Customer Reviews

Dream a Little Dream of Me: The Life of Cass Elliot

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I bought this book online and received it in the afternoon mail. I literally read it non-stop until I fell asleep later that night, and then finished it the following day.

Author Eddi Fiegel has done an admirable job in making Cass Elliot come to life in this long overdue biography of the beloved entertainer. But the fact such a biography took so long to materialize has added to the insight and perspective that only time can bring.

I was only nine years old when Cass died, I'm nine years older now than she was when she died. I know now how YOUNG she was. She didn't really have the time to find herself before her death. Fiegel deftly uncovers the issues that Cass struggled with (being overweight, the drugs, wanting to be loved for herself) and creates a portrait of a woman in the process of figuring it all out.

Before she became Cass Elliot, she was Ellen Naomi Cohen. While many people assume stage names, you then have two separate (and sometimes disparate) identities: the public and the private self. Reading this book, I have no doubt that Cass would have integrated these two identities more effectively if she had the time.

David Crosby offered the author $100 if during her research she came across anyone who disliked Cass.Needless to say,she did not collect any reward.

Her reward is knowing she has done a worthy job in presenting the essence of Cass Elliot for readers touched by the singer's amazing talent and personality.

A must-read for anyone remotely interested in Cass,The Mamas and Papas and the West Coast music scene of the mid to late 60's

As a lifelong fan of the Mamas and the Papas, as well as Cass Elliot in her own right, I have often wondered if a biography dedicated to Cass's life would ever be produced. Happily, this book gives great insight into the life of this jovial entertainer. The good, the bad, and the ugly is all here -- so be forewarned. For true fans of this talented woman, this is a must-read!

For me, a good celebrity biography has several qualities: it makes me feel I know the person better, it feels credibly researched, and it makes me glad I am NOT that person.

This is a simply wonderful biography of a great, flawed, unfortunate, amazingly talented person.

...and by that I mean finding out what a serious drug user Cass was most of her life. We're talking heroin here, people, HEROIN. No, She wasn't in the same league with John Phillips, to be sure. Very few people reach that rarified atmosphere (read HIS book), and fewer still live to tell the story. But still... heroin usage throughout a large portion of her life, and on top of all the other drugs she dabbled with. Rather disconcerting, to say the least.

This knowledge does not modify in the slightest her achievements as an artist, but it is a good example of why one should always remember to separate that "artist" from the flesh-and-blood person. Which brings me to another point that I gleaned from this book: that she is the iconic figure she is today rather in spite of herself. She never really wanted to be in a rock or even a pop group. She wanted to the kind of singer she eventually became on the RCA albums, and especially the "Don't Call Me Mama Anymore" album. She wanted to be a Barbara Streisand or a Judy Garland. Whether she would ever have achieved that goal had she not crossed paths with John Phillips could be debated ad infinitum, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no, she would not have. Why? Because of the way she looked, of course. Her talent and spectacular voice would always have been overshadowed by that factor in the world she sought to be accepted in. It was the quirky, hippie, pop music world that allowed just enough of a foot in the door to force it the rest of the way open with her talent... a world she really didn't seek.

So while the Mamas and Papas would have been something very different without her, I believe Phillips still would have put together something in that same vein and had great success because his marvelous writing and formidable leadership just would not be denied for very long. On the other hand I don't think Cass' legacy would be as it is today had she not met John and become the main voice associated with those records.

As to the style of the book itself, I would tend to agree with reviewer from Publishers Weekly who described it as "slow and repetitive". I did not find it a "fast read" as one other reviewer did, but I still enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it. I much preferred this book to Michelle Phillips', which was just too slick and breezy.

A thorough, carefully researched biography of the infamous Mama Cass. Through interviews with Cass' family and friends, the author debunks the Ham Sandwich Myth which has been urban legend for years. If you want a detailed biography of this talented woman, this is a great one to start with. Cass never really wanted to be a folk-rock/pop singer; she was a Broadway Baby and her love was Broadway musicals. But without her, The Mamas & The Papas would not have had the success they did have in the 1960's, in my opinion. Her larger-than-life figure and personality, plus her knockout voice really made that group.

Wow...words cannot begin to describe this book! A very detailed, and well researched book about one of the greatest female singers ever to grace us with her beautiful voice and music! After reading this book I found myself lost and up in the clouds because I have never, ever been so into A book in all my life. I just wish I was old enough back then to have fully appreciated Cass, The Mamas and Papas, and the music explosion of incredible people, songs, and albums(I was born in 1968). I guess I will have to settle doing it now. I hope Cass knows somehow that she has so many fans who adore her to this day!! It's very sad to think that she's not here today to feel that warmth. Well, I'd like to think she does know, and is smiling at those fans who continue to be touched by her spirit, music, and humor. Some say Michelle was the "Pretty" one in the Mamas And Papas...I honestly have to say, nahhhh. Cass was as beautiful on the outside, and she was on the inside. The only thing I believe I would maybe tell her, if I had meet her back then...I wish, was to stop the drug use. After reading the book, I learned that she was making big steps to clean up that aspect of her life at the time of her death. The drug use would have turned me off for sure, but this was the mid-late 1960's. If you are A new Cass Elliot fan, purchase this book. You will learn so much about her life, and become even A bigger fan. If you are already A huge Cass fan, and don't own this book...you are doing yourself an in-justice. You will also learn new things like I did! Kudos to the author for an incredible treasure! We still miss you Cass!

My mom went to Forest Park High School in Baltimore. Cass Elliot went there also. There is a picture of her in my mom's yearbook, 1959....Who knew? Love you Cass, always have, always will!!!

Although some of what is written is inevitably speculation, this is a great book. Intelligent and detailed it also gives a great account of the times and an extremely incisive evaluation of those days compared to current days where real talent is rarely needed or displayed by continually moving momentary stars. Everybody wants to be a real somebody had very few actually are. Mainly it is all just acting.

Cass had an amazing and real voice which wasn't overtrained didn't rely on impressing with overuse of pyrotechnics and didn't need a pitch corrector to ensure she sang in tune.

Everything that you ever wanted to know about Cass Elliot is in this book. I highly suggest that you purchase it if you are a Mamas and Papas/Cass Elliot fan.