Piaf: A Passionate Life

by David Bret

A tiny, black-clad figure with a scorchingly powerful voice who dominated stages around the world for almost 30 years, the legendary Edith Piaf still reigns supreme more than four decades after her death. In this powerful book, Piaf's amazing rags to riches to story is told with unprecedented detail, honesty, and compassion. Friends, composers, lovers, colleagues, and the father of Piaf's only child have contributed. Skillfully analyzing every aspect of this great artist's life, a vivid portrait is painted of the celebrated chanteuse whose triumphs and tragedies were shared by an adoring public. Illustrated with photographs from the author's collection and containing a complete discography, Piaf also features detailed appendices of her films, plays, and all stage and screen tributes, making this the most comprehensive and up-to-date biography available. Piaf is the ultimate tribute to the undisputed genius of a remarkable woman.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

David Bret is a French-born British author of showbiz biographies. He chiefly writes on the private life of film stars and singers.

Reviews

[S]

I saw La Vie en Rose and wept all the way through it, so I wanted to get a more, uh, linear understanding of this lady's life. Her life was nothing if not interesting.

As for the book, it was simple and factual but maybe it was written for somebody who already knew her work. He'd go on and on about when this song was published and that song was published. But he doesn't, I think, make too many embroideries on Piaf's mind, which I suppose is just as well for a factual book. If it's supposed to be one. I have no idea. The man has opinions, this I can say, but my memory isn't good enough to recall any incriminating details.

Anyway. It was a biography. There you are.

[Phil Vivian]

A very interesting read, clear and informed. It's another for which 'I liked it" reflects a certain ambivalence in that it narrates and comments on the life of someone who was a brilliant and, even within the chanson milieu, a unique talent and performer, someone who was often extraordinarily generous but someone who came from a very tough background, often endured a tough life, could be savage and form long-lasting hatreds, and whose second talent seemed to involve, amid some positive choices, making terrible choices - for their impact on her own life - of friends and partners.

[Marjory]

I was hungry for more details about Edith Piaf's life after seeing the movie "La Vie en Rose." I found plenty here, but I was annoyed by the many ellipses and exclamation marks in the author's writing style...truly, I found them on almost every page! (I had to use ellipsis and an exclamation mark to make my point, sorry.)

[Dani]

Actually enjoyed this book more than Edith's autobiography (Wheel of Fortune). Although I found it to be a bit gossipy and mentioned many French singers and celebrities who I did not recognize at all,it was so much more interesting than the autobiography. I wouldn't really reccommend this book to todays reader unless they were researching Piaf's life for a report.

[Jenny Brookes]

An excellent read and very informative. I am a fan of Edith Piaff and learnt a lot from this book.