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Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved | 
| Author: Chris O'Dell
Creator: Katherine Ketcham
Publisher: Touchstone
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
Buy New: $15.84
as of 2/9/2010 18:01 EST details
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New (37) Used (14) from $13.85
Seller: resque_me_books_n_more
Rating:  64 reviews
Sales Rank: 59931
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2
ISBN: 1416590935
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.42166092
EAN: 9781416590934
ASIN: 1416590935
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9781416590934 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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Product Description
CHRIS O'DELL WASN'T FAMOUS. SHE WASN'T EVEN ALMOST FAMOUS. BUT SHE WAS THERE. She was in the studio when the Beatles recorded The White Album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be, and when Paul recorded "Hey Jude," she sang in the chorus. She was at Ringo's kitchen table when George Harrison said, "You know, Ringo, I'm in love with your wife." And Ringo replied, "Better you than someone we don't know." She typed the lyrics to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. She lived with George and Pattie Boyd at Friar Park, developed a crush on Eric Clapton, and unwittingly got involved in the famous love story between Eric and Pattie. She's the subject of Leon Russell's "Pisces Apple Lady," a song he wrote to woo her. Other rock legends with whom she was intimate include Ringo, Mick Jagger, and Bob Dylan. She worked with the Rolling Stones as their personal assistant on their infamous 1972 tour and did a drug run for Keith Richards. She's "the woman down the hall" in Joni Mitchell's song "Coyote" about a love triangle on Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour. She's the "mystery woman" pictured on the back of the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main Street. She's the "Miss O'Dell" of George Harrison's song about her. Miss O'Dell is the remarkable story of an ordinary woman who lived the dream of millions -- to be part of rock royalty's trusted inner circle. Illustrated with private photographs and jam-packed with intimate anecdotes, Miss O'Dell is a backstage pass to some of the most momentous events in rock history.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 64
 MISS ODELL WAS IN THE INCROWD January 15, 2010
James L. Woolridge (Sunny Florida)
I am almost ready to give the book two stars but I have to admit I read it throughly and enjoyed parts of it from time to time. But over all is is a book that is so lacking; lacking it details, lacking in editing, lacking in writing. Again some of the little stories are interesting, but not enough. She was friends with or worked for every one it seems, the Beatles and in individuals in the Beatles, Eric Clapton, the Stones, CSNY, Santana, Bob Dylan and more, heck they wrote songs about her. I hope the ones still around don't mind her dropping all the drug info on them. I call this a batroom book. Set it there, pick it up to help kill the time. Not horrible, not good, not literature.
 A name dropping, do nothing autobiography... January 14, 2010
Chris B (Seattle, WA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Chris O'Dell has managed the improbable: She's made The Beatles boring.
She was there when Apple Records imploded. She was there when George Harrison worked on his first solo album. She was on the roof for the Let It Be concert. For a steady stream of momentous events in rock and roll history, Chris O'Dell was present to witness amazing things.
It's just a pity she didn't actually do anything. That would have been a fascinating story. Instead, we have the story of the temp on the Titanic: incredible events rendered banal by someone who was, essentially, a bystander in the typing pool who was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to watch. It isn't long before the poor prose takes on the tone of a name dropping boor at a party, talking about the time when she met Mick and Paul and Leo and oh did you hear about Eric and on and on!
In the end, I found myself wondering what it must be like to have so little to show for a life but a series of anecdotes about being in the proximity of fame. She didn't write, compose, document, photograph, or participate in any direct way with what was going on. She was just nearby, an infrequent muse and occasionally just inside the frame.
I'm sure it was exciting and fulfilling and an incredible thrill ride, but it makes for an awfully tedious story.
 A Witness to Music History and a Rock N' Roll Soap Opera! January 7, 2010
Kenneth M. Gelwasser (Hollywood, Fl USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In her autobiography, "Miss O'Dell: My Hard days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved", Chris O'Dell actually did what many classic rock fans can only dream about. She worked for and even became a trusted friend of some of the most iconic rock stars of the 1960's and '70's.
Chris O'Dell describes in the book how she did this with a lot hard work, chuzpa, the right personality and a little luck of being in the right place at the right time. Over the years, Chris would in some form or capacity work as either a personal assistant or a tour manager for what can only be described as Rock n' Roll royalty. The list includes the Beatles,The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, CSNY, Santana, Eric Clapton, Derek & the Dominos, ETC, ETC. Her many clients over the years seems to go on and on.
