"Autobiography" by Morrissey released (Oct 17, 2013 - UK and Europe)

Autobiography by Morrissey is out now in the UK and Europe on Penguin Classics.

Reviews:

autobiographymorrissey_lrg.jpg


 
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Who cares ?
He's havin none of my dough anymore ! NEVER !

Benny-the-Butcher
 
Hates Mike Joyce, tries to channel James Joyce, apparently.

A generally positive review on the radio just now, introduced by a short montage of three Smiths songs. Extremely honest and goes further than many suspected, by this account including that he wanted a xaxx with an xxxxxxn xxxax at one point but the attacks on the WTC put him off.

It's a single chapter.
 
We already know that all the responses on this site will be variations on one of the following (in fact, I reckon a large number of people who post will have decided which of these approaches they're going to take even before they've read the book):

1) Amazing prose stylist, reminds me why I love Morrissey so much, he can do no wrong in my eyes.

2) More lies, delusions, egomania and misplaced self-pity from a bitchy and unreliable narrator whose career is over. Nauseating prose style. The book is just as bad as all the music he's ever made since Vauxhall & I. Your fans have deserted you, so stop writing drivel like this, fire Jesse Tobias and get back with Johnny Marr, you fat, bitter, talentless old queen. He can do no right in my eyes (even though I immediately pre-ordered the book from Amazon and always buy tickets for the gigs despite regularly saying here that I don't). God I hate Morrissey, but still I need to keep visiting this site several times a day.

3) I had such high hopes, but this is a wasted opportunity. There are a few good moments, but then... [see 2, above]

4) I haven't read the book and don't need to because I've already pre-judged it despite having no first-hand knowledge of the actual contents - and that's precisely what qualifies me to speak so authoritatively about it.

5) How dare Morrissey publish a book! Books are made from paper which in turn is made from wood which comes from trees and there are lots of trees in the forests of Bavaria where Hitler and many high-ranking Nazis had holiday homes. What a politically incorrect hypocrite Morrissey is!

6) The book has already failed commercially. Waterstones was forced to cut the price to 99p in the first hour of sales and by close of business it was being shoved into the Remainder bins. The total failure of this book on the day of publication is the final nail in the coffin of Morrissey's career. Obviously I have no evidence for any of this, but if I say it pompously enough and other people want to believe it and we all cross our fingers and wish, perhaps we can somehow make it come true..?

7) I said I'd come back for an event like this even though I categorically denied I ever would, despite returning many times since I last said I was leaving forever. I have more insight and intelligence than pretty much anyone else on the planet which is why I believe that everyone hangs on my every word, and yet I fail to realise that my interminable and irrelevant posts are either just skim-read, ignored or derided by everyone, but I don't care because I love seeing my words on the screen: it gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Shareholders and literary critics alike are so incensed that Autobiography has been published as a Penguin Classic that even as I write they are burning down Penguin's London HQ! Yes, really - I just saw Melvyn Bragg light the first match! Now watch me write a lame 'jokey' sign-off so that no one can accuse me of taking myself too seriously (even though it's abundantly clear that I do). And this will absolutely be my last post. Ever! Definitely! Unambiguously the last. Until tomorrow. Or ten minutes from now.

(NB. Option 7 applies to BrummieBoy only)

There: it's all been said now. Anything more is superfluous.
 
We already know that all the responses on this site will be variations on one of the following (in fact, I reckon a large number of people who post will have decided which of these approaches they're going to take even before they've read the book):

1) Amazing prose stylist, reminds me why I love Morrissey so much, he can do no wrong in my eyes.

2) More lies, delusions, egomania and misplaced self-pity from a bitchy and unreliable narrator whose career is over. Nauseating prose style. The book is just as bad as all the music he's ever made since Vauxhall & I. Your fans have deserted you, so stop writing drivel like this, fire Jesse Tobias and get back with Johnny Marr, you fat, bitter, talentless old queen. He can do no right in my eyes (even though I immediately pre-ordered the book from Amazon and always buy tickets for the gigs despite regularly saying here that I don't). God I hate Morrissey, but still I need to keep visiting this site several times a day.

