accident. Joan has experienced a lot of tragedy in her life, yet she writes about it concisely, humorously, and in her upbeat style. Her sense of humor permeates everything. There is one passage in which she suggests what to do during lockdown in COVID. One of them is exercise. She says, "Another great cure for all ills, exercise is key but can also be a source of resentment. My husband has been on a health kick for the last few years, so he will wake up early for a run or a workout and come home flushed with virtuous accomplishment while I lie in bed reading all the papers sipping several cups of coffee. Percy's smug face seems to say, so when are you getting moving? I contemplate throwing the contents of my cup at him, but then I think better of it. What a waste of coffee." Behind the Shoulder Pads is a wonderfully entertaining memoir by a Hollywood icon filled with quips and tales from behind the scenes.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at: https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Elizabeth (Liz) Gaston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I do believe that Joan Collins is an icon and she is a remarkable woman who has seen it all and done it all. She seems to have met and known everyone from the golden days of Hollywood to present day. Her writing style is readable, at least to begin but I began to lose interest before the half way line but I had to make a real effort to finish and skimmed the last section. It because simple a long list of other famous people that she knows, had dinner with or sat next to. She was seemly vey sincere of her praise for the royal family and our last queen in particular, but otherwise her book reads just like a diary of events and who met whom. I found it boring yet admire her outlook on life and I did get a real feeling that she and her husband Percy were a very happy couple and all through he seems exceptionally nice.

[Leslie Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I did not watch Dynasty like so many of my friends, I always liked and admired Joan Collins. She is quite beautiful, elegant and not at all entitled or boring, like so many actresses today. This book was like having a fabulous aunt drop in periodically and tell stories of her glamorous life. She is quite the hard worker and has been, as she calls herself, a working actress for seven decades. She is quite a good writer and her observations and explanations of what goes on behind the scenes, is quite fascinating. She is not a mean or catty person, so it is interesting when she encounters someone who is, to read between the lines, so to speak. I am not one who gets caught up in Hollywood and/or gossip around those part of it. However, I have a few people I think are genuine and don't mind reading about them. Joan is in that category.

[Kirsty Padden-barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, a whirlwind of a read! Joan's life is never without something, and this book probably only touches the sides so goodness knows how busy her life really is, apart from when she's taking her well warned yearly break. Interesting stories which had me searching the Internet for more info on that person, or that place, or that address, or that show, or that whatever!!

[Christine Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful read - must get more

I'd not read anything by this lovely lady before but I enjoyed every page and will be getting more.

Regardless of all the names mentioned I felt like she was just talking to her friends and I was one for a brief moment.

Looking forward to the next one.

[Scott Delgado · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the first half of this book is stronger than the last half, but it was still a good read. I really knew nearly nothing about Joan Collins before reading this other than her face from Dynasty. It was interesting to learn about all of the experiences she has had.

[Michele Minkoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading Joans book. Her adventures have been enjoyable and her life seems to have been full of amazing and interesting stories. So glad she is finally in a wonderful place for her. I Family is everything to her and it’s so nice to see how much life she has in her.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, but I never read any other Joan Collins book. I did wish the stories were in more of an order.
I felt they jumped around, which I found confusing at times. Overall I enjoyed her stories about herself and her sister Jackie.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deliciously frothy memoir about the actresses' life and career. She delightfully as the drag queen say, spills the tea on many costars and productions including those who viewed her as a perk of being in a production. (Including too much tongue.)

[Marilyn Schiels · Rating 2 out of 5]

She has a nice writing style, but this is “ stories only told to friends” .some are interesting, some are not. Many of the people she mentions are not people with whom I’m familiar. However, would love to read her original autobiography.