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Wonderful Tonight
An iconic figure of the 1960s and ’70s, Pattie Boyd breaks a forty-year silence in Wonderful Tonight , and tells the story of how she found herself bound to two of the most addictive, promiscuous musical geniuses of the twentieth century and became the most famous muse in the history of rock and roll.
She met the Beatles in 1964 when she was cast as a schoolgirl in A Hard Day’s Night . Ten days later a smitten George Harrison proposed. For twenty-year-old Pattie Boyd, it was the beginning of an unimaginably rich and complex life as she was welcomed into the Beatles inner circle—a circle that included Mick Jagger, Ron Wood, Jeff Beck, and a veritable who’s who of rock musicians. She describes the dynamics of the group, the friendships, the tensions, the musicmaking, and the weird and wonderful memories she has of Paul and Linda, Cynthia and John, Ringo and Maureen, and especially the years with her husband, George.
It was a sweet, turbulent life, but one that would take an unexpected turn, starting with a simple note that began “dearest l.”
I read it quickly and assumed that it was from some weirdo; I did get fan mail from time to time.... I thought no more about it until that evening when the phone rang. It was Eric [Clapton]. “Did you get my letter?”... And then the penny dropped. “Was that from you?” I said....It was the most passionate letter anyone had ever written me.
For the first time Pattie Boyd, former wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, a high-profile model whose face epitomized the swinging London scene of the 1960s, a woman who inspired Harrison’s song “Something” and Clapton’s anthem “Layla,” has decided to write a book that is rich and raw, funny and heartbreaking—and totally honest and open and breathtaking. Here is the truth, here is what happened, here is the story you’ve been waiting for.
She met the Beatles in 1964 when she was cast as a schoolgirl in A Hard Day’s Night . Ten days later a smitten George Harrison proposed. For twenty-year-old Pattie Boyd, it was the beginning of an unimaginably rich and complex life as she was welcomed into the Beatles inner circle—a circle that included Mick Jagger, Ron Wood, Jeff Beck, and a veritable who’s who of rock musicians. She describes the dynamics of the group, the friendships, the tensions, the musicmaking, and the weird and wonderful memories she has of Paul and Linda, Cynthia and John, Ringo and Maureen, and especially the years with her husband, George.
It was a sweet, turbulent life, but one that would take an unexpected turn, starting with a simple note that began “dearest l.”
I read it quickly and assumed that it was from some weirdo; I did get fan mail from time to time.... I thought no more about it until that evening when the phone rang. It was Eric [Clapton]. “Did you get my letter?”... And then the penny dropped. “Was that from you?” I said....It was the most passionate letter anyone had ever written me.
For the first time Pattie Boyd, former wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, a high-profile model whose face epitomized the swinging London scene of the 1960s, a woman who inspired Harrison’s song “Something” and Clapton’s anthem “Layla,” has decided to write a book that is rich and raw, funny and heartbreaking—and totally honest and open and breathtaking. Here is the truth, here is what happened, here is the story you’ve been waiting for.
321 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2007
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About the author
Pattie Boyd
5 books102 followersPattie Boyd is a photographer and former wife of George Harrison and Eric Clapton.
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October 25, 2016
3.5 Stars
I typically only read and review romance and SMUT. Duh.
But if I'm reading any other genre, it's usually Biography, namely those related to sports and musicians.
Pattie Boyd, an English model, was the wife of two of the best musicians of all time: George Harrison of the Beatles and Eric Clapton, a solo artist and also member of bands such as Cream, the Yardbirds, and Derek and the Dominoes.
I have always loved the Beatles (how can you not?) and Eric Clapton (as a musician, not necessarily as a human being, per say). And I always find song inspirations to be fascinating.
Pattie was famously cited as being the inspiration for Clapton hits "Layla" (which he wrote when he was actively trying to steal Boyd from Harrison, LOL) and "Wonderful Tonight," (after he jacked her ass and they were married) thus the book title, obviously.
Here she is with George:
And later, with Clapton:
As with any biography I rate/review, I am rating based solely on my level of enjoyment/entertainment.
Because you can't rate someone's life.
Well, I mean, you can. But that would make you an asshole.
Regardless, I found this book to be very interesting on a superficial level. It was interesting to get some behind the scenes information about what was going on during some of the most exciting decades in music history. Now, who knows how accurate any these accounts truly are, but one thing was clear:
Boyd got cheated on. A LOT.
Seriously, I felt bad for ole girl.
According to this book, Harrison would bang other women right in their house. WHILE she was home. Sounds like a crappy romance novel, right?
And it's common knowledge that Clapton not only cheated on her, but had a child with another woman while married to Pattie.
DA-YUM.
That blows.
Some other interesting things in this book were, of course, the accounts of the rampant drug use and how this affected everyone, as well as the fact that Harrison stopped listening to or allowing the playing of any outside music after being accused of plagiarizing another artist.
Overall, I thought this was an entertaining read. The writing itself was kind of choppy and, as I said above, who knows how true everything in here actually is....but whatever!
All in all a decent read if you can get it for cheap.
And the moral of the story is:
Don't marry a famous musician.
Find me at:
I typically only read and review romance and SMUT. Duh.
But if I'm reading any other genre, it's usually Biography, namely those related to sports and musicians.
Pattie Boyd, an English model, was the wife of two of the best musicians of all time: George Harrison of the Beatles and Eric Clapton, a solo artist and also member of bands such as Cream, the Yardbirds, and Derek and the Dominoes.
I have always loved the Beatles (how can you not?) and Eric Clapton (as a musician, not necessarily as a human being, per say). And I always find song inspirations to be fascinating.
Pattie was famously cited as being the inspiration for Clapton hits "Layla" (which he wrote when he was actively trying to steal Boyd from Harrison, LOL) and "Wonderful Tonight," (after he jacked her ass and they were married) thus the book title, obviously.
Here she is with George:
And later, with Clapton:
As with any biography I rate/review, I am rating based solely on my level of enjoyment/entertainment.
Because you can't rate someone's life.
Well, I mean, you can. But that would make you an asshole.
Regardless, I found this book to be very interesting on a superficial level. It was interesting to get some behind the scenes information about what was going on during some of the most exciting decades in music history. Now, who knows how accurate any these accounts truly are, but one thing was clear:
Boyd got cheated on. A LOT.
Seriously, I felt bad for ole girl.
According to this book, Harrison would bang other women right in their house. WHILE she was home. Sounds like a crappy romance novel, right?
And it's common knowledge that Clapton not only cheated on her, but had a child with another woman while married to Pattie.
DA-YUM.
That blows.
Some other interesting things in this book were, of course, the accounts of the rampant drug use and how this affected everyone, as well as the fact that Harrison stopped listening to or allowing the playing of any outside music after being accused of plagiarizing another artist.
Overall, I thought this was an entertaining read. The writing itself was kind of choppy and, as I said above, who knows how true everything in here actually is....but whatever!
All in all a decent read if you can get it for cheap.
And the moral of the story is:
Don't marry a famous musician.
Find me at:
September 2, 2024
Pattie Boyd is a mere footnote in rock n roll history. Her association with George Harrison and Eric Clapton is what made her famous...if you can even call her that. One would think that someone who captured the attention and imagination of great artists such as Harrison and Clapton must be an extraordinary personality, but that just does not come across in this book. I get the feeling that Pattie Boyd was just a pretty face who happened to be in the right place at the right time...on that train with George during the filming of "A Hard Day's Night" and then only because of her association with George did she meet Eric Clapton. The book is not well written, which I guess you can't expect from a celebrity autobiography. Much of the text is self-serving and Pattie seems to take great joy in endless name-dropping and even more annoying, listing in great detail all the lavish furnishings she and George purchashed for their giant homes. Obviously since I picked up this book, I am just as curious as anyone about the infamous love triangle that Pattie was at the center of
January 15, 2008
She's the only woman to have two superstars write songs to her, and in her prime, her intoxicating beauty was that of a sexual siren driving men's souls to the rocks in pure passion. Her new book "Wonderful Today" is a biography that seems to want to tell all, and indeed sheds light on this wonderful woman who came from an abused childhood to make it as one of the world's top models. Ms. Boyd begins in a chronological fashion with pictures of family and tales of Kenya with snakes, tigers, and scary natives. Quite the childhood, but then when her parents separate she is forced back to England with an abusive and cruel step-father.
The voice of the book is sweet and innocent, but the sixties flower children go through an innocence of their own and as the drugs they use to free their minds and give them empowerment for hope eventually drive them to pure misery as well. She became the wife of Mr. Harrison at the end of a fairy-tale courtship, but due to the heavy hand of the Beatle's Manager Brian Epstein, was denied a proper wedding, as the public was not to know George was "no longer available" in the heady days of Beatlemania. She and George lived a simple life, in a relatively small house with George off to the studio each day and Pattie embracing the role of wife, lover, cook, and home keeper. It was all she wanted and needed. George on the other hand became intensely involved in meditation, ironically because of Pattie's suggestion, to fill a need for a childhood he never completely experienced, and they all went off to the Yogi Master Maharishi Mahesh in India.
