What do you think?
Rate this book
Is That You, Petula?: An Autobiography
‘At the start of the war, I had been an anonymous six-year-old girl who loved playing in the mountain streams of Wales. By the end of it, I had become famous. And that fame never really stopped.’
Petula Clark has had a life, and career, like nobody else. She sang to wartime troops as a child star, became a leading British singer in the 1950s, evolved into a European musical icon and then conquered America with a string of hit records, beginning with ‘Downtown’. This international superstar of music, stage and screen has illuminated both major Hollywood movies and stage musicals.
Along the way, Petula has sung to US presidents, dined with Frank Sinatra and watched him pull out a gun, danced through fields with Fred Astaire, politely rebuffed Elvis Presley’s advances in Vegas and was one of thirteen maids of honour at Liza Minnelli and David Gest’s wedding… all dressed in black.
Yet, beyond the spotlight, Petula’s life has had its shadows. In this candid memoir, she speaks with moving honesty about a complicated childhood, a sometimes turbulent adolescence and a family life that wasn’t always as perfect as it appeared. She reveals how she mastered the art of pretending things were fine, even when they were not.
Why did John Lennon, at his legendary bed-in for peace with Yoko, ask ‘Is that you, Petula?’ The answer is just one of the many extraordinary stories in this honest, intimate and unforgettable autobiography. This is Petula Clark, a resilient, remarkable and utterly unique figure in popular culture, telling you her story, in her own words.
Petula Clark has had a life, and career, like nobody else. She sang to wartime troops as a child star, became a leading British singer in the 1950s, evolved into a European musical icon and then conquered America with a string of hit records, beginning with ‘Downtown’. This international superstar of music, stage and screen has illuminated both major Hollywood movies and stage musicals.
Along the way, Petula has sung to US presidents, dined with Frank Sinatra and watched him pull out a gun, danced through fields with Fred Astaire, politely rebuffed Elvis Presley’s advances in Vegas and was one of thirteen maids of honour at Liza Minnelli and David Gest’s wedding… all dressed in black.
Yet, beyond the spotlight, Petula’s life has had its shadows. In this candid memoir, she speaks with moving honesty about a complicated childhood, a sometimes turbulent adolescence and a family life that wasn’t always as perfect as it appeared. She reveals how she mastered the art of pretending things were fine, even when they were not.
Why did John Lennon, at his legendary bed-in for peace with Yoko, ask ‘Is that you, Petula?’ The answer is just one of the many extraordinary stories in this honest, intimate and unforgettable autobiography. This is Petula Clark, a resilient, remarkable and utterly unique figure in popular culture, telling you her story, in her own words.
- GenresBiography
320 pages, Hardcover
Published March 3, 2026
30 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 12, 2026
I was so pleased to see Petula Clark came out with a memoir. I have been a fan of Petula Clark since I was a kid in the 60s when "Downtown' came out in the USA. She started out as a child star on the radio. I was surprised to read she was in several movies as a child. She writes of her very long career in the music business and movies. Petula also writes of plays she has been in too. she keeps her memoir "nice" so no mudslinging in her memoir. So anyone who is a fan of this talented lady may may love her memoir.
February 1, 2026
I guess I was a weird little kid. Back in 1965, when Petula Clark’s song “Downtown” was all over the radio, I took it upon myself to write words for a headache tablet using the melody to that popular song. (Fortunately, I don’t recall them anymore; I’m sure they were perfectly awful!) Clark had many other hits, and I liked most of them quite a lot, though I can’t say that I was a huge fan.
I saw her in Finnian’s Rainbow, and, while I loved the singing, I found the movie quite disappointing. (I suspect that if I saw it with audio description, I might feel kindlier towards it; I doubt that I will ever have that opportunity.)
I was surprised when I learned that Clark was starring in BLOOD BROTHERS on Broadway. I can’t say that I love the score, but Clark’s performance interested me. I became even more intrigued when I heard a recording she did while playing Maria in THE SOUND OF MUSIC; I knew she could sing, but I was stunned by how good this recording was!
