Piece Of My Heart

Model, writer and activist, Penelope Tree is the ultimate Sixties It girl. she was discovered at the age of 13 by the photographer Diane Arbus and became an overnight sensation after an appearance at Truman Capote's Black and White Ball. A career in modelling followed - as David Bailey's muse, Penelope appeared on the cover of Vogue and travelled around the world. Still in demand as a model today - most recently appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair - Penelope is also a practicing Buddhist and charitable ambassador. She has two adult children and splits her time between Sussex and London.

"Piece Of My Heart shows both sides of the fashion world - the highs and the lows - told by a true 60s icon - I loved it." - Kate Moss "It had me intrigued, then gripped, then up 'till the early hours desperate to follow Ariadne's journey. Beautifully written, wise, funny and all so true." - Esther Freud, author of Hideous Kinky "Set against the backdrop of the worlds of fashion and pop, from Swinging London to the Paris of the evenements, from New York to Kathmandu, Piece of My Heart is a vivid, compelling and beautifully written roman a clef about the dreams and excesses of the 60s, and of a love lost and a life found, written by one of the most fascinating figures of the era." - Mick Brown, The Daily Telegraph"Atmospheric, elegantly written and also totally gripping." - Hadley Freeman, The Sunday Times"A triumph of skill and determination." - Alexandra Shulman, Mail on Sunday "Mesmerising." - Daily Mail"Penelope Tree's assured debut novel artfully interweaves elements of an extraordinary life with a cast of sharply observed fictional characters. I devoured it in a sitting and felt as though I'd been swept off on a magic carpet. Truth, as we learn from one of the most celebrated models of all time, is always stranger than fact." - Miranda Seymour, author of I Used To Live Here Once"Where Hideous Kinky meets Daisy Jones & the Six, Tree's autobiographical debut novel is a poignant tale that peels back the glamorous facade of the fashion industry to reveal the harsh realities lurking underneath. Piece Of My Heart is a must-read for anyone intrigued by the glitz and glamour of the swinging sixties, offering an intimate glimpse into a bygone era of fame and excess." - Fabric Magazine"Penelope Tree paints a vivid picture of one woman's extraordinary life from a childhood marred by maternal neglect through to a life of dazzling fame, glamour and success and back out the other side. I read this book in one sitting. It's a triumph." - Jasper Conran"Penelope's words are completely immersive, transporting you instantly to the magical moment." - Manolo Blahnik"One of the summer's hottest reads." - The Irish Times"Tree creates a fizzing world of new characters and scenarios, rollicking across London, New York and Nepal. It captures the glamour of the '60s, while revealing what it was really like at that time with gritty realism. Regardless of what is fact and what is fiction, Tree's debut is captivating - a cracking read you'll race through." - Daily Express"A gripping tale by the ultimate 60s It Girl." - Best Magazine"Book of the month... A whirlwind trip back in time to the Swinging London." - Saga Magazine