George eventually became emotionally unattached to her as he began binging on drugs and then meditation trying to find his way through a lost childhood. Eric Clapton then appears writing her passionate letters and begging her to leave George for a life with him. At first, she thinks this is all very nice and flattering, but then Eric goes on a heroin binge because of her refusal to give in and be with him much like a spiteful boy. Eventually George's lack of attention and Eric's determined persistence, get the best of Pattie and she leaves George to follow Eric on tour. Years go by and the addiction to drugs, alcohol, and heroin take their toll on "Slowhand" and he shows no attempt to stay faithful to any one woman. As much as Pattie wants to understand and deal with the issues of his dalliances and drunkenness, she indeed compromises her own principles in doing so, the relationship grinds to an inevitable crash as Eric "keeps on keepin' on," in full persona of what a rock star "is all about-After Midnite"-sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Pattie was and is only looking for love with someone who can make her laugh, and treat her as an equal. This book is not a kiss and tell epic, and one would love to hear some of the intense times of emotion and vase throwings I'm sure, but one can sense the immense pain she had in finally putting this to words for all to read without destroying her relationships especially with Clapton. Her only mistake was believing in young men that couldn't tie their shoes on their own, and needed to grow up and take their marriage seriously. But now at last she is on her own, enjoying her life without expectations and has accepted her responsibility in enabling these "boys" and being a part of the problem. She still maintains great beauty within and without and is and will always be the mythical lady immortalized much like Helen of Troy in that Pattie launched a million flickers of light for encores at concerts everywhere in the world.
"Layla, you still got me on my knees..."
The voice of the book is sweet and innocent, but the sixties flower children go through an innocence of their own and as the drugs they use to free their minds and give them empowerment for hope eventually drive them to pure misery as well. She became the wife of Mr. Harrison at the end of a fairy-tale courtship, but due to the heavy hand of the Beatle's Manager Brian Epstein, was denied a proper wedding, as the public was not to know George was "no longer available" in the heady days of Beatlemania. She and George lived a simple life, in a relatively small house with George off to the studio each day and Pattie embracing the role of wife, lover, cook, and home keeper. It was all she wanted and needed. George on the other hand became intensely involved in meditation, ironically because of Pattie's suggestion, to fill a need for a childhood he never completely experienced, and they all went off to the Yogi Master Maharishi Mahesh in India.
George eventually became emotionally unattached to her as he began binging on drugs and then meditation trying to find his way through a lost childhood. Eric Clapton then appears writing her passionate letters and begging her to leave George for a life with him. At first, she thinks this is all very nice and flattering, but then Eric goes on a heroin binge because of her refusal to give in and be with him much like a spiteful boy. Eventually George's lack of attention and Eric's determined persistence, get the best of Pattie and she leaves George to follow Eric on tour. Years go by and the addiction to drugs, alcohol, and heroin take their toll on "Slowhand" and he shows no attempt to stay faithful to any one woman. As much as Pattie wants to understand and deal with the issues of his dalliances and drunkenness, she indeed compromises her own principles in doing so, the relationship grinds to an inevitable crash as Eric "keeps on keepin' on," in full persona of what a rock star "is all about-After Midnite"-sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Pattie was and is only looking for love with someone who can make her laugh, and treat her as an equal. This book is not a kiss and tell epic, and one would love to hear some of the intense times of emotion and vase throwings I'm sure, but one can sense the immense pain she had in finally putting this to words for all to read without destroying her relationships especially with Clapton. Her only mistake was believing in young men that couldn't tie their shoes on their own, and needed to grow up and take their marriage seriously. But now at last she is on her own, enjoying her life without expectations and has accepted her responsibility in enabling these "boys" and being a part of the problem. She still maintains great beauty within and without and is and will always be the mythical lady immortalized much like Helen of Troy in that Pattie launched a million flickers of light for encores at concerts everywhere in the world.
"Layla, you still got me on my knees..."
July 13, 2014
I'm surprised how harsh people feel they need to be regarding this memoir. In all I found the writing to be easy to follow and interesting. We asked her to tell her story, and this is it, and while it left me wanting more, it was tasteful and told with affection and minimal criticism of many difficult people in Ms. Boyd's life.
As some other reviewers have noted, the timelines are choppy in many cases. There is a tendency to start on the tale of an event involving some person, then move off in the middle of that story to an earlier or later aside regarding the same individual, then come back and finish the first point. That does get confusing. But it's really the only flaw I found.
To those who want to berate Pattie for being famous for nothing or for her association to famous men, I have to take issue. George and Eric both came from humble beginnings, and in spite of their talent, could easily have gone down different paths. The fact that they both fell desperately in love with this person, while having their choice of thousands of partners, suggests far more than a shallow, lucky, boring person behind the pretty face.
Pattie was a successful model in the '60's who appeared on several Vogue covers and worked alongside Twiggy when she was the most famous model in the world. She largely gave up that career for George.
Even if you insist on claiming she was an ordinary person, well, what's wrong with that? So am I, and if I had found myself being wooed by the rich and famous as a young adult, with the possibility of leading an extraordinary life, it would certainly have been worthy of consideration. If anything it makes the story more relatable. But for looks and good timing, it could have been any of us.
As some other reviewers have noted, the timelines are choppy in many cases. There is a tendency to start on the tale of an event involving some person, then move off in the middle of that story to an earlier or later aside regarding the same individual, then come back and finish the first point. That does get confusing. But it's really the only flaw I found.
To those who want to berate Pattie for being famous for nothing or for her association to famous men, I have to take issue. George and Eric both came from humble beginnings, and in spite of their talent, could easily have gone down different paths. The fact that they both fell desperately in love with this person, while having their choice of thousands of partners, suggests far more than a shallow, lucky, boring person behind the pretty face.
Pattie was a successful model in the '60's who appeared on several Vogue covers and worked alongside Twiggy when she was the most famous model in the world. She largely gave up that career for George.
Even if you insist on claiming she was an ordinary person, well, what's wrong with that? So am I, and if I had found myself being wooed by the rich and famous as a young adult, with the possibility of leading an extraordinary life, it would certainly have been worthy of consideration. If anything it makes the story more relatable. But for looks and good timing, it could have been any of us.
April 21, 2008
Hmm. Ok, here's the problem with this book (and there are quite a few): Patti Boyd isn't a particularly good writer. Her stories are a bit scattered, and they don't have overarching themes to make them memorable. She just sticks in small tidbits that she remembers in random places. Part of this is due to the fact that these stories are 40 years old, so it doesn't have the immediacy of a journal or memoir. Also--Patti isn't that interesting on her own. You'd think the woman who was both a Mrs. Harrison and a Mrs. Clapton, inspired the songs "Something" (which has become one of my favorite Beatles songs), "Wonderful Tonight", and most famously "Layla" would be fascinating. The LIFE she led was fascinating, the men she married were fascinating, but Patti Boyd the woman? Meh. And she overestimates the reader's interest in her own story. Honey, I didn't get this book from the library to read about how you climbed the French Alps in your 60s (or whatever it was, I kind of skimmed through the last chapter), and tried unsuccessfully to get your sister into rehab, I borrowed it to read what kind of person Eric was, how he wrote such interesting music, what John Lennon ever saw in Yoko, and what George saw in your and why he connected spiritually to Ravi Shankar. And she...just doesn't have that many insights into the character of these men. What you come away with is Patti Boyd was co-dependent, needy, insecure, ignored the multiple affairs both her husbands had, married Eric basically on a bet (on his end), left George when she probably should've stuck it out to be with Eric, and likes being a photographer. That's about it. She grew up in a fascinating time, but I didn't finish the book understanding why two incredibly famous songwriter-singer-musicians were so crazy about her. Although she seems very nice. And she cooks well.
What it DID make me do is listen to a bunch of Beatles records (which I haven't really ever done before, and I've figured out that I like more of their stuff than I thought I would, especially Abbey Road and Revolver) and borrow the Eric Clapton autobiography and the recent Beatles biography (900 pages!) and read about these guys straight from the source. So, hey--Patti Boyd did me a favor, I guess! Thanks, Patti!
What it DID make me do is listen to a bunch of Beatles records (which I haven't really ever done before, and I've figured out that I like more of their stuff than I thought I would, especially Abbey Road and Revolver) and borrow the Eric Clapton autobiography and the recent Beatles biography (900 pages!) and read about these guys straight from the source. So, hey--Patti Boyd did me a favor, I guess! Thanks, Patti!
October 24, 2007
OK, I should say that I'm a bit of a nut about the Beatles, and George Harrison in particular. Also a fan of Clapton. So I expected that this book would be interesting, and when I had the chance to snap it up at a deep discount, I did so.
Mostly, this book is the most superficial treatment imaginable of the people and times it descibes. If you like name-dropping, lists of who attended what party, which drugs were consumed, and who slept with whom, this book is for you. If I didn't know that George Harrison and Eric Clapton were brilliant musicians, I might conclude from this book that they were dilettantes on the order of the rest of the characters described in the book. Those who disagree with me about Harrison's and Clapton's musical talents can draw their own conclusions.