When a friend and professional colleague recommended this book to me, my plan was to skim through it and read the parts that interested me, (all the sections that dealt with musical theater. I started reading and, before I knew it, I finished the whole darn thing. Clark has had an amazing life, and she tells her story with humor, warmth and honesty. I was fascinated to read about her early acting experiences, and about all the people she met and worked with over the years. I don’t love celebrity bios, but I can honestly say that I’m glad I came upon this one, and I would recommend it highly.
I saw her in Finnian’s Rainbow, and, while I loved the singing, I found the movie quite disappointing. (I suspect that if I saw it with audio description, I might feel kindlier towards it; I doubt that I will ever have that opportunity.)
I was surprised when I learned that Clark was starring in BLOOD BROTHERS on Broadway. I can’t say that I love the score, but Clark’s performance interested me. I became even more intrigued when I heard a recording she did while playing Maria in THE SOUND OF MUSIC; I knew she could sing, but I was stunned by how good this recording was!
When a friend and professional colleague recommended this book to me, my plan was to skim through it and read the parts that interested me, (all the sections that dealt with musical theater. I started reading and, before I knew it, I finished the whole darn thing. Clark has had an amazing life, and she tells her story with humor, warmth and honesty. I was fascinated to read about her early acting experiences, and about all the people she met and worked with over the years. I don’t love celebrity bios, but I can honestly say that I’m glad I came upon this one, and I would recommend it highly.
April 5, 2026
Iconic earworms.
I knew of Petula Clark, of course. I was never entralled by her music (or any other music, for that matter) but it was catchy. God might strike me dead for calling it "bubble gum rock" so I'll say her songs aren't profound, but you find yourself humming them. Over and over.
As always, I was most interested in the parts about her childhood. Her mismatched parents were Welsh living in England. She loved going to Wales to visit her grandparents in a small Welsh mining town and she readily picked up the language. It was a handy place to stash her and her younger sister when England was being bombed by the German Air Force, while Wales was relatively quiet.
Dangerous or not, they kept bringing Petula home because she was a child singing sensation and had to be available for performances and tapings in England. Having a child star in the family means one of the parents has to be with the kid. I learned that when I read Haley Mills' excellent memoir.
Mills was pressured into signing a multi-picture contract with Disney. She wasn't crazy about acting, but Wily Walt promised her father the lead in "Swiss Family Robinson" and John Mills wanted that part. Mary Mills lived in California for five years, which she hated. Her husband resented not having a wife to make the trains run on time. Their son resented being motherless. So the "child star" got the stick from her family for something she didn't want in the first place.
Petula's father never minded traveling with her because he was a frustrated performer, living out his dreams through his daughter. Her younger sister stayed home with their chronically ill mother, while Petula toured with her father and (eventually) his married GF.
While the sisters were still pre-teens, their mother died. Her father didn't allow his daughters to grieve, but moved his GF into the house, introducing her as "your new Mum." Petula liked the woman and she adored the half-brother born to that marriage, but it left scars.
Her father impressed on her how lucky she was to be a STAR, with him to handle bookings, travel arrangements, and (of course) the money. When she asked, he told her she was "a rich young lady." She should have been, but got a nasty surprise when she grew up and wanted her "fortune."
Many child stars fade as they "age out" but Petula continued make hits and perform all over the world. On a tour of France, she met a handsome Frenchman who was a publicist for her local record company. They fell in love, married, and she gave birth to two daughters and a son. Her husband had no interest in living in England, so she learned French and settled in. Her touring schedule was so jam-packed, she wasn't home much, anyway.
I've read many stories of working women who give birth and blithely plan to return to work two weeks after delivery. All say they were unprepared for the emotional devastation of having to leave their babies. Do mothers have a biological urge to be with their babies full-time?
