Serge Gainsbourg: A Fistful of Gitanes (New Expanded Edition)
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United For Opportunity is proud to release, for the first-time on ebook, a New Expanded Edition of Serge Gainsbourg: A Fistful of Gitanes by Sylvie Simmons, the award-winning rock writer and the New York Times Best-selling author of I’m Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen. Originally published in 2001, long out of print and never until now available digitally, A Fistful of Gitanes was the first biography in English to capture Gainsbourg in all his gleeful outrageousness and contradictions, and counted Gainsbourg’s longtime partner Jane Birkin and legendary novelist JG Ballard among its avid fans.
Simmons’s work will stand as the definitive take on a dizzying genius. This new edition, which includes an expanded discography, will be available digitally in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Japanese is available exclusively through Amazon.com.
First published in the UK by Helter Skelter, 2001
Other editions: US -Da Capo
Japan – Shinko Music
Spain – Serge Gainsbourg, La Biografia, Reservoir Books
Germany -Für eine Hand voll Gitanes, JSV
France – Pour une Poignée de Gitanes, Camion Blanc
Italy – Per un Pugno di Gitanes, Arcana
Brazil – Um Punhado de Gitanes, Barracuda
Netherlands – Serge Gainsbourg, Nijgh &Van Ditmar
Poland – Serge Gainsbourg – Wydawnictwo Marginesy
The long-awaited English biography of the man who made the best and most sampled, concept album of all time (Histoire De Melody Nelson), invented French reggae, punk and rap, fathered actress Charlotte Gainsbourg and told Whitney Houston, on live, prime-time French TV that he wanted to fuck her.
“I would recommend A Fistful of Gitanes, by Sylvie Simmons (Helter Skelter), which is a highly entertaining biography of the French singer-songwriter and all-round scallywag.” – JG Ballard
“An excellent piece of writing.” – Leonard Cohen
“Gitanes is a stone masterpiece!” – Stephen Davis (author, Hammer Of The Gods)
“A wonderful introduction to one of the most overlooked songwriters of the 20th century.” – The Times (Number 3, top music books of 2001)
“The most intriguing music-biz biography of the year.” – The Independent
“Sylvie Simmons (fluent Francophone) brings him to life and guides us through the subtleties. Her witty, finger-popping prose perfectly evokes her subject.” – MOJO
“Impeccably researched and eminently readable.” – The Guardian
“Fascinating and superbly written, this proffers insight and constant entertainment.” – Time Out
“This dizzying biog recounts the holy-fool highs and sad-bastard lows of the French cultural icon. Converts, will relish this ribald tale and newcomers will be correctly corrupted. Smoking!” – Uncut
“A riveting read.” – OK Magazine
“Exemplary, authoritative and compelling.” – Jockey Slut