It's not entirely without redeeming qualities, however. Somewhere beneath all the surface glitz, there are occasional honest glimpses of an insecure young woman who is trying to make sense of her milieu. Nowhere is this more poignant than the last page of the epilogue. But rather than read the whole book, I'd recommend skimming a few sections and then going to the end.
Mostly, this book is the most superficial treatment imaginable of the people and times it descibes. If you like name-dropping, lists of who attended what party, which drugs were consumed, and who slept with whom, this book is for you. If I didn't know that George Harrison and Eric Clapton were brilliant musicians, I might conclude from this book that they were dilettantes on the order of the rest of the characters described in the book. Those who disagree with me about Harrison's and Clapton's musical talents can draw their own conclusions.
It's not entirely without redeeming qualities, however. Somewhere beneath all the surface glitz, there are occasional honest glimpses of an insecure young woman who is trying to make sense of her milieu. Nowhere is this more poignant than the last page of the epilogue. But rather than read the whole book, I'd recommend skimming a few sections and then going to the end.
July 15, 2008
An emotionless recounting of parties, people met, trips taken, and life events.
I'll save you the trouble of slogging through the book:
1) Patti didn't have a happy childhood.
2) She became a model.
3) She met and married George Harrison.
4) He became addicted to meditation.
5) She was wooed by Eric Clapton and left George.
6) Eric was addicted to drugs and alcohol.
7) Patti was unhappy about both husbands being unfaithful.
8) Now she's single and OK.
I almost forgot the "most important" disclosure:
9) Yoko Ono was the last straw on the camel's back that broke up the Beatles.
I'll save you the trouble of slogging through the book:
1) Patti didn't have a happy childhood.
2) She became a model.
3) She met and married George Harrison.
4) He became addicted to meditation.
5) She was wooed by Eric Clapton and left George.
6) Eric was addicted to drugs and alcohol.
7) Patti was unhappy about both husbands being unfaithful.
8) Now she's single and OK.
I almost forgot the "most important" disclosure:
9) Yoko Ono was the last straw on the camel's back that broke up the Beatles.
March 19, 2008
Gee, I wouldn't have left George Harrison for Eric Clapton, even if he did win the "guitar duel" for me. :) And, wow, Pattie Boyd had great shoes.
Seriously, once I recovered from the realization that this wasn't a kiss-n-tell (damn!) (insert Slowhand jokes here), I have come to see Pattie's story as an interesting extension of a recent conversation with my own girlfriends -- you know who you are, shout out to the female half of the Six O' Cups!
It began with gender roles in traditional male/female relationships, with the female fulfilling the Keeper of the Fun role, and when we know the men are wrong, clueless, and/or depressingly real (as opposed to Fantasy Prince), we punish them by witholding the fun in the relationship. Then the point was made that women can become immersed in work, children, etc. and the male coax her to come up for air to see a movie or go out to dinner, that gender is irrelevant. I conclude we all have roles we fill in all our relationships.
So, I'll never know if George or Eric was the better kisser, but Pattie does share a lot about the roles in her relationships -- her most obvious being Famous Rock Star Muse. In Eric's eyes, she was Layla, the un-gettable, never-to-be dream. When he got her, he wrote in a poem that she was the butterfly and that he'd destroyed her wings. She became his Victim. To George, she was simply Something. They married very young, and she was his playmate, sister, innocent love, witness to the insanity his life became. They were all Naughty Children, not having children themselves to force them to grow up (she later discovered she's infertile), every aspect of life handled by the Father-Manager, paying all the bills, giving allowance, arranging all travel. Problems come in when one of the partners allows someone else to fill that "role" or stops playing that role by their own hand.
The book was fascinating in one regard, to glimpse into the life of a wife of a rock star, with all their creative, unstructured mania. She left one who chants all the time for an ex-heroin addict who drinks all the time. They were both unfaithful sexually to her, and she realizes she rationalized all that. But what really would hurt her is when they would take away her role she played in their life -- even if it was playmate or journey companion.
Her creative outlet was cooking and she poured through cookbooks and never bought anything ready-made, so she shopped for ingredients every day, and threw her heart into it. And then George would say something like "No, Kumar (one of the countless hangers-on that came and went) is going to cook something Indian for me." That would devastate her. It took this lady a long time to find herself. Both Eric and George refused to let her continue working as a model. She was to fill the role they needed her to. Eric needed a 24/7 Nursemaid and Rescuer. How tedious.
I have this whole new perspective on the Beatles as people. George told her, when she left him for Eric, that if she ever needed him for anything, he would be there, that he would always be there to take care of her, no matter where she went or who she was with. What selfless, generous love. How heartbreaking that he would shut her out for months while he was meditating or whatever.
They had a bungalow they lived in for years and they kept spray paint cans outside and would have everyone who visited add to the exterior walls their creative touch. So the place looked like a sweet crazy grafitti mural dive from the outside. Then they found a castle pile of stone to restore that became a "project" -- George had become obsessed with privacy and security, some incident with a fan had frightened him (how prophetic), he couldn't do anything normal like go to the pub or go bowling or see a movie without mobs. So, he proudly shows his restored treasure, his find, the thing he lovingly researched to accurately restore to former glory, to John and Yoko, and John being the cynical, jealous prick says "It's so dark I don't see how anyone can live in it." Then George suggested John take off his sunglasses. Ar-ar.
Also interesting is who John was with first wife (Jerk, Selfish, Sexist Pig) and who he was with Yoko (Student, Worshipper, Servant). Everyone hated her! But what an amazing teacher she was for him -- this fiercely intelligent, artistic, Japanese Royalty chick wasn't about to take his crap and forced him to grow up and evolve.
So, how does it end for Pattie? Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who is so brilliant, exciting, forceful that there is no "room" for you, in the shadows? She is now playing the starring role in her own life.
I've only seen Gene Simmons' show Family Jewels once, but loved how his wife and kids consistently knocked the wind out of his sails, cut him down to size, to ensure "room" for themselves, the ones he loves and needs. It's actually healthy and happy. People fascinate me.
Seriously, once I recovered from the realization that this wasn't a kiss-n-tell (damn!) (insert Slowhand jokes here), I have come to see Pattie's story as an interesting extension of a recent conversation with my own girlfriends -- you know who you are, shout out to the female half of the Six O' Cups!
It began with gender roles in traditional male/female relationships, with the female fulfilling the Keeper of the Fun role, and when we know the men are wrong, clueless, and/or depressingly real (as opposed to Fantasy Prince), we punish them by witholding the fun in the relationship. Then the point was made that women can become immersed in work, children, etc. and the male coax her to come up for air to see a movie or go out to dinner, that gender is irrelevant. I conclude we all have roles we fill in all our relationships.
So, I'll never know if George or Eric was the better kisser, but Pattie does share a lot about the roles in her relationships -- her most obvious being Famous Rock Star Muse. In Eric's eyes, she was Layla, the un-gettable, never-to-be dream. When he got her, he wrote in a poem that she was the butterfly and that he'd destroyed her wings. She became his Victim. To George, she was simply Something. They married very young, and she was his playmate, sister, innocent love, witness to the insanity his life became. They were all Naughty Children, not having children themselves to force them to grow up (she later discovered she's infertile), every aspect of life handled by the Father-Manager, paying all the bills, giving allowance, arranging all travel. Problems come in when one of the partners allows someone else to fill that "role" or stops playing that role by their own hand.
The book was fascinating in one regard, to glimpse into the life of a wife of a rock star, with all their creative, unstructured mania. She left one who chants all the time for an ex-heroin addict who drinks all the time. They were both unfaithful sexually to her, and she realizes she rationalized all that. But what really would hurt her is when they would take away her role she played in their life -- even if it was playmate or journey companion.
Her creative outlet was cooking and she poured through cookbooks and never bought anything ready-made, so she shopped for ingredients every day, and threw her heart into it. And then George would say something like "No, Kumar (one of the countless hangers-on that came and went) is going to cook something Indian for me." That would devastate her. It took this lady a long time to find herself. Both Eric and George refused to let her continue working as a model. She was to fill the role they needed her to. Eric needed a 24/7 Nursemaid and Rescuer. How tedious.
I have this whole new perspective on the Beatles as people. George told her, when she left him for Eric, that if she ever needed him for anything, he would be there, that he would always be there to take care of her, no matter where she went or who she was with. What selfless, generous love. How heartbreaking that he would shut her out for months while he was meditating or whatever.
They had a bungalow they lived in for years and they kept spray paint cans outside and would have everyone who visited add to the exterior walls their creative touch. So the place looked like a sweet crazy grafitti mural dive from the outside. Then they found a castle pile of stone to restore that became a "project" -- George had become obsessed with privacy and security, some incident with a fan had frightened him (how prophetic), he couldn't do anything normal like go to the pub or go bowling or see a movie without mobs. So, he proudly shows his restored treasure, his find, the thing he lovingly researched to accurately restore to former glory, to John and Yoko, and John being the cynical, jealous prick says "It's so dark I don't see how anyone can live in it." Then George suggested John take off his sunglasses. Ar-ar.
