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Engelbert- What's In a Name: The Autobiography

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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.

after being an engelbert humperdinck fan for close to 40 years/i thought nothing could top everything the greatest singer in the world could do.i was wrong.this authorized autobiography of humperdinck is a must read for humperdinck fans everywhere.and for the man who has the largest fan club in the world.they are everywhere.too interesting and indebt to get into any certain chapters.all i will say.is that once you pick it up you wont be saying release me anytime soon.
jack major.providence journal buelltin.

I received my book, Engelbert: "What's In a Name?" the autobiography
WOW ! I've been a fan of Engelbert for many years, collecting his records, cassettes, CD's, and videos.
NOW a book !! It is very interesting, and makes me like the fella that much more. After realizing he went through some pretty tough times to get to where he is.
I'd very much recommend the book to any and all of his fans.
Thanks, once again, Engelbert for entertaining us, in yet another way,... by way of your book. We love you! Midwest fans USA

i truly enjoyed reading this book. I have been a fan for 26 years and it was enjoyable to read about his life.
The book was a quick read and as entertaining as going to his show. my favorite chapter was where his wife wrote her feelings. I took alot away from that. That is what love is about!!
read this book and enjoy!

After discovering what a great vocalist Engelbert is, i then wanted to study his life but this biography leaves a lot to be desired. He did not go into details about key moments throughout his life and it seems he is holding back something through the whole book. His infidelities were handled with a surgeons glove, which is fine if he is protecting those closest to him and the guilty ones involved but his life with his showbiz friends and insights to his world were full of shadowy figures and leaves us in the dark most of the book. I'd love to have read about his spirituality and his innermost thoughts on how he sings the way he does would have been a start. If this is a "revealing" biography he forgot to be revealing. He is still one of the greatest vocalists to ever sing.

It didnt take long to read this book..couldnt put it down. Totally surprised at what I read and I give Kudos to Mrs. EH! I liked the frankness about everything without all the details! Engelbert held nothing back he didnt want to and Im glad he is still with his family! He still has a beautiful gift and should thank God for watching over him and his family! I still say he can sing better than any other ever!!

I read Engelbert's Biography and I found it very interesting. Many events in the book were stated with the up most honesty. Most biography's are written with only the good things the person wants you to know. Engelbert and his wife tell you his story just as it was. I have never read a book in just 2days,but I couldn't put the book down. I am a great fan of Engelbert for over 30yrs and I'm sure anyone who reads this book will enjoy it.

I was sure this book would be interesting...but it went way beyond anything I could have imagined. It was poignant, honesty..incredibly honest..I can't believe there were were several chapters where I couldn't see beyond my tears. I am so glad I got this book..it is a very deep look...and I'd love to sit down with him and be his friend! Thank you, Englebert, for letting us inside your heart.

Honest and self deprecating are just two descriptions of this performer's life story. No excuses or distortions of his peccadilloes on the road or his love for his family against a backdrop of the struggle for success. A wonderful read for the fan and a lesson for all upcoming performers.

There has never been a truly great entertainer like Engelbert Humperdinck. This book is wonderful!