The Despair Of Monkeys And Other Trifles: A Memoir by Francoise Hardy

"I was for a very long time passionately in love with her, as I'm sure she's guessed. Every male in the world, and a number of females also were, and we all still are," wrote David Bowie, perfectly capturing the widespread adoration for Françoise Hardy. Malcolm McLaren echoed this sentiment, noting, "Françoise was the ultimate pin-up of most hip bedroom walls, and I know for a fact that Brian Jones and Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and many other pop stars were desperately interested in having Françoise Hardy become their girlfriend in some way."

Françoise Hardy is best known across Europe as the originator of the famed Yé-Yé sound in pop music, a genre that sparked a significant cultural scene in the early 1960s. Her teenage success rapidly expanded as she became a much-photographed fashion model and actress. Adored for her shy beauty and deeply emotional songwriting, she achieved hit songs in French, Italian, and German. In The Despair of Monkeys and Other Trifles, she lays bare her soul, offering a truthful account of her relationships, fears, and triumphs, alongside the hard-earned wisdom gleaned from a life richly lived.

This unusually titled memoir has already sold millions of copies in its French, German, Italian, and Spanish editions in recent years. This first English-language release benefits from the expert translation of Jon E. Graham. The book also features numerous images alongside Hardy's intimate recollections of her upbringing and her remarkable career. It promises to be a captivating read for anyone intrigued by the music and cultural landscape of the 1960s and the enduring allure of Françoise Hardy.