Also interesting is who John was with first wife (Jerk, Selfish, Sexist Pig) and who he was with Yoko (Student, Worshipper, Servant). Everyone hated her! But what an amazing teacher she was for him -- this fiercely intelligent, artistic, Japanese Royalty chick wasn't about to take his crap and forced him to grow up and evolve.
So, how does it end for Pattie? Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who is so brilliant, exciting, forceful that there is no "room" for you, in the shadows? She is now playing the starring role in her own life.
I've only seen Gene Simmons' show Family Jewels once, but loved how his wife and kids consistently knocked the wind out of his sails, cut him down to size, to ensure "room" for themselves, the ones he loves and needs. It's actually healthy and happy. People fascinate me.
October 23, 2011
That’s Pattie with an “e”, weird considering for years her name was spelled Patti, but okay. “Wonderful Tonight” is a cool book written by the only living OG Beatle Wife, so it’s major. In this book I learned the following gossipy tidbits:
1. Brian Epstein was a surrogate father to The Beatles, so much so that George even asked Brian for permission to marry Pattie.
2. George had several Hare Krishna couples living on the grounds of his home to do general maid and household work.
3. George had a steady affair with Maureen Starkey, Ringo’s wife. It got so involved Pattie had to blow the whistle, so to speak, on their liaison and a brief fight between George and Ringo transpired.
4. Eric Clapton told Pattie if she didn’t leave George for him he’d ride the heroin tiger and it would be all her fault. True to his word, he became a shut-in junkie for the next five years until he bagged “Layla”.
5. Slowhand lusted after Pattie so much he dated her younger sister Paula for a year, thinking she would be the next best thing to having her.
If there’s any criticism I have about “Wonderful Tonight” it’s that the timelines are sloppy and there are important events that lack dates. Maybe you can chalk that up to too much acid, I guess. In general, though, this is a pretty good book for Beatles completists because there are a lot of gaps and spaces in The Beatles legend filled in, courtesy of one of the few women left alive to tell the tale.
1. Brian Epstein was a surrogate father to The Beatles, so much so that George even asked Brian for permission to marry Pattie.
2. George had several Hare Krishna couples living on the grounds of his home to do general maid and household work.
3. George had a steady affair with Maureen Starkey, Ringo’s wife. It got so involved Pattie had to blow the whistle, so to speak, on their liaison and a brief fight between George and Ringo transpired.
4. Eric Clapton told Pattie if she didn’t leave George for him he’d ride the heroin tiger and it would be all her fault. True to his word, he became a shut-in junkie for the next five years until he bagged “Layla”.
5. Slowhand lusted after Pattie so much he dated her younger sister Paula for a year, thinking she would be the next best thing to having her.
If there’s any criticism I have about “Wonderful Tonight” it’s that the timelines are sloppy and there are important events that lack dates. Maybe you can chalk that up to too much acid, I guess. In general, though, this is a pretty good book for Beatles completists because there are a lot of gaps and spaces in The Beatles legend filled in, courtesy of one of the few women left alive to tell the tale.
September 16, 2008
It's difficult to rate a biography like this, simply because Pattie Boyd isn't a writer, and though she had help, it's more about her stories--and not simply the whole, but the components of the whole. She's had an interesting life...and, after spending my more formative years longing and wishing to have been married to a Beatle, I was relieved, after reading this book, that I wasn't.
I had some trouble with Pattie. She's not a terribly reliable narrator, but no autobiography should ever be taken at face value. She certainly has a lot invested in her niche as "ex wife." And that being said, I had to give her a little credit and slack. She seems sweet, and, in her own way, honest. I believe that was her life as she saw it, but I also found her to be pretty un-complicated, which would have been frustrating for a lot of the artistic types she rubbed elbows with. I would have liked to have had some basis for comparison by a few of those she referenced, other than them simply wanting to sleep with her. I wish Mick Jagger would have said if he found her fun to talk to and with worthwhile hobbies or interests. It went largely unsaid. She doesn't even validate it herself.
Pattie likes to cook, she seems to like animals, company, family. Those are all worthwhile and likable traits. The whole "keep it simple, stupid," seemed her motto, but I'm not sure she's stood her personal ground long enough to know if she has a motto, which was a bummer.
She resented George Harrison's spirituality and loner status (all attributes I've admired in George), she wanted to be more involved with him--that was clear. Yet, at the same time, George valued her enough to write the song Something about her, and more importantly, to marry her. I really wanted to find the "meat" of Pattie, and I think it's there, but even in her sixties, I'm not sure she can pin point it, which was why I read the book--to try to find it, and when I couldn't, it was sad on many levels. Sad that she married twice to try to find her worth in someone elses' love for her, sad she was on the side lines and frankly, even sad her art show, in the end, was photographs of the famous people she knew. I want her to OWN something.
I like her. And, it's a relief, at some level, to see someone just accept their role. But I think there was more potential for her. She could have been stronger, I think, if she'd brought up differently (as she says many times) but also if she were in a different era...
But again, that's the whole point of the book--because The Beatles were a different era. I know that, it's all quite dated now. She was a stay at home wife to a famous person...twice. It's very nearly still a fifties mentality, she just wore crazy clothes and did some drugs, too. But she gets half into everything: culture, cooking, yoga, meditation, her marriages, even the book. You never really get the specifics of her life with these men, only portions of it, like the snap shots she's now famous for.
I had some trouble with Pattie. She's not a terribly reliable narrator, but no autobiography should ever be taken at face value. She certainly has a lot invested in her niche as "ex wife." And that being said, I had to give her a little credit and slack. She seems sweet, and, in her own way, honest. I believe that was her life as she saw it, but I also found her to be pretty un-complicated, which would have been frustrating for a lot of the artistic types she rubbed elbows with. I would have liked to have had some basis for comparison by a few of those she referenced, other than them simply wanting to sleep with her. I wish Mick Jagger would have said if he found her fun to talk to and with worthwhile hobbies or interests. It went largely unsaid. She doesn't even validate it herself.
Pattie likes to cook, she seems to like animals, company, family. Those are all worthwhile and likable traits. The whole "keep it simple, stupid," seemed her motto, but I'm not sure she's stood her personal ground long enough to know if she has a motto, which was a bummer.
She resented George Harrison's spirituality and loner status (all attributes I've admired in George), she wanted to be more involved with him--that was clear. Yet, at the same time, George valued her enough to write the song Something about her, and more importantly, to marry her. I really wanted to find the "meat" of Pattie, and I think it's there, but even in her sixties, I'm not sure she can pin point it, which was why I read the book--to try to find it, and when I couldn't, it was sad on many levels. Sad that she married twice to try to find her worth in someone elses' love for her, sad she was on the side lines and frankly, even sad her art show, in the end, was photographs of the famous people she knew. I want her to OWN something.
I like her. And, it's a relief, at some level, to see someone just accept their role. But I think there was more potential for her. She could have been stronger, I think, if she'd brought up differently (as she says many times) but also if she were in a different era...
But again, that's the whole point of the book--because The Beatles were a different era. I know that, it's all quite dated now. She was a stay at home wife to a famous person...twice. It's very nearly still a fifties mentality, she just wore crazy clothes and did some drugs, too. But she gets half into everything: culture, cooking, yoga, meditation, her marriages, even the book. You never really get the specifics of her life with these men, only portions of it, like the snap shots she's now famous for.
October 9, 2007
I just borrowed this book from my mom. She passed down to me a love of both British bands and celebrity gossip. This book is a perfect mix of those things. Pattie Boyd was married to George Harrison during the Beatles' heyday, and later left him for Eric Clapton. Strangely, they all remained friends. She was the muse for some of their greatest songs. She was a sassy British model and some of the pictures of her in Swinging 60's fashions are really fab. Candid shots of all the rock stars are pretty fun too.
I haven't gotten too far yet. But so far I'm just glad that I didn't grow up in a dysfunctional British family in the 50's who ate dinner in silence. Yikes!
The other night I asked my mom where she got all the gossip about these rock star folks back in the day. I can't imagine a time when there wasn't E! News, US Weekly, TMZ, and Perez Hilton to tell me every gritty detail of celebs' lives. She said that there were lots of rumors and some reports in newspaper gossip columns. And then later of course people write their tell-all biographies to set the records straight. I don't think there's anything too shocking in this book, but it seems like a fun read if you're interested in the 60's and these particular musicians.
I haven't gotten too far yet. But so far I'm just glad that I didn't grow up in a dysfunctional British family in the 50's who ate dinner in silence. Yikes!
The other night I asked my mom where she got all the gossip about these rock star folks back in the day. I can't imagine a time when there wasn't E! News, US Weekly, TMZ, and Perez Hilton to tell me every gritty detail of celebs' lives. She said that there were lots of rumors and some reports in newspaper gossip columns. And then later of course people write their tell-all biographies to set the records straight. I don't think there's anything too shocking in this book, but it seems like a fun read if you're interested in the 60's and these particular musicians.