Most women have no choice. Even highly-paid professionals must return to work or lose their jobs. In marriages where the wife is the star, the husband may urge his wife to keep performing full-time. Tina Turner says she rarely saw her sons because Ike wanted her on the road.
But Petula's husband wasn't an Ike Turner. In Switzerland her earnings were sheltered from taxes and (surrounded by other tax-dodging stars) their family could live fairly normal lives. He felt they had enough money and his wife should spend more time with her family.
So she regrets not being with her children, but it was HER decision. She was a performance-junkie. A "Spotlight Kid" as the old song says. She found Switzerland boring and insisted on keeping to her frantic schedule.
Her husband resented it and their marriage became an "open"one. She says little of her romantic partners, but was unhappy about her husband's GFs. Wiki claims Clark issued a statement in 2013, saying she and her husband were "no longer in a romantic relationship." A strange announcement for a couple who'd been married fifty years and were both in their eighties. What's the point?
They were still married when he died several years ago. Now in her nineties, Clark continues to perform all over the world to her multi-generational fans. Her kids seem to have turned out OK and she has three grown grandchildren. Ironically, she lives in Switzerland in the home her husband built.
It's an easy read. I was interested in her childhood and less in her adult life as a performer. I recognized the names of some of the famous people she worked with. Loved the story of Frank Sinatra pulling a gun on a bunch of mafiosos, with then-wife Mia Farrow not turning a hair.
There was a television special with Harry Belafonte when Petula slipped her arm through his. The sponsor (Chrysler Corporation) demanded it be cut. Her husband destroyed the other takes so there was no choice but to use it. Protest f was muted and Western Civilization did NOT collapse.
It's a good celebrity memoir. If you're fascinated by stars and the music industry, it's probably a five-star book. Even I was never tempted to stop reading. Given my non-existent interest in Show Biz, that's saying something.
I knew of Petula Clark, of course. I was never entralled by her music (or any other music, for that matter) but it was catchy. God might strike me dead for calling it "bubble gum rock" so I'll say her songs aren't profound, but you find yourself humming them. Over and over.
As always, I was most interested in the parts about her childhood. Her mismatched parents were Welsh living in England. She loved going to Wales to visit her grandparents in a small Welsh mining town and she readily picked up the language. It was a handy place to stash her and her younger sister when England was being bombed by the German Air Force, while Wales was relatively quiet.
Dangerous or not, they kept bringing Petula home because she was a child singing sensation and had to be available for performances and tapings in England. Having a child star in the family means one of the parents has to be with the kid. I learned that when I read Haley Mills' excellent memoir.
Mills was pressured into signing a multi-picture contract with Disney. She wasn't crazy about acting, but Wily Walt promised her father the lead in "Swiss Family Robinson" and John Mills wanted that part. Mary Mills lived in California for five years, which she hated. Her husband resented not having a wife to make the trains run on time. Their son resented being motherless. So the "child star" got the stick from her family for something she didn't want in the first place.
Petula's father never minded traveling with her because he was a frustrated performer, living out his dreams through his daughter. Her younger sister stayed home with their chronically ill mother, while Petula toured with her father and (eventually) his married GF.
While the sisters were still pre-teens, their mother died. Her father didn't allow his daughters to grieve, but moved his GF into the house, introducing her as "your new Mum." Petula liked the woman and she adored the half-brother born to that marriage, but it left scars.
Her father impressed on her how lucky she was to be a STAR, with him to handle bookings, travel arrangements, and (of course) the money. When she asked, he told her she was "a rich young lady." She should have been, but got a nasty surprise when she grew up and wanted her "fortune."
Many child stars fade as they "age out" but Petula continued make hits and perform all over the world. On a tour of France, she met a handsome Frenchman who was a publicist for her local record company. They fell in love, married, and she gave birth to two daughters and a son. Her husband had no interest in living in England, so she learned French and settled in. Her touring schedule was so jam-packed, she wasn't home much, anyway.
