
‘At the start of the war, I had been an anonymous six-year-old girl who loved playing in the mountain streams of Wales. By the end of it, I had become famous. And that fame never really stopped.’
Petula Clark has had a life, and career, like nobody else. She sang to wartime troops as a child star, became a leading British singer in the 1950s, evolved into a European musical icon and then conquered America with a string of hit records, beginning with ‘Downtown’. This international superstar of music, stage and screen has illuminated both major Hollywood movies and stage musicals.
Along the way, Petula has sung to US presidents, dined with Frank Sinatra and watched him pull out a gun, danced through fields with Fred Astaire, politely rebuffed Elvis Presley’s advances in Vegas and was one of thirteen maids of honour at Liza Minnelli and David Gest’s wedding… all dressed in black.
Yet, beyond the spotlight, Petula’s life has had its shadows. In this candid memoir, she speaks with moving honesty about a complicated childhood, a sometimes turbulent adolescence and a family life that wasn’t always as perfect as it appeared. She reveals how she mastered the art of pretending things were fine, even when they were not.
Why did John Lennon, at his legendary bed-in for peace with Yoko, ask ‘Is that you, Petula?’ The answer is just one of the many extraordinary stories in this honest, intimate and unforgettable autobiography. This is Petula Clark, a resilient, remarkable and utterly unique figure in popular culture, telling you her story, in her own words.
International availability - Europe and the United States.
We have resumed some European and US shipping in line with new EU GPSR regulations and recent changes to US tariffs. British Library Publications, including our subscriptions, are now available for order for customers across Europe and the United States.
We will continue rolling out our most popular products to these regions in stages. If you are browsing from Europe or the US, you can now see the products that are available for you to order.
We’re working hard to expand the offering, so the selection you see online will continue to grow as products are cleared for shipping.
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Our deliveries are now carbon neutral.
Timescale | ||
UK Standard* | £5.00 | 3 - 5 working days |
Please allow 7 working days from the time you place your order to contact us about undelivered orders.
*does not include custom prints or custom clothing.
Local pick up
Local pick up is free and allows you to buy online and collect your items from our shop in St. Pancras (London) or from Reception in Boston Spa.
London
Orders placed before 3pm will be ready to collect from noon the following day (including weekends). Please ensure you check our opening times before coming to collect.
Boston Spa
Orders placed before 3pm will be ready to collect between 2 - 4 working days, though this is usually quicker.
EU and Europe orders
Due to the new EU Regulation 2023/988 (GPSR), not all of our products will be available for you to order yet, we are working on rolling out a wider product range.
Order value | Under £25 | £25 - £50 | £50 - £100* | Over £100* | Timescale |
Airmail | £ 15 | £ 25 | £ 36 | £ 45 | Usually 2 - 4 weeks |
Rest of the World orders
Order value | Under £25 | £25 - £50 | £50 - £100* | Over £100* | Timescale |
Airmail | £ 20 | £ 30 | £ 40 | £ 50 | Usually 2 - 4 weeks |
International orders are shipped on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis. Import duties and taxes are payable by the customer upon delivery. Orders returned due to non-payment of duties will be refunded for the product cost only, less any shipping fees incurred.
For more detailed information click here