September 4, 2023
Fans of George Harrison will find this book to be both revealing and disappointing. The good bit first. George Harrison was the most considerate Beatle, the best dresser, the one to remain calm whenever disaster struck. But as his ex wife Pattie Boyd writes he was also a womanizer, a druggie who used cocaine "excessively," and a moody bastard when he wanted to be, shutting himself away in obsessive meditation that far from allowing him to make peace with himself and his world instead appeared to drive a wedge through his self-confidence and cause him to alienate the one who truly did love him. It has been written of before, notably in Chris O'Dell's eye-opening, Miss O'Dell, but reading Pattie Boyd describe how her husband betrayed her by initiating an affair with Ringo Starr's then wife, Maureen, under the noses of both spouses, is shocking in its portrayal of someone so narcissistic he could not see how his actions were hurting others. If this didn't contribute to the break up of the Beatles, I, for one, would be mightily surprised. Pattie Boyd retaliated by allowing Eric Clapton to seduce her. He was, in case you are not familiar with the intricacies of British rock music, George Harrison's best friend. He wrote Pattie incredible poetry, and also threatened to become a heroin addict if she didn't run away with him. To sum up what happened next -- Eric nil, heroin the champion of that game. George continued to act beastly (this is among the worst parts, given George's saintly persona) and so Pattie eventually becomes Mrs. Clapton, which is when her story truly becomes sadder than sad. Eric Clapton, someone once scrawled on the wall of the London tube, is God. But not so in this book. While Pattie Boyd appears not to want to cause waves -- her introduction is basically an advance apology for what she is about to reveal -- by just giving us glimpses of Eric Clapton's egregiously drunken, foul-mouthed behaviour, she shows the man to be a supreme cad and a lout. A total douche-bag, if you will allow the phrase. Each time she goes back to him, you can't help but cringe and wonder, really, was she/is she that stupid? It is not easy passing judgment. For the most part, Pattie Boyd comes across as an immensely likeable, even plucky female who, in spite of a hellish childhood in the most dysfunctional of British families (and that is saying a lot) she managed to find early success as an in-demand fashion model who then went on to do the impossible -- marry a Beatle. She falters when the rock and roll fantasy life she is living starts to unravel as a result of all parties developing an increased dependence on drugs and alcohol. This is my interpretation, not her's, but it does make sense as you read the book. She admits to having low self - esteem ( the book is sprinkled with such phrases learned from her years in therapy), and it leads her to say a few times that she deeply regrets not having fought for her marriage with George Harrison even while he was flagrantly cheating on her and making her feel superfluous to his life. She was too weak, she thinks. Too bad. Before this tailspin, however, there is much in the narrative that is delightful, including her description of the Beatles at the height of Beatlemania. She was not just an appendage to the legend. It is Pattie Boyd who convinced the Beatles to follow Eastern meditation. She is the one who introduced them to the Maharishi, and so she is responsible for them going to India, and by extension most of what eventually came out on the so-called White album. More, Pattie Boyd directly inspired two of rock's great love songs -- Something by George Harrison, and Layla by Eric Clapton. The latter also wrote Wonderful Tonight for her, hence the title of her memoirs. The wish is that it had stayed Wonderful for her, and not just for a brief while. Pattie Boyd truly deserved more and was grossly short changed by two talented rock musicians, one of them a Fab. Sometimes her observations just skim the surface. But this is mostly to say once a fashion model always a fashion model. She might not preach a philosophy. But she does tell you what went on. Her fashion trained eyes are attuned to the surface detail of a thing. In the end, all that colourful description does add up to a compelling portrait of a once heady time.
March 4, 2019
Her two musicians/song-writer husbands wrote iconic songs about her; Eric Clapton’s “Layla” is the most passionate song I know. The text of her memoir is low key, but the life she describes is full, vibrant and wild.
The famous marriages are presaged by her unusual and sad childhood spanning England, Scotland and Kenya with her parents, siblings and grandparents. I found this section at least as, if not more, interesting than the marriages. After meeting, living with, marrying and divorcing the stars, she writes of her life without fame.
Like her mother before her, Boyd is often left to fend for herself in her marriages. George seems to give her up for meditation. She left George’s coldness, for Clapton’s years of passion, but after all the pining for her (see Clapton’s autobiography for more on this) when he finally had her, he lost interest. Like her mother she was immobilized by her husbands’ affairs. With both men she found a role in cooking for the entourage and decorating large estates. She remained friends with both. After a divorce: how many women can ask for and get a new house?
She seems to be pleasant and compliant under emotionally abusive circumstances. She holds her head up. There are drugs all around, she tries them, but escapes addiction. Her last chapters cover her life after the stars. Some will say its a name dropping venue, my thoughts are that after all she has been through, starting with childhood, she appreciates these friendships and wants the reader to know that she is happy and active.
This is a straightforward memoir. Reading Clapton’s memoir will add to your appreciation of Boyd. You will cringe when he describes his meaning of “Wonderful Tonight” which shows the cynicism she was living with.
The book doesn’t have the perspective of Marianne Faithfull’s, autobiography (Faithfull) which interprets the era. This book is more of a report on what happened as Boyd saw it. I would image her domestic experiences were similar to other wives of the era's rock stars.
The famous marriages are presaged by her unusual and sad childhood spanning England, Scotland and Kenya with her parents, siblings and grandparents. I found this section at least as, if not more, interesting than the marriages. After meeting, living with, marrying and divorcing the stars, she writes of her life without fame.
Like her mother before her, Boyd is often left to fend for herself in her marriages. George seems to give her up for meditation. She left George’s coldness, for Clapton’s years of passion, but after all the pining for her (see Clapton’s autobiography for more on this) when he finally had her, he lost interest. Like her mother she was immobilized by her husbands’ affairs. With both men she found a role in cooking for the entourage and decorating large estates. She remained friends with both. After a divorce: how many women can ask for and get a new house?
She seems to be pleasant and compliant under emotionally abusive circumstances. She holds her head up. There are drugs all around, she tries them, but escapes addiction. Her last chapters cover her life after the stars. Some will say its a name dropping venue, my thoughts are that after all she has been through, starting with childhood, she appreciates these friendships and wants the reader to know that she is happy and active.
This is a straightforward memoir. Reading Clapton’s memoir will add to your appreciation of Boyd. You will cringe when he describes his meaning of “Wonderful Tonight” which shows the cynicism she was living with.
The book doesn’t have the perspective of Marianne Faithfull’s, autobiography (Faithfull) which interprets the era. This book is more of a report on what happened as Boyd saw it. I would image her domestic experiences were similar to other wives of the era's rock stars.
June 22, 2018
Being a George Harrison fan, I really liked the parts about Pattie's relationship with him, and seeing him through her eyes. I didn't blame her for leaving him; when you read this you'll see why. I was never an Eric Clapton fan, and after reading this memoir, I really have a distaste for him. I don't know how Pattie put up with his obnoxious behavior and raging alcoholism, even if she did think he was a musical genius.
Pattie Boyd, a talented model and photographer, has written a revealing and seemingly honest memoir. Even though she had help with this memoir (written with Penny Junor), I still wished for more descriptions. Like when she and George met Frank Sinatra, that's all she says:"He came out...to meet George." There's a picture of Sinatra and Harrison locked in conversation which was taken on that night, but that's all she says about Ol' Blue Eyes.
Boyd seems like a very girly-girl; not ambitious—it wasn't "the lifestyle" that drew her to Harrison and Clapton. She met Harrision when she was hired to be in A Hard Day's Night and says he was the best-looking man she had ever seen. She was never addicted to drugs or alcohol, so her side of things is pretty believable. She was with her two musicians out of love, and when the relationships disintegrated, I felt her pain.
Pattie Boyd, a talented model and photographer, has written a revealing and seemingly honest memoir. Even though she had help with this memoir (written with Penny Junor), I still wished for more descriptions. Like when she and George met Frank Sinatra, that's all she says:"He came out...to meet George." There's a picture of Sinatra and Harrison locked in conversation which was taken on that night, but that's all she says about Ol' Blue Eyes.
Boyd seems like a very girly-girl; not ambitious—it wasn't "the lifestyle" that drew her to Harrison and Clapton. She met Harrision when she was hired to be in A Hard Day's Night and says he was the best-looking man she had ever seen. She was never addicted to drugs or alcohol, so her side of things is pretty believable. She was with her two musicians out of love, and when the relationships disintegrated, I felt her pain.
November 8, 2007
Pattie Boyd's life story is amazing—not only was she a model in fab swinging 60s London and then married to George Harrison and Eric Clapton, but she grew up in Africa for goodness sakes.