I've read many stories of working women who give birth and blithely plan to return to work two weeks after delivery. All say they were unprepared for the emotional devastation of having to leave their babies. Do mothers have a biological urge to be with their babies full-time?
Most women have no choice. Even highly-paid professionals must return to work or lose their jobs. In marriages where the wife is the star, the husband may urge his wife to keep performing full-time. Tina Turner says she rarely saw her sons because Ike wanted her on the road.
But Petula's husband wasn't an Ike Turner. In Switzerland her earnings were sheltered from taxes and (surrounded by other tax-dodging stars) their family could live fairly normal lives. He felt they had enough money and his wife should spend more time with her family.
So she regrets not being with her children, but it was HER decision. She was a performance-junkie. A "Spotlight Kid" as the old song says. She found Switzerland boring and insisted on keeping to her frantic schedule.
Her husband resented it and their marriage became an "open"one. She says little of her romantic partners, but was unhappy about her husband's GFs. Wiki claims Clark issued a statement in 2013, saying she and her husband were "no longer in a romantic relationship." A strange announcement for a couple who'd been married fifty years and were both in their eighties. What's the point?
They were still married when he died several years ago. Now in her nineties, Clark continues to perform all over the world to her multi-generational fans. Her kids seem to have turned out OK and she has three grown grandchildren. Ironically, she lives in Switzerland in the home her husband built.
It's an easy read. I was interested in her childhood and less in her adult life as a performer. I recognized the names of some of the famous people she worked with. Loved the story of Frank Sinatra pulling a gun on a bunch of mafiosos, with then-wife Mia Farrow not turning a hair.
There was a television special with Harry Belafonte when Petula slipped her arm through his. The sponsor (Chrysler Corporation) demanded it be cut. Her husband destroyed the other takes so there was no choice but to use it. Protest f was muted and Western Civilization did NOT collapse.
It's a good celebrity memoir. If you're fascinated by stars and the music industry, it's probably a five-star book. Even I was never tempted to stop reading. Given my non-existent interest in Show Biz, that's saying something.
November 11, 2025
Is That You Petula is one of the most honest and enjoyable celebrity autobiographies I have ever read.
I have been an avid Petula Clark fan since the 1960s. I thought I knew her life story. While I did know a bit ,this engaging memoir was a real education. From her early childhood during WW2, the sad life of her mother, her father's mismanagement of her finances on to the many decades of success,her 63 year marriage, there is not a dull moment in the entire book.
There are many great anecdotes including encounters with John and Yoko, Eric Clapton and Brian May, Elvis, Liza, Ella Fitzgerald to name a few.
At 93, Petula is as " spot on" as ever.
This review is based on the UK hardcover edition.
I have been an avid Petula Clark fan since the 1960s. I thought I knew her life story. While I did know a bit ,this engaging memoir was a real education. From her early childhood during WW2, the sad life of her mother, her father's mismanagement of her finances on to the many decades of success,her 63 year marriage, there is not a dull moment in the entire book.
There are many great anecdotes including encounters with John and Yoko, Eric Clapton and Brian May, Elvis, Liza, Ella Fitzgerald to name a few.
At 93, Petula is as " spot on" as ever.
This review is based on the UK hardcover edition.
November 15, 2025
Just finished. Loved it !! Lots of interesting moments.
February 10, 2026
It was interesting going back to childhood memories but the writing was very repetitive . A much better singer than author.
March 2, 2026
Was actually very interesting and inciteful
April 6, 2026
I liked Petula Clark in my younger days and found this biography interesting reading. Only one criticism, there was an awful lot of name dropping.
February 3, 2026
An emptiness prevails from reading this self serving book. It's a never ending stream of name dropping without any real substance. Showbusiness talk so unimportant and worthless stuff. Ms. Clark discloses little of substance. Don't waste time with this self promotion.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews