This definitive biography sheds new light on the phenomenon that was Edith Piaf, enlarging on and, in some cases, correcting the half-truths provided by Piaf in her two autobiographies. Piaf's rise to international stardom, her lifelong addiction to alcohol and heroin, and her turbulent love affairs are documented, as are her friendships with such stars as Jean Cocteau, Marlene Dietrich, Maurice Chevalier, Yves Montand, and Charlie Chaplin. This detailed account concludes with a moving description of Piaf's early death at the age of 47, when some two million fans followed the funeral procession through the streets of Paris to Pere Lachaise cemetery. "Expertly separates the woman from the myth, giving full weight to both the novelettish aspects of her life and to the intelligence and musicality that made her France's greatest popular singer."--The Independent.