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Eric Clapton: The Autobiography [Hardcover]

Eric Clapton
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)

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Book Description

9 Oct 2007

Eric Clapton is far more than a rock star. Like Dylan and McCartney he is an icon and a living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records, played sell-out concerts all over the world and been central to the significant musical developments of his era. His guitar playing has seen him hailed as 'God'. Tracks such as Layla, Sunshine Of Your Love, Wonderful Tonight and Tears In Heaven have become anthems for generations of music fans. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography.

Eric was born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents. He never knew his father and until the age of nine believed his absentee mother to be his sister. In his teens his solace was the guitar and he soon became a cult hero in the club circuits of Britain. With the foundation of the world's first super group Cream in 1966 he became a world superstar.

But the rock star lifestyle has had a darker side. In more than forty years at the forefront of his profession he has twice survived near fatal addictions to drugs and alcohol, the death of his four-year-old son, the deaths of friends such as Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon, , the break-up of marriage and the disintegration of relationships with a succession of beautiful women.

These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. At the age of 62 Eric is now ready to tell his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.



Product details

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Century; Reprint edition (9 Oct 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1846051606
  • ISBN-13: 978-1846051609
  • Product Dimensions: 16 x 3.8 x 24.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 192,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

It is a pity more autobiograophers don't have Clapton's grounding in the blues. -- Sunday Times

An inspiring story of struggle, setback and redemption, The early chapters bring vividly alive the mood and music of the times, and the young Clapton cuts a deceptively sympathetic figure: an idealist, dedicated to maintaining the 'purity' of his music; modest about his talents, candid about his professional jealousies, his shyness, his sexual insecurities. -- Telegraph

Clapton relates what happened with painful honesty. In other rock stars, such plump contentment might seem hypocritical, even vulgar. But with Eric Clapton, you feel that a little comfort is the least he deserves. -- Mail on Sunday

Clapton reveals all in this unflinching confessional.
-- Independent

Clapton's book is a candid, almost confessional look back on a starry life. This is a compelling, down-to-earth document of the man behind the guitar-hero mask. -- Q

Eric Clapton has produced a gem of a rock memoir, in which he lays bare the painful roots of his music. Clapton speaks honestly and touchingly not only about the external course of his life but of what music has meant to him. That makes it much the best of this season's rock memoirs. Clapton delivers himself profoundly. It's extremely moving. -- Evening Standard

Eric Clapton: The Autobiography is nail-biting, white-knuckle stuff -- Tatler

His story is certainly deserving of telling. What sets this book apart is Clapton's sheer stature. His tale is frank, witty and engaging. Worth a read. -- News of the World

It's a raw and remarkable piece of self-exposure -- Daily Telegraph

This is an essential read -- Observer

Book Description

The legendary musician who defined rock in the 1960s and continues to astonish and delight a wide spectrum of music lovers tells, for the first time, the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty, and painfully honest autobiography.

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit disappointing 28 Dec 2007
Format:Hardcover
I have been listening to Cream - the live and long improvisations nearly every day for the better part of 40 years, saw them in 2005 at RAH and think Clapton is the best guitarist I have ever enjoyed listening to by a distance. I couldnt wait to read this. Alas, it was disappointing - both the book and, I am afraid, the man.
The characterisation of people in his life was very thin - he rarely describes in any detail the personalities of the people who have been or are important to him, says very little about his guitar playing genius - a huge omission in my view - how can someone be so brilliant at something and not discuss how he developed that talent to all us musically talentless people who have worshipped his playing for years?
On the man, all the drug and alcohol stuff - which granted is very frank - is reasonably interesting although hardly what distinguishes him from everyone else but reveals a seemingly rather weak and generally bemused personality who is incapable of confronting anything. Sadly, also, he never acknowledges his huge army of fans whose lives he has musically enriched so much and who have been so supportive for so many years. Niether does he ever discuss the huge wealth that his success has generated. This lot tends to leave the impression of a man who really has never lived in or experienced the real world. Perhaps he really is the reluctant flawed genius but you cannot have it all ways.
I will continue to enjoy his brilliance every day and despite the disappointment of this book, he would still be my top dinner companion - there is so much more he could have given us in this book.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Not very revealing. 9 Feb 2009
Format:Hardcover
Large parts of this book are already well known to anyone who is a fan, or even just reads the newspapers regularly. I was hoping for more of the kind of things that the papers don't talk about, like the music perhaps & how it was written & made etc. Whilst technical info may have been boring to a non musician it would have been a great read for those that are interested. And, it would have certainly been no more boring than the parts that were included such as Eric's love of fashion clothes,cars,bird shooting,designer watches,& houses etc. The wealthy entertaining types often have their indulgences but that is not (usually) how/why they became wealthy.
Don't get me wrong, I did find the read enjoyable but I expected more.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Eric Clapton: The Autobiography (Paperback) 1 Aug 2008
By Spider Monkey HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Eric Clapton finally writes his side of the story and an engrossing read it is too. In this book he writes pretty candidly about his life and career and you get a real feel for his struggles with addiction and his various relationships. Some parts of his life are glossed over, as is his prerogative in an autobiography, or not mentioned at all and for this reason I'd say this is a good complimentary biography to other, more in-depth books out there. The latter part of the book leaves you feeling more positive where he talks about his wife and children and his approach to life and music. It may have more impact when it is considered next to the first part of his life and the turmoil and struggles he seemed to go through. There are some excellent colour plates in this book, as well as additional black and white images to begin each chapter. You get a sense of loss when he talks about the various friends and musicians he has lost over the years, and his past is a veritable who's who list of top musicians and artists since the sixties. Overall this is a candid and interesting read and worth a look if you're a fan of his work.

Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars eric clapton
I have not finished reading it yet but am enjoying it so far.Drugs destroy so many lives. He is so lucky to come out the other side.
Published 2 days ago by Red
5.0 out of 5 stars Eric Clapton
I bought this for my son-in-law for his birthday as he loves autobiography's .He is really enjoying it, good service.
Published 4 days ago by Judith Giggins
2.0 out of 5 stars Lay down, Eric
I purchased the book for a penny and since I'm the kind of guy that reads sauce bottles, I recognised a few names and thought I'll give it a go. Read more
Published 21 days ago by B. L. Rudd
4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Eric Clapton: The Autobiography
Very interesting if you are interested in Eric's career, especially the early days.
It also gives an insight into his addictions to heroin and alcohol, and his remarkable... Read more
Published 1 month ago by paul newton
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Read
Learnt so much more about one of my all time heroes, really brings his music to life more so than before
Published 1 month ago by Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Clapton Fans
Very interesting book. Tells of the long road to fame, the good and bad times and all the other guitar greats he has played with
Published 2 months ago by J S Kimberley
4.0 out of 5 stars a must for a clapton-phile
the home photos were a nice touch to the book, bought as a present but no complaints so far! recommend
Published 2 months ago by Chris Bayliss
5.0 out of 5 stars Honest
Very honest version of his life style. A very good read.would thoroughly recommend it to all my friends & family
Published 3 months ago by Jeanmm
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
A great and in depth story of Eric Claptons life. Well worth a read right until the end if you are interested at all in the modern music world.
Published 4 months ago by chrislang
3.0 out of 5 stars I idealized Clapton before reading this book
It's been a while, since I read this book. But I still remember my disappointment with the human Eric Clapton after having read the book. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Richard Nielsen
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