by Shep Gordon
First published 2016
Shep Gordon transforms from a timid Long Island kid with zero confidence into one of Hollywood's most connected insiders. His memoir chronicles a wild career managing superstars across music, film, and food. Gordon worked with Alice Cooper, Bette Davis, Jimi Hendrix, and Sylvester Stallone while pioneering the celebrity chef phenomenon with figures like Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. He befriended everyone from Groucho Marx to the Dalai Lama during his globe-spanning adventures. The book opens with colorful stories, including Janis Joplin punching him during their 1968 first encounter. Gordon built his reputation on kindness and charisma while orchestrating careers and throwing legendary parties. His tales span five decades of entertainment history, offering insider access to the music and movie industries. The manager reveals how he shaped modern celebrity culture while maintaining genuine relationships with the famous and powerful. Gordon delivers his stories with humor and honesty, showing how an unlikely kid became the ultimate Hollywood connector.
Genres: autobiography, non-fiction, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, food, film
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, humorous, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, rags-to-riches, unlikely-hero
Period: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
304 pages · Hardcover · Anthony Bourdain/Ecco