Unfortunately, she's not much of a story teller. I don't know where Pattie's editor was, but the book is filled with non sequiturs and with stories that seem to have no particular point. She describes her two famous husbands almost as superficially as she does all the minor characters in the book. And, in fact, she is pretty much just as superficial in describing herself. She travels to a lot of really interesting places and goes to many parties and knows a lot of famous people. She likes to cook and spend money on decorating her houses and she took a lot of photographs of rock and roll celebrities. That's pretty much all I know about Pattie after reading this book, and there is no indication that she is much different today from the person she was in 1964. She, of course, says that she is--but you have to take her word for it because she doesn't include anything in her story to support this conclusion.
Despite these major shortcomings—-well, the book is about the 1960s and rock and roll. I was disappointed that this was not a better book, but it was still kind of a fun read.
Unfortunately, she's not much of a story teller. I don't know where Pattie's editor was, but the book is filled with non sequiturs and with stories that seem to have no particular point. She describes her two famous husbands almost as superficially as she does all the minor characters in the book. And, in fact, she is pretty much just as superficial in describing herself. She travels to a lot of really interesting places and goes to many parties and knows a lot of famous people. She likes to cook and spend money on decorating her houses and she took a lot of photographs of rock and roll celebrities. That's pretty much all I know about Pattie after reading this book, and there is no indication that she is much different today from the person she was in 1964. She, of course, says that she is--but you have to take her word for it because she doesn't include anything in her story to support this conclusion.
Despite these major shortcomings—-well, the book is about the 1960s and rock and roll. I was disappointed that this was not a better book, but it was still kind of a fun read.
July 10, 2015
Some authors have the gift of making even the most boring subjects fascinating. Some have the ability to create page turning suspense. Pattie Boyd has a different extraordinary talent. She takes a fascinating childhood and a place at the center of rock history and turns it into a plodding disorganized memoir. This seems to be an "as told to" book. How could a professional ghost writer do such shoddy work? Where was the editor? Where are the adjectives?
Cynthia Lennon, Julia Baird (John's sister), and Francie Schwartz (Paul's live- in groupie before he met Linda) and George Harrison have all written far better books about their experiences, and that's all I can think of just off the bat. I don't know any Clapton books to suggest.
I would have enjoyed it more if she had actually done more than a dry superficial recitation of events, without emotion or details. I didn't get much out it; the incessant name dropping was annoying, too.
Cynthia Lennon, Julia Baird (John's sister), and Francie Schwartz (Paul's live- in groupie before he met Linda) and George Harrison have all written far better books about their experiences, and that's all I can think of just off the bat. I don't know any Clapton books to suggest.
I would have enjoyed it more if she had actually done more than a dry superficial recitation of events, without emotion or details. I didn't get much out it; the incessant name dropping was annoying, too.
January 12, 2008
Pattie Boyd certainly led an interesting life, at least in her early days--part of the swinging social scene in 1960's London as a model, muse to first George Harrison and then Eric Clapton--but she herself did not come across as a particularly interesting person and the book was so poorly written, shallow, and disorganized that it was, at times, painful to read. (A sample of the fine writing is: "And, to use the old cliche, make love not war. As long as you were young, beautiful, and creative, the world was your oyster. It was a golden age, an exciting time to be alive.") I don't know how much Boyd herself wrote and how much was written by her co-author, Penny Junor, but the final result was disappointing and quite bland. I should add, however, that some of the photos included were quite cool.
October 16, 2013
If you see me loitering in the biography section of bayside library, please hit me over the head with a shovel. Biographies are like Tim Tams for me .... I really should stop after one .. especially the rock star wife variety. This book was pretty boring, despite Pattie being the Muse for Eric Clapton and George Harrison who wrote one of my favourite songs "Something" about her. In a nutshell, George was distant but she regretted leaving him for the rest of his life, Clapton was really a shit who lost interest once he had enticed her away from George.
June 18, 2015
Pretty boring. Took me 2 weeks to read it!
This sentence did me in. "I took Will's advice and went to see Karen, who was a dream analyst and astrologer as well as a psychotherapist." Really???
This sentence did me in. "I took Will's advice and went to see Karen, who was a dream analyst and astrologer as well as a psychotherapist." Really???
December 16, 2023
Pattie Boyd was a model working in London in the 1960s and was fortunate enough to be cast as a school girl in the movie Hard Days Night where she met, fell in love with, and ended up marrying George Harrison of The Beatles. This thrust her into the heyday of 60s rock and roll and especially into Beatlemania. As the years progressed, she became less infatuated with George and left him for Eric Clapton who she also married thus becoming the wife of two of rock's icons. Boyd inspired Harrison's song "Something", and Clapton's songs "Layla", "Bell Bottom Blues" and "Wonderful Tonight".
This memoir by Boyd provided a lot of insights into both Harrison and Clapton including the good and the darker sides of both. Both Harrison and Clapton were brilliant musicians but they also drank, used drugs, and were unfaithful to Pattie. Clapton was especially portrayed as a really offensive person who was an alcoholic and kept Pattie away from him so he could have affairs with other women. I know in recent years Clapton has been vilified because of some racist comments he has made and also because of his anti-vaccine stance during Covid.
Boyd also includes in the memoir her life before and after these marriages including growing up in Kenya, the divorce of her parents, and her early modeling career. Later she also became quite well known for her photography, especially her photos of musicians during the 1960s. But her story often meanders and she throws in a lot of information about her trips to various locations around the world, fixing up houses with descriptions of the furniture, her forays into cooking, etc. that don't really provide any meaningful content to her relationships. Overall, I did like that the memoir gave a first hand look into the lives of some of the great rock legends of the 60s, especially the Beatles, but it also was very disjointed and I often got confused trying to keep track of some of the people mentioned -- Pattie had a tendency to throw out a lot of first names throughout the memoir that I could not really remember who they were, family members, friends, other musicians, or ?? Only a mild recommendation for this one.
This memoir by Boyd provided a lot of insights into both Harrison and Clapton including the good and the darker sides of both. Both Harrison and Clapton were brilliant musicians but they also drank, used drugs, and were unfaithful to Pattie. Clapton was especially portrayed as a really offensive person who was an alcoholic and kept Pattie away from him so he could have affairs with other women. I know in recent years Clapton has been vilified because of some racist comments he has made and also because of his anti-vaccine stance during Covid.
Boyd also includes in the memoir her life before and after these marriages including growing up in Kenya, the divorce of her parents, and her early modeling career. Later she also became quite well known for her photography, especially her photos of musicians during the 1960s. But her story often meanders and she throws in a lot of information about her trips to various locations around the world, fixing up houses with descriptions of the furniture, her forays into cooking, etc. that don't really provide any meaningful content to her relationships. Overall, I did like that the memoir gave a first hand look into the lives of some of the great rock legends of the 60s, especially the Beatles, but it also was very disjointed and I often got confused trying to keep track of some of the people mentioned -- Pattie had a tendency to throw out a lot of first names throughout the memoir that I could not really remember who they were, family members, friends, other musicians, or ?? Only a mild recommendation for this one.
May 30, 2016
I feel I have a lot to say about this memoir, I dog eared a lot of pages with ridiculous quotes and parts that made no sense which I will share at the end.
So I was interested in reading this as a Beatle fan and knowing practically nothing about Pattie Boyd but always had some curiosity because I knew next to nothing about her whereas I know quite a bit about Linda, Cynthia, and Yoko. Boyd tells a lot of stories that I've heard before that don't get more interesting the more I hear them especially when she doesn't go into real detail or significance a lot of the time. Sure a few anecdotes were new but overall, meh.
I found Boyd pretty pathetic, and maybe it comes from the era and her low self worth but she put up with a lot being married to George and Eric. George was the lesser of, let's just say it, a shit. Eric was an alcoholic who manipulated and emotionally/mentally abused her. They both had many affairs some she knew about some she didn't, probably in combo with denial. She kept staying, and forgiving and it was just so depressing. Someone with so much youth ahead of her just kept wasting time with men who didn't love her, especially Eric (god what a shit, I can't say that enough - at least George was more caring in the honeymoon period of their marriage/relationship). She kept mentioning regretting leaving Harrison which was also just plain sad, he didn't care about her at the end yet she kept saying (paraphrasing) 'if only I tried harder, gritted my teeth, we could have worked...' '..we were soul mates'.
It's a read for Beatles fans probably (shrug) but overall, just skip it. It jumps around a bit, which was annoying. It was hard for me to get through this but I made myself. So here are quotes that just ... yikes.
Returning after living in Africa as a child: "It was only when I arrived in England some years later and wondered where all the black people were that I appreciated there was a pecking order." I really don't understand what this meant.
"A girl who doesn't have to rely on her looks for a living is far more confident, and confidence is attractive -- her looks are not integral to her self-esteem"
While staying in India: "There were lepers on the other side of the river, begging, and a man sat in the middle meditating on a pointed rock. If I had seen lepers in Oxford Street I'd have been upset, but in India they and the man on the rock were just part of the scenery"
She was ok with marijuana and cocaine, but drew the line at heroin, YET she was offered some by her sister who she was trying to sober up: "...I asked her what heroin was like. She said, 'try some,' so, always up for anything, I did." WHAT?
