What's on my bedside table: Marianne Faithfull

"My relationshp with books is incredibly important to me. I am traveling a lot; in hotel rooms a lot; and on my own a lot when I'm touring. When I'm at home I'm resting , so that what I read is something to take me out of myself."

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber

This was sent to me last year when I was ill by my friend Deborah Orr and I absolutely loved it. It's about prostitutes in 19th century London and the heroine is called Sugar. She's writing a book about her revenge on men, then her life changes and she becomes a governess to a child, through her lover, before eventually running away with the child. It's a wonderful book; all the characters are absolutely wonderful.

Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector by Mick Brown

I really enjoyed this one. It's a biography of Phil Spector, which was particularly interesting as I was reading it as the big court case was going on. It's very, very beautifully written; it's not sensational, it's sympathetic. People don't really know who he is now, but he made such great music and he really crafted something extraordinary. Insane as he is - and I really think he is - he should be treated with respect and compassion.