Pavarotti retired from the stage earlier this year

Herbert Breslin was Pavarotti's manager for over 30 years before they parted company in January 2003.

He says the book is "the story of a beautiful, simple, lovely guy who turned into a very determined, aggressive and... unhappy superstar."

The Washington Post got an advance copy of the book ahead of its publication.

The book is titled The King and I: The Uncensored Tale of Luciano Pavarotti's Rise to Fame by His Manager, Friend and Sometime Adversary.

Rise to fame

Mr Breslin wrote in the book that Pavarotti, 68, criticised fellow singer Placido Domingo, saying: "In his dreams, Placido never had a voice like (Pavarotti)."

The newspaper also said Mr Breslin claimed Pavarotti called his associates "stupido" as a term of endearment and insisted on being chauffeured a block from his New York apartment to his dentist.

He also wrote that the opera star was so fearful of food on a tour of China that he took an entire restaurant along with him.

Mr Breslin states that Pavarotti was so concerned with decorum while making romantic comedy film Yes Giorgio in 1982, that he "wouldn't do anything that could make people laugh at him".

Curiously, the book ends with an interview with Pavarotti himself, in which the Post states he says affectionate things about his former agent.

Pavarotti's publicist, Terri Robson, was unavailable for comment on Thursday.

Mr Breslin is credited with helping Pavarotti build-up a following outside of the classical music world, with sell-out arena concerts and television appearances.

Mr Breslin said at the time of the split last year: "We've had enough. I've had enough."