On cocaine: "Like everything, done in moderation it was fine. Done to excess, it was not."
--------------------------------------------------------------
And THE worst things--
Eric dated her sister, who was underage while trying to seduce Pattie and I found that disgusting, and she didn't seem to care. "The convent girl in me found this situation uncomfortable but at the same time strangely exciting" Ew.
She mentions a friend, Billy Wyman, who was 42 and started dating an underage girl when she was 14. She housed him to keep him from being arrested. "...I was in meltdown, and Bill was in danger of being thrown into jail, but he made us die laughing. He is the most fantastic raconteur and each night we would sit at the Rutherfords' long dining table and laugh." WHATWHATT??
So I was interested in reading this as a Beatle fan and knowing practically nothing about Pattie Boyd but always had some curiosity because I knew next to nothing about her whereas I know quite a bit about Linda, Cynthia, and Yoko. Boyd tells a lot of stories that I've heard before that don't get more interesting the more I hear them especially when she doesn't go into real detail or significance a lot of the time. Sure a few anecdotes were new but overall, meh.
I found Boyd pretty pathetic, and maybe it comes from the era and her low self worth but she put up with a lot being married to George and Eric. George was the lesser of, let's just say it, a shit. Eric was an alcoholic who manipulated and emotionally/mentally abused her. They both had many affairs some she knew about some she didn't, probably in combo with denial. She kept staying, and forgiving and it was just so depressing. Someone with so much youth ahead of her just kept wasting time with men who didn't love her, especially Eric (god what a shit, I can't say that enough - at least George was more caring in the honeymoon period of their marriage/relationship). She kept mentioning regretting leaving Harrison which was also just plain sad, he didn't care about her at the end yet she kept saying (paraphrasing) 'if only I tried harder, gritted my teeth, we could have worked...' '..we were soul mates'.
It's a read for Beatles fans probably (shrug) but overall, just skip it. It jumps around a bit, which was annoying. It was hard for me to get through this but I made myself. So here are quotes that just ... yikes.
Returning after living in Africa as a child: "It was only when I arrived in England some years later and wondered where all the black people were that I appreciated there was a pecking order." I really don't understand what this meant.
"A girl who doesn't have to rely on her looks for a living is far more confident, and confidence is attractive -- her looks are not integral to her self-esteem"
While staying in India: "There were lepers on the other side of the river, begging, and a man sat in the middle meditating on a pointed rock. If I had seen lepers in Oxford Street I'd have been upset, but in India they and the man on the rock were just part of the scenery"
She was ok with marijuana and cocaine, but drew the line at heroin, YET she was offered some by her sister who she was trying to sober up: "...I asked her what heroin was like. She said, 'try some,' so, always up for anything, I did." WHAT?
On cocaine: "Like everything, done in moderation it was fine. Done to excess, it was not."
--------------------------------------------------------------
And THE worst things--
Eric dated her sister, who was underage while trying to seduce Pattie and I found that disgusting, and she didn't seem to care. "The convent girl in me found this situation uncomfortable but at the same time strangely exciting" Ew.
She mentions a friend, Billy Wyman, who was 42 and started dating an underage girl when she was 14. She housed him to keep him from being arrested. "...I was in meltdown, and Bill was in danger of being thrown into jail, but he made us die laughing. He is the most fantastic raconteur and each night we would sit at the Rutherfords' long dining table and laugh." WHATWHATT??
April 15, 2015
This book is so boring! How is that possible? You would think that the woman that inspired songs like the Beatles' "Something" and Derrick and the Dominos' "Layla" would be dynamic. Truth is she is dull as dishwater and conceited in the manner of the 8th grade queen bee. Also, every time she starts to discuss something interesting she quickly moves to a new topic without finishing the story. Less egregious is her silly exploration of her spiritual enlightenment when it turns out she is about as introspective as a marmot. No one who ever thinks about anything could consistently make the worst life decisions of anyone to ever walk the earth. She must be really good in bed.
January 24, 2012
The only thing that really sticks out is how young George Harrison was at the beginning of Beatlemania. He actually asked Brian their manager permission to get married. That detail struck me as very endearing. The rest is mostly self serving name dropping and all the stuff she bought. She comes off as pretty annoying for someone who inspired my favorite love song. (Something)
October 12, 2018
For a woman with so much style, this book is written in absolutely appalling fashion with zero style.
Pattie Boyd's life has all of the ingredients of the most devastating and brilliant narrative, but yet the reader is dragged through parties during which dozens of famous models, musicians, artists, and actors did a whole lot of drugs and alcohol, and seemed to husband and wife swap with startling regularity, and yet it reads like the back of a cereal box.
Seriously, Pattie, you led one of the most fascinating lives in the 20th century at a time many of us younger Beatles fans would have killed to have lived in person, and this - this?? - is the best you could do in telling your story?
I have to blame the ghostwriter. I mean, anyone with an ounce of imagination and style could have glammed up the narrative. But then again, maybe that's not what Pattie wanted. Maybe, like so many other reviewers have so aptly critiqued, she just wasn't that interesting. It's hard to believe that's the case, though, when she not only landed George Harrison at the height of Beatlemania and then left him for Eric Clapton, traveled extensively all over the world, and ...
What's lacking here is insight. And I think the problem here is that this is a book about Pattie Boyd, and Pattie Boyd was severely drunk/stoned/drugged out for much of the most interesting times of her life, and, well, maybe she just wasn't that interesting (and maybe no alcoholic hopped up on coke whose siblings, romantic partners, and best friends are also addicts is all that interesting). She seems to find the flowers she planted in her garden, the antiques she bought to furnish her mansions, and the guest lists of the parties which she hosted are more pertinent to her story than deep insights into the Beatles (even though she was married to George for about a decade, I feel she doesn't paint him in color, rather relies heavily on facts for which zero context is provided and events at which she wasn't even present [for example, when the Beatles refused to have dinner with the First Lady of the Philippines and were unceremoniously exiled from the country]. It's like looking at a photo in black-and-white, when this should have been an explosive kaleidoscope of color. It just feels stiff, dull, and lifeless. The event she describes are haunting and painful and her voice ought to match; yet it's as though she tells her life story at arm's length from her own life, rather than allow her raw emotions to seep in between the lines, and, as a reader and a fan, that's disappointing.
Going into this book, I didn't take into consideration that it was all about her, and it is literally all about her and extremely one-sided. Much of the book is dedicated to her upbringing in Africa and then English boarding school, and then later, post-Clapton, as she worked to recover her self-esteem and find a career (although it actually sounds as if she spent most of her time vacationing in more and more exotic destinations). I really thought she would deliver on what people wanted to know, and in some cases - such as George's affair with Maureen Starkey, Ringo's wife, in the early 70s - shock and deliver, but ultimately the read was quite unsatisfying.
Pattie Boyd's life has all of the ingredients of the most devastating and brilliant narrative, but yet the reader is dragged through parties during which dozens of famous models, musicians, artists, and actors did a whole lot of drugs and alcohol, and seemed to husband and wife swap with startling regularity, and yet it reads like the back of a cereal box.
Seriously, Pattie, you led one of the most fascinating lives in the 20th century at a time many of us younger Beatles fans would have killed to have lived in person, and this - this?? - is the best you could do in telling your story?
I have to blame the ghostwriter. I mean, anyone with an ounce of imagination and style could have glammed up the narrative. But then again, maybe that's not what Pattie wanted. Maybe, like so many other reviewers have so aptly critiqued, she just wasn't that interesting. It's hard to believe that's the case, though, when she not only landed George Harrison at the height of Beatlemania and then left him for Eric Clapton, traveled extensively all over the world, and ...
What's lacking here is insight. And I think the problem here is that this is a book about Pattie Boyd, and Pattie Boyd was severely drunk/stoned/drugged out for much of the most interesting times of her life, and, well, maybe she just wasn't that interesting (and maybe no alcoholic hopped up on coke whose siblings, romantic partners, and best friends are also addicts is all that interesting). She seems to find the flowers she planted in her garden, the antiques she bought to furnish her mansions, and the guest lists of the parties which she hosted are more pertinent to her story than deep insights into the Beatles (even though she was married to George for about a decade, I feel she doesn't paint him in color, rather relies heavily on facts for which zero context is provided and events at which she wasn't even present [for example, when the Beatles refused to have dinner with the First Lady of the Philippines and were unceremoniously exiled from the country]. It's like looking at a photo in black-and-white, when this should have been an explosive kaleidoscope of color. It just feels stiff, dull, and lifeless. The event she describes are haunting and painful and her voice ought to match; yet it's as though she tells her life story at arm's length from her own life, rather than allow her raw emotions to seep in between the lines, and, as a reader and a fan, that's disappointing.
Going into this book, I didn't take into consideration that it was all about her, and it is literally all about her and extremely one-sided. Much of the book is dedicated to her upbringing in Africa and then English boarding school, and then later, post-Clapton, as she worked to recover her self-esteem and find a career (although it actually sounds as if she spent most of her time vacationing in more and more exotic destinations). I really thought she would deliver on what people wanted to know, and in some cases - such as George's affair with Maureen Starkey, Ringo's wife, in the early 70s - shock and deliver, but ultimately the read was quite unsatisfying.
