Learn to Fly (Autobiography of a Spice Girl)

Author: [British] Victoria Beckham
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Chapter by Chapter with You
"Father, I’m being crushed!"
"No, you’re not, Victoria, I’m right behind you. I’ll take care of you."
I couldn’t see him. We were squeezed together in the crowd, so close. But I could feel his hand still on my shoulder. His hand, his voice were enough to stop me from screaming. He was still so calm, just like always. Unlike my mother, who was always nervous.
Someone asked me who I resembled, and I said, "My dad." But every time I was this frantic, I knew I was more like my mother.
The crowd shifted, pressing closer to me again. I needed space and air. I was pushed back and forth, my father behind me, me in the middle, the bodyguards in front. His frame was huge, and all I could see was his back, drenched in sweat. I could barely breathe.
Only one sound was louder than the roar of the crowd—my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. I had never felt worse than this before going on stage. I wasn’t wearing my glasses, so I was half-blind. But I could feel the dense crowd surging from my right ear, faces painted with makeup appearing from nowhere—red, white, blue.
A hand reached out and pushed my baseball cap, hitting me right in the eye. I trembled with fear.
I dedicate this book—my life story—to my family: Mom, Dad, Louise, and Christian. Over the past six years (to be honest, more like eighteen years), I’ve made your lives a mess. I don’t just mean that you’ve been afraid to leave the house. I’ve lived a hard life, and you’ve lived even harder—dealing with my changing personality, and your entire lives have been altered because of me.
When I won fame and the money that came with it, all you had besides pride was chaos in your lives. So writing Learn to Fly was an attempt to make all of this meaningful. I hope it gives readers some insight into the people who made this possible.
This happened in my life, but it also happened in yours. Maybe this book will help you understand that. Then there are my new family, who gave me more love and support than I ever dreamed of. Without David, I wouldn’t have dared to think anyone would be interested in my life story. He gave me the courage to write this book.
As for Brooklyn and Romeo, I can only say that they make me feel the true value and meaning of life every day. So this book is for you, my three boys: I love you deeply, and I’m incredibly proud of you. Brooklyn and Romeo, when you’re old enough to read this book, you’ll see that Mom and Dad were once really famous.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank everyone at Michael Joseph Publishing for making the writing process free of bitterness and healing my pain. They are Tom Wden, Lindsey Jordan, and Martin Bryant.
I also want to thank my agent at William Morris, Stephanie Cabot, and my friend who came up with the book title, Pacy.
Thank you to Aaron Edwards and Caroline McCauley at "Public Relations," for their constructive criticism—even though they kept bringing up memories I tried to forget.
Thank you to Lucy Barnicot for preserving all my press clippings (even the nasty ones).
Thank you to everyone at the Spice Girls HQ: Julie, Julia, Joe, and Jamie—especially Rebecca Kripes, who has been with the Spice Girls from the beginning and whose memory I constantly tap into. I can’t forget the woman who kept Victoria Beckham’s machine running: Nancy Phillips. She kept me grounded and made sure every task was completed on time. Nancy, now the book is done, maybe I can take a break.
Thank you to Andrew Thompson, Mark Brooks, Gordon Williams, and Charles Bradbrook for guiding me through the complicated legal matters and other difficult issues.
Thank you to Mom for always standing guard with her camera during important moments, for her excellent clipping collection, and for her incredible memory—and for the energy it took to stand by the photocopier for thirty hours to get the photos for this book. Thank you, I love you.
Of course, I also want to thank Melanie B., Melanie C., Emma, and Gigi. Five girls once said we’d conquer the world, and we did. Thank you.
Victoria Beckham is a member of the Spice Girls, whose albums have sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Her debut solo album was released in the fall of 2001. She married Manchester United player David Beckham and has two sons: Brooklyn and Romeo.
As the most exposed and talked-about woman in the world, Victoria candidly reveals her life story, the truth behind the Spice Girls’ rise, her experiences as a famous couple in the spotlight, her physical and emotional struggles, the terrifying kidnapping incident, and the threats to her life. She also shares her thoughts on the rumors and controversies surrounding her.