This book is a breezy read, that is interesting on three counts. One, it gives you a good description about, what is was like to be part of these major rock tours. Chris goes into detail about what life on the road was like in the hard partying '70s. This includes detailed descriptions of touring with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan's 'Rolling Thunder Review' and even the infamous 1974 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reunion tour. She really puts you on the road with a huge cast of famous folks, showing them at both their best and at their worst.
Second, not only did Chris work for these people, but in many instances, she became a trusted friend in this elite crowd of the rich & famous. In particular, she goes to great length in describing her close friendships with George Harrison & his wife, Pattie and Ringo Starr & his wife, Maureen. Chris was a witness (and even a participant) in the events that lead to both of these women to eventually divorce their famous husbands. Chris describes in detail the lifestyle of these people and all the soap opera-like drama, that went with it. She really takes you into their lives.
Finally, this book is so interesting, because Chris O'Dell had a front row seat to many events, which are considered Rock N' Roll history. She was there for much of the life of the Beatles' Apple Records. Chris gives us the the inside scoop of what it was like to work for Apple. She also hung out at many of the Beatles' later recording sessions. This includes the Beatles' famous, historic, roof top concert featured in the film, "Let It Be". This was the last time John, Paul, George and Ringo would ever play live together as the Beatles. Other major events detailed include George Harrison's 'Concert For Bangladesh' and the recording of the Stones' classic album, "Exile On Main Street". Man, what a lucky gal to have been part of all of that!
In the end "Miss O'Dell" is wonderful read that takes you inside the world of some of the great rock icons of the '60's & '70s. If you are a classic rock fan then you will eat this stuff up! I really loved this book!
Well-written and engrossing January 3, 2010
Tired Mom of Two (Eastern Seaboard)
I bought this as some light entertainment after finishing a heavy and depressing book. I am interested in the 60s rock scene and thought it would be a fun read -- and it was. I liked the book, thought the writing excellent and found myself not wanting to put it down. I like the fact that she was brutally honest about her drug use, but not exploitative about her sexual adventures with famous men. It didn't cross the line, yet still told me a lot about the people I've been interested in for years. I disagree with reviewers who didn't like her lifestyle -- that has nothing to do with whether the book is any good or not. And I don't think she was asking for anyone's approval, just putting it out there and telling it like it was for her.
Her coauthor did a terrific job of keeping Miss O'Dell's voice and not once did I consider skipping a section because it was boring. It wasn't EVER boring. Fascinating, good read and worth the price -- this book was like having a little secret stash of chocolate. Excellent job, Miss O'Dell.
Tedious reading December 31, 2009
Mariane Matera (Richmond, VA USA)
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
The author and her co-writer together don't know how to write, and the co-author is supposed to have experience. This book is so full of mundane details and conversations, it's downright tedious. It seems the whole story is people walking in and out of houses and hotel rooms and saying "hello," "how are you," "what are you doing here." All the small talk could easily have been edited out. This is not fiction. This is not a play or a movie. You don't recreate entire conversations in non-fiction unless you taped it and it's an actual transcript, and even then you edit out the small talk, the greetings, the head nods. All the characters talk in O'Dell's voice, their words recreated as remembered by O'Dell, so of course you don't really get a sense of who they are or what they were like. It's just a world of O'Dell playing all these characters. That's not how you write non-fiction. If I had been her co-writer, I would have approached her story an entirely different way, advancing the plot through who did what when, not then he said, then she said, then he said when most of that is bound to have been made up anyway.
I'm still confused about what qualified O'Dell to enter this drug-addled rock world in the first place, how she managed to get so close and stay so close without being a groupie (although she did sleep with some of the musicians and some of the crew) nor a valuable associate (although she was strangely trusted to make plane and hotel reservations for tours.) Somehow she didn't possess the magical quality to romantically enchant any of the rock stars, even though she looks similar to Linda Eastman and Patti Boyd. What did Linda and Pattie have that Chris didn't? I think probably a strong sense of self. This woman was a gopher and a toady. She hung out and scored a lot of free hotel rooms and plane fares and vacations in exchange for being the person who drives to the next town to get the drugs.
I had to speed read through most of it, just to slog through. And I have never seen such a poor collection of photographs. No one who was ever in the room with her had the ability to hold still and focus the camera. The photos in the book are for the most part blurry and overexposed.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 64
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