November 21, 2023
Sad and Interesting Life
Pattie Boyd by her own admission, led an interesting life. She was the muse for two very talented and famous musicians that ultimately took its toll on her.
In an excerpt from the book that says: “Being the muse of two such extraordinarily creative musicians, and having such beautiful and powerful love songs written about me, was enormously flattering, but it put the most tremendous pressure on me to be the amazing person they must have thought I was- and secretly knew I wasn’t. I felt I had to be flawless, serene, someone who understood every situation, who made no demands, but was there to fulfill every fantasy; and that someone with not much of a voice.”
This book was both fascinating and sad, and I could see where the young woman was caught up in the world of rock ‘n’ roll and lost to it, and the men who played it. I can see where she lost herself, and tolerated a great deal more than someone with what she had to offer should have. When George Harrison started to lose interest, and she was courted by Eric Clapton, she could see that Eric was an alcoholic. Yet she succumbed to his romantic advances, when instead, she should’ve simply left Harrison and decided whether or not her marriage should’ve continued.
This is a book worth reading if you’re interested in the life of the rich and famous, but don’t expect to read about joyful and wonderful things. The rich and famous suffer, sadness and setbacks, the same as everybody else, and in fact possibly more. This was a five star read, but not the romance I expected. Pattie was ultimately just another woman in the shadows of the men she lived with.
Pattie Boyd by her own admission, led an interesting life. She was the muse for two very talented and famous musicians that ultimately took its toll on her.
In an excerpt from the book that says: “Being the muse of two such extraordinarily creative musicians, and having such beautiful and powerful love songs written about me, was enormously flattering, but it put the most tremendous pressure on me to be the amazing person they must have thought I was- and secretly knew I wasn’t. I felt I had to be flawless, serene, someone who understood every situation, who made no demands, but was there to fulfill every fantasy; and that someone with not much of a voice.”
This book was both fascinating and sad, and I could see where the young woman was caught up in the world of rock ‘n’ roll and lost to it, and the men who played it. I can see where she lost herself, and tolerated a great deal more than someone with what she had to offer should have. When George Harrison started to lose interest, and she was courted by Eric Clapton, she could see that Eric was an alcoholic. Yet she succumbed to his romantic advances, when instead, she should’ve simply left Harrison and decided whether or not her marriage should’ve continued.
This is a book worth reading if you’re interested in the life of the rich and famous, but don’t expect to read about joyful and wonderful things. The rich and famous suffer, sadness and setbacks, the same as everybody else, and in fact possibly more. This was a five star read, but not the romance I expected. Pattie was ultimately just another woman in the shadows of the men she lived with.
June 20, 2009
I read this book in about 3 days. It was a simple read, but it was badly written. I felt as though I was reading a high school biography report. She has a great story and a really wonderful life, but the way she wrote about it was so sporadic and random. After I had finished reading it, I thought about it and it really was just a terrible book. Her pictures were cool and every couple of paragraphs I liked but for the most part I just didn’t enjoy it. I finished it only to find out how she spent the rest of her life, which wasn’t anything great. I read Pamela Des Barres book I'm With The Band, and that was a great book. She just has a talent for writing that unfortunately Boyd doesn’t have. They both have similar stories and I am always intrigued at women who become muses. I am a music junky so I like to read about musicians and it was cool to read the other side of the stories from the muses, the girls they write there lovely songs about.
May 18, 2010
2010 book club read - this was a bad book written by a lazy person. This was obviously only published because the "author" boinked George Harrison and Eric Clapton. It was great fodder for a fabulous book club discussion though!
July 21, 2019
This book should have been titled "Diary of Spoiled Brat." It is horrendously bad. I have been wanting to finish reading it just so I can rant and rave and then move on with my life whilst warning others of it. Brace yourself for an epic rant.
The title makes the reader believe there will be some insight into the personalities and lives of these famous people - George, Eric, etc - but really it's just a giant list of 'crap famous people bought me.' The name-dropping is relentless, and in case you missed it, she has compiled a massive list at the back of the book so you can 'ooh' and 'aaah' again. *insert eyeroll*
Worse than the name-dropping is the never ending description of every feature and stick of furniture in each house she moved herself into. If anything wasn't described as 'huge' or 'enormous' or even 'big, big' then it wasn't worth mentioning. This is a person who is completely blinded by money. Sure, there was a scary confrontation with angry fans, but at least I got a pretty ring! Yes, my marriage is failing but at least I can distract myself by travelling here and here and here and here. The poverty in India was so overwhelming, but can you believe there was no one there to carry our bags when we got there? We had to carry them ourselves! Gaasp!
At some point, I kept expecting Pattie to reach a moment of realization where she thinks, "They never really loved me. They were deeply addicted, troubled and narcissistic and simply enjoyed controlling me." But she never actually reaches this moment. Instead, she credits herself with being their biggest influence or 'muse.' Puh-lease. The so-called love letters were just textbook manipulation, especially the part where Eric promises she can spend as much money as she likes if she visits him in hospital. (So, of course, she goes)
Her sense of entitlement is infuriating. She never seemed to contribute to the careers of the men she married, but she still seemed to think she was owed something. Like when she stamped her feet for a cottage after she'd already left Eric. (Because the two-bedroom flat she already had was just so beneath her). She whines about being so down and out after leaving Eric, complaining about her account being in overdraft. Well then how are you still taking cooking and photography courses and travelling all over the world with friends? There are too many contradictions in this book to list.
I think one laugh-out-loud part was when she refuses to give her sister money because she will simply spend it on drugs and alcohol. Umm, isn't that was she was doing during this entire book?
Okay, rant over.
The title makes the reader believe there will be some insight into the personalities and lives of these famous people - George, Eric, etc - but really it's just a giant list of 'crap famous people bought me.' The name-dropping is relentless, and in case you missed it, she has compiled a massive list at the back of the book so you can 'ooh' and 'aaah' again. *insert eyeroll*
Worse than the name-dropping is the never ending description of every feature and stick of furniture in each house she moved herself into. If anything wasn't described as 'huge' or 'enormous' or even 'big, big' then it wasn't worth mentioning. This is a person who is completely blinded by money. Sure, there was a scary confrontation with angry fans, but at least I got a pretty ring! Yes, my marriage is failing but at least I can distract myself by travelling here and here and here and here. The poverty in India was so overwhelming, but can you believe there was no one there to carry our bags when we got there? We had to carry them ourselves! Gaasp!
At some point, I kept expecting Pattie to reach a moment of realization where she thinks, "They never really loved me. They were deeply addicted, troubled and narcissistic and simply enjoyed controlling me." But she never actually reaches this moment. Instead, she credits herself with being their biggest influence or 'muse.' Puh-lease. The so-called love letters were just textbook manipulation, especially the part where Eric promises she can spend as much money as she likes if she visits him in hospital. (So, of course, she goes)
Her sense of entitlement is infuriating. She never seemed to contribute to the careers of the men she married, but she still seemed to think she was owed something. Like when she stamped her feet for a cottage after she'd already left Eric. (Because the two-bedroom flat she already had was just so beneath her). She whines about being so down and out after leaving Eric, complaining about her account being in overdraft. Well then how are you still taking cooking and photography courses and travelling all over the world with friends? There are too many contradictions in this book to list.
I think one laugh-out-loud part was when she refuses to give her sister money because she will simply spend it on drugs and alcohol. Umm, isn't that was she was doing during this entire book?
Okay, rant over.
January 6, 2008
Pattie Boyd's book is an interesting read if you are in the mood to be a fly on the wall... I learned that the Beatles were a bunch of babies, Eric Clapton was a drunken egomaniacal over-sexed fool, and it was really no fun being married to a rock star (or several rock stars!). I did enjoy the love letters that "e" wrote to "layla"...very passionate (even if they did not contain capital letters). And it was even more romantic how he would write them on torn pages from books (Of Mice and Men)..."i have listened to the wind...if you don't want me, please break the spell that binds me...". I even liked Pattie's "moons full of love". I think in a way we are all interested in Pattie's story. This one woman was such a force in the lives of some very famous musicians. She was the inspiration for so many of our love songs. George Harrison wrote "Something" for her and Eric Clapton wrote "Layla", "Old Love", "Bell Bottom Girl" and many others. Ron Wood even wrote songs for her. Now, I'll have to read Eric Clapton's side of the story...
December 31, 2017
Oh how I remember this book! The pictures were great and the story was interesting. It's been years since I read it but I will always remember the cover and Pattie Boyd. This was a very enjoyable book for me but it was by no means the best memoir I've ever read. Still it is definitely worth a read for any Beatles fan, Eric Clapton fan, or someone interested in what it took to be a model back in the 60s and 70s. Many of Boyd's claims are disputed still but I still enjoyed the ride that I took when I read it. I'll read again for sure but until then it'll remain a 3.75 rating.
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