Heaven and Hell

My Life in the Eagles

By: Don Felder

Narrated by: Charlie Thurston

The Eagles are the best-selling, and arguably the tightest-lipped, American group ever. Now band member and guitarist Don Felder finally breaks the Eagles’ years of public silence to take fans behind the scenes.

He shares every part of the band’s wild ride, from the pressure-packed recording studios and trashed hotel rooms to the tension-filled courtrooms and from the joy of writing powerful new songs to the magic of performing in huge arenas packed with roaring fans.

©2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Really, Really Good!

As a huge Eagles fan, I really enjoyed listening to this book! I fell in love with the band when I was in HS in the early 90s and they are still one of my favorite bands. Don’t let any negative reviews keep you from listening to their story from Don Felder, someone who lived it.

Great Book Eagles Fan or Not

Everyone knows the Eagles and everyone knows that they didn't get along but until reading this book I had no idea how much I actually enjoyed their music and how messed up of a group they were. This is more than a revenge book and the stories and narrative are compelling and interesting. Definitely a worthy listen.

Great Book. Awesome Musician!!

Already knowing and loving Felder’s guitar style and sound, I was truly amazed to hear what terrible and vile people Frey and Henley are. That being said, the only Eagles tunes I ever liked were those with heavy Guitar chops and solos by Felder, regardless. He was definitely greater than the sum of the Eagles’ parts. Frey and Henley were average musicians who could have been replaced by anyone. The average radio listener in the 70s were too stoned or ill versed in what true musicianship was anyway. Just imagine Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Frey and Henley all in the same room. You’d need a 6 story ceiling for all the hubris and ego. Thanks for people like Felder who bring the true sound to bands and their music.

Greed and stardom.

I enjoyed this story. Don Felder is a soul musician who tolerated abuse to produce his music.
Very disappointed in Glen Frey, Don Henley and Irving Azoff.
Their greed will be their lasting legacy. So sad!

The back door story that you never see publicly

Book Review: Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974–2001) by Don Felder

After reading Don Felder’s Heaven and Hell, one thing is certain: you will never hear an Eagles song the same way again.

This isn’t just another behind-the-scenes rock memoir. It’s a raw, unflinching account of what it was like to be both a central figure in one of America’s most iconic bands—and also a perpetual outsider in what Felder calls “the nest.” A supremely talented and accomplished guitarist, Felder co-wrote classics like “Hotel California,” yet was never fully accepted into the tight inner circle ruled by Glenn Frey and Don Henley. The message is clear: talent doesn’t always guarantee belonging.

Felder emerges as the working-class kid who made it big, thrust into a world of unimaginable wealth, fame, and excess. He paints vivid, at times heartbreaking, portraits of the highs and lows—private jets, world tours, and platinum records contrasted with infidelity, addiction, and fractured brotherhood. The dysfunction within the Eagles is laid bare, with particular focus on the cold, corporate grip Henley and Frey held over the band, treating fellow musicians like hired hands rather than creative equals.

While some may argue Felder’s take is one-sided, his narrative resonates with honesty. He doesn’t exempt himself from blame, admitting to his own struggles with alcohol, ego, and personal demons. Yet, it’s this self-awareness that gives the book its edge. Felder’s story isn’t just about the Eagles; it’s about the cost of success, the fragility of friendship, and the brutal reality behind the curtain of rock ‘n’ roll glory.

For better or worse, Heaven and Hell redefines what you thought you knew about the Eagles. It’s a sobering reminder that even paradise can be poisoned—and that the music we love is sometimes forged in fire.

Verdict: A must-read for fans of the Eagles, rock historians, or anyone fascinated by the collision of art, ego, and ambition.