Engelbert: What's in a Name?: My Autobiography

What a tale Engelbert has to tell, and how entertaining is the way he tells it; it's been a life full of twists and turns, and he writes it all, with all the bumps and bruises along the way.From his childhood in Madras, India, where he lived through the violence of pre-Independence terrorism, to the many hardships of trying to make it as a singer, which were made that much tougher by the ever-present "couch-casting" that went on, a form of getting ahead that he would not participate in...and its prevalence explains why many of the untalented seem to "make it", if only for a season, while some of the really gifted have a rough time getting noticed.Engelbert's rise to stardom was meteoric, with the single song of "Release Me" in 1967, and he went from living in a sparsely furnished flat into the lap of luxury, and all the pitfalls that come with fame and fortune.Through it all, he has had Patricia, or Popea, as he calls her, with him since the early days. Beautiful as well as intelligent and strong, she's been the one that has kept the family of 3 boys and one girl (the stunning and talented Louise Dorsey) together, and "stood by her man" through thick and thin. Popea writes a portion of Chapter Fifteen with gritty honesty, and explains how, and why, she withstood the many women, the paternity suits, and all the paparazzi that hounded them through those many years of notoriety.The women, as Engelbert explains, were an "occupational hazard", certainly not helped by his years of lonely nights and hard drinking on the road, and the many females who would make themselves exceedingly available.Engelbert comes off as an extremely complex individual, but very likeable. A perfectionist in his work, living life to the fullest, and discovering in his later years that he has the gift of healing; this assertion I believe, as I find that the sound of his voice can have curative effects.There are portions that are laugh-out-loud funny (like the UFO story in Chapter Seventeen), and adding to the charm of his writing style is some of the "Brit-speak" slang, with expressions like the now rarely heard "grotty" (a favorite word of mine coined by George Harrison in the '60s).The book has two sections of photographs, from the age of 17 on. Favorites of mine are the one with Muhammad Ali, and a lovely family shot taken by the pool in one of their USA homes, affectionately named "The Pink Palace".The final 12 pages are devoted to a UK discography, and include chart positions.This is fast reading, and riveting, so walk the dog, feed the cat, turn off the telephone, and make yourself a big cuppa, because once you open this book, its going to be very hard to put down.

I write this book review not just as one who has read the book, but as a longtime fan of its subject, Engelbert Humperdinck. Like every great performer, in every performance Engelbert achieves two things that lesser talents cannot. First he provides a performance that doesn’t just not disappoint, it satisfies the audience way beyond its high expectations. Second, in its conclusion it leaves said audience ravenous for more. That was true of every concert and recording of Engelbert’s that I’ve experienced, and it‘s just as true of his autobiography.For those who are not fans, the book is still a worthwhile read. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Engelbert didn’t shoot to fame on a continuously rising trajectory. He was in the music business for ten years before he became a star. Early on, when he still went by the name Gerry Dorsey, his career peaked when he got a regular gig on a UK television show. Then it nosedived and at one point he was literally on his knees cleaning up the mess of a nasty band leader because he was that desperate for a paying gig. So he was pretty much at the point of giving up and getting a “real job” when fate finally turned in his favor.The first half of the book, which covers his youth and rise to stardom, follows along chronologically. The second half, which covers his years as a star, is anecdotal. The shift works because those latter years really do blend together. So it makes more sense to cover them by topic rather than by time line.There are holes in this bio. Engelbert acknowledges as much in the epilogue. Even so there’s more than enough there to make his book worth your time and money.

As a fan of Engelbert Humperdick, I was surprised at his openness. It is very rare for on entertainer to reveal the warts as well as the good. He truly had a rags to riches story to tell and could have left it at that, but he chose to tell about the affairs he had on the road, and how they affected his wife. Allowing his wife to write the section about how it affected her and how she handled it was something no entertain does. He didn't have to even mention it or have her write that section as his private life is no one's business. That is between he and his wife.I have been to his concerts, and he always puts on a fantastic show. His voice is exceptional and most singers would give anything to have his range and power. I don't condone his "bad behavior," but it seems he and his wife came through it and have a better marriage because of it. A superb singer and entertainer, and I enjoyed reading about his rise in the entertainment field as only he could write it. Thanks, Engelbert!

A history of Dr. Dorsey's life that includes photographs and a few pages by his late wife, Patricia.

When I started to read this book I thought it just going to be what their life is about. Exactly! I'm a fan of Engelbert always have been. Wow I was surprise to read about how shy he really is. With all the years and shows he has performed. You figure he just not that way. Their are a lot of surprises reading about his life. I'm not going to get in details about what I read. Poetry!!! I will tell you I felt it was a well written and told from his heart. Matter of fact, I read it again just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Worth the cost and very enjoyable.

I’ve read a few autobiographies over the years and found they’re usually more humble or matter-of-fact. Somehow this struck me as pretentious and a little arrogant. For me, just not an enjoyable read.

I am thoroughly enjoying this book.Englebert is letting it all out—the good and the bad plus his intense emotions.I laughed so hard in different parts.I haven' t finished it yet. It cost $29.00 AND TOOK SIX WEEKS TO COME FROM IRELAND..but so far it was worth the wait and money.

This is a great read about the life and show biz part of Engelbert's life.

一言で、エンゲルベルトのファンにはたまらない一冊です！日本では50代以上ならおなじみの、イギリスが生んだセクシーな超人気男性歌手、エンゲルベルト・フンパーディンクの自叙伝です。これまであまり公開されていなかった過去の秘話を含め、その生い立ちからはじまり、20代後半になってやっとアメリカで爆発的に売れ始めるまで、そして、超大人気スターになった後の苦悩など、エンゲルベルトが69歳を迎えた今年になって初めて明かすエピソードが満載です。ユーモアあり、コンサートでもおなじみの彼独特の自虐ネタあり、また感動的なエピソードでこちらが思わず涙が出てしまう瞬間あり、また、36枚もの白黒・カラー写真もありで、もちろん辞書と首っ引きで、時間が経つもの忘れて一気に読んでしまいました。どんなに売れても失われないエンゲルベルトの謙虚さ、そして売れない時代から共に苦労をわけあってきた奥様Popeaの偉さにも敬服しました。

My mom loved it , lots of details of his life she didn’t know . Great gift for any longtime fan

I liked the whole book. Amazing stories. I've recommended it to all my friends and family. I'm about to read it again.