Nine Eight Books lands memoir from soul legend P P Arnold

Nine Eight Books, the music imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired the “compelling and pertinent memoir” from 1960s soul legend P P Arnold. 

Pete Selby, publishing director, acquired world rights from Heather Taylor at Redfire Music. Soul Survivor: The Autobiography will be published in hardback, audio and e-book in June 2022. 

Selby said: "Someone who is truly befitting of the title 'legendary', Pat [P P Arnold] has led an astonishing life — one of incredible highs and shocking lows — but throughout it all she just happens to have gifted her remarkable voice to some of the greatest records of the past 60 years. I can't wait for everyone to read this book and fall in love with Pat in the way that we have at Nine Eight."

Sharing her story for the first time, Arnold delves into the beginnings of her music career from supporting the Rolling Stones to leading a five-decade career working with everyone from Jagger, Rod Stewart, the Small Faces, Eric Clapton and Nick Drake. 

As well as her professional career, Soul Survivor is set to look at Arnold’s personal life and the “string of personal traumas” she endured “including physical abuse from her husband, sexual abuse at the hands of her one-time musical mentor and, later, the tragic loss of her young daughter in a road accident”. 

Arnold said: “It’s been a long time coming and I hope you enjoy my journey down memory lane.”