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Find Me a New Way to Die: Édith Piaf's Untold Story
‘Every damn fool thing you do in this life, you pay for.’
Édith Piaf was one of 20th-century France’s brightest stars, an international sensation, and since her death in 1963 has become a legendary figure. Her life story is so compelling that it has become difficult to separate the fact from the fiction, thanks to a wealth of stories, plays, films and biographies designed to her birth on the pavement of Rue de Belleville 72 on a pile of coats; being raised in a brothel; her role in the French resistance; the near misses with death; the money, the men, the moods, the drugs, the fame. Shrouded by these stories, the ‘real’ Édith Piaf is often indistinguishable from the legend.
Following on from his two bestselling biographies of Édith Piaf, David Bret, in her centenary year, has written an account of the singer’s life which centres around previously unpublished interviews he conducted with her friends, lovers, colleagues and songwriters. For the first time, Bret is in a position to reveal the material that was too controversial to publish whilst the interviewees were still alive. This new book will mean a significant revision to the Piaf myth.
Édith Piaf was one of 20th-century France’s brightest stars, an international sensation, and since her death in 1963 has become a legendary figure. Her life story is so compelling that it has become difficult to separate the fact from the fiction, thanks to a wealth of stories, plays, films and biographies designed to her birth on the pavement of Rue de Belleville 72 on a pile of coats; being raised in a brothel; her role in the French resistance; the near misses with death; the money, the men, the moods, the drugs, the fame. Shrouded by these stories, the ‘real’ Édith Piaf is often indistinguishable from the legend.
Following on from his two bestselling biographies of Édith Piaf, David Bret, in her centenary year, has written an account of the singer’s life which centres around previously unpublished interviews he conducted with her friends, lovers, colleagues and songwriters. For the first time, Bret is in a position to reveal the material that was too controversial to publish whilst the interviewees were still alive. This new book will mean a significant revision to the Piaf myth.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2015
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About the author
David Bret
183 books14 followersDavid Bret is a French-born British author of showbiz biographies. He chiefly writes on the private life of film stars and singers.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 14, 2022
I was disappointed in the way this book was written.
Piaf was a stunning presence, an undeniable force and the author does not seem to understand her womanhood at all. It's actually surprising how this book is capable of introducing a life so full of color and passion in such a factual, dull way.
I wish someone like Hannah Jewell wrote about Édith's life.
Piaf was a stunning presence, an undeniable force and the author does not seem to understand her womanhood at all. It's actually surprising how this book is capable of introducing a life so full of color and passion in such a factual, dull way.
I wish someone like Hannah Jewell wrote about Édith's life.
January 5, 2016
This was an interesting take on Piaf's story done through interviews with those closest to her but I didn't enjoy it very much. I wanted to know more of the story and I'm not sure if the writer was trying to include more filler for the book but I found the lyrics and the history of the songs distracting and superfluous at times. I also read the audio and the changes in interviewee and writer are not well defined.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews