Wonderful Tonight

George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me

By: Pattie Boyd, Penny Junor

Narrated by: Pattie Boyd

Length: 1 hr and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2007 Pattie Boyd (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[T]he appeal of Wonderful Tonight is as self-evident as the seemingly simple but brash opening chord of 'A Hard Day’s Night'… a charming, lively and seductive book, and like all good memoirs it also works as a cultural history… The prose is clear and unpretentious, and although she writes candidly about the pain her husbands ’ infidelities caused her…this isn’t a bitter tell-all. There’s an aura of sweetness around Boyd’s approach."—New York Times Book Review

“A scrumptious memoir…There is exactly one big question for Ms. Boyd to answer here: What made her leave Mr. Harrison for Mr. Clapton, her husband’s close friend? To its credit the book answers that question plausibly and fully.” —The New York Times

"They say if you can remember the '60s, you weren't really there. Well, Pattie Boyd was there, and she remembers it all." Wonderful Tonight "is a unique gospel of a turbulent time by someone who was in the very eye of the rock 'n' roll hurricane." —Sydney Morning Herald

An absolute gem!

What a treat to hear Pattie tell her story with her own voice! Pattie does a wonderful job at telling her amazing life-story. While a lot of her story is sad, much of it is extraordinary and joyful. Who would not want to be her? My only complaint is that I wish it were not abridged.

Good but was hoping for more

Content is, of course, amazing but it read more like a history text book. I was hoping for more emotion and color.

Great story

I enjoyed this book very much. Her side of the story told by the muse herself was refreshing, interesting and romantic, and crude and harsh as well.

patties voice

Absolutely loved the story , love rock &roll history. thank you Pattie. you had an making life with icons.

Pattie's loving-kindness

I liked hearing more about Pattie's family and hearing her side of a story we've been reminded of for most of our lives. I was brought to tears several times and lump in my throat. I simply cannot fathom why such a wonderful woman put up with such disrespect, and I'm grateful she has found peace.

best bio I've ever read

Patti had an amazing life before she ever met her rock star husband's. for any boomer fan of the Beatles, Clapton, etc. it's an amazing inside peek at your idles. it's also a story for any woman whose had her heart broken. bravo.

Recommend

Good book. Whether or not you are a Beatles fan, I would recommend this one.

Not a dull moment

An absolutely thrilling journey into a life of happiness , sorrow and success and failure of someone who happened to marry George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

Pattie, PLEASE, write more!!

If I hadn't scrolled to the book title while listening, at times, I thought I accidentally selected an Eric Clapton biography!! I get she wrote/mentioned whom she chose to, but is it just me who yawns when reading/listening about micro detail on the interior decorating the last place she and George shared, kinda boring...
I mean that, as Ringo has said, "...With peace and love,..."
I'm still wanting to know more about this wonderful human being!! Straight up, Patttie, I am taking notes, what is it about you, how you "Woo," not just one, but two talented/successful, etc artists?? What are the magical things that make you such an amazing woman, who's love felt so wonderful to these two men the inspiration they wanted to share with the world?? How many woman can say such beautiful creativity exists about them?? Every woman admires you Pattie, hope there is many more follow up books (haven't checked if there is, I was asked to review right after book ended), as I will gladly buy them. Thanks for sharing!!

Need the Unabridged Version, maybe narrated by a professional

Loved it, just too short. Pattie was fine as a narrator, but a professional could have brought more life and emotion to the story.