3) I had such high hopes, but this is a wasted opportunity. There are a few good moments, but then... [see 2, above]

4) I haven't read the book and don't need to because I've already pre-judged it despite having no first-hand knowledge of the actual contents - and that's precisely what qualifies me to speak so authoritatively about it.

5) How dare Morrissey publish a book! Books are made from paper which in turn is made from wood which comes from trees and there are lots of trees in the forests of Bavaria where Hitler and many high-ranking Nazis had holiday homes. What a politically incorrect hypocrite Morrissey is!

6) The book has already failed commercially. Waterstones was forced to cut the price to 99p in the first hour of sales and by close of business it was being shoved into the Remainder bins. The total failure of this book on the day of publication is the final nail in the coffin of Morrissey's career. Obviously I have no evidence for any of this, but if I say it pompously enough and other people want to believe it and we all cross our fingers and wish, perhaps we can somehow make it come true..?

7) I said I'd come back for an event like this even though I categorically denied I ever would, despite returning many times since I last said I was leaving forever. I have more insight and intelligence than pretty much anyone else on the planet which is why I believe that everyone hangs on my every word, and yet I fail to realise that my interminable and irrelevant posts are either just skim-read, ignored or derided by everyone, but I don't care because I love seeing my words on the screen: it gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Shareholders and literary critics alike are so incensed that Autobiography has been published as a Penguin Classic that even as I write they are burning down Penguin's London HQ! Yes, really - I just saw Melvyn Bragg light the first match! Now watch me write a lame 'jokey' sign-off so that no one can accuse me of taking myself too seriously (even though it's abundantly clear that I do). And this will absolutely be my last post. Ever! Definitely! Unambiguously the last. Until tomorrow. Or ten minutes from now.

(NB. Option 7 applies to BrummieBoy only)

There: it's all been said now. Anything more is superfluous.
You missed out one further reaction.
8) I am so knowing and objective that all responses other than mine are contrived and borne out the posters hubris and false consciousness. Thank god for me!
I have said it all. Anything more is superfluous.
 
Hates Mike Joyce, tries to channel James Joyce, apparently.

A generally positive review on the radio just now, introduced by a short montage of three Smiths songs. Extremely honest and goes further than many suspected, by this account including that he wanted a xaxx with an xxxxxxn xxxax at one point but the attacks on the WTC put him off.

It's a single chapter.

Italian woman, right? ;)
 
Miniature first impression of the autobiography (one spoiler)

Ordered it for Kindle. Enjoying it so far. Very evocative (and frequently depressing) imagery of Manchester in the 60s. Some of the prose are overwritten like the TTY missives and liner notes, but the strength of the imagery and emotion outweighs any complaints -- greatly.
Some lovely b&w family photos.

As I'm wont to do with books, I read the first section in earnest then skip ahead to random points, creating "flash forwards". When I eventually reach those points later it's an interesting effect.

Edit: A e-version of the book obviously allows you to search for names etc. It's quite amazing who's not mentioned, or only in passing. But such is the nature of editing...


POTENTIAL SPOILER:

Morrissey unequivocally LOVES his current band, musically and as people. He wants them as his band until the end.
 
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Twenty pages in. Nice accessible style, and stylish too. No sign of the irritating nonsense that can infect far, far too many of his TTY statements.

I said a couple of weeks back that it would be a triumph or a disaster. It is certainly no disaster, at least so far. It might even be a little gem.

After a dismal few years perhaps this might be the beginning of a return to form. I hope so.
 
We already know that all the responses on this site will be variations on one of the following (in fact, I reckon a large number of people who post will have decided which of these approaches they're going to take even before they've read the book):

1) Amazing prose stylist, reminds me why I love Morrissey so much, he can do no wrong in my eyes.

2) More lies, delusions, egomania and misplaced self-pity from a bitchy and unreliable narrator whose career is over. Nauseating prose style. The book is just as bad as all the music he's ever made since Vauxhall & I. Your fans have deserted you, so stop writing drivel like this, fire Jesse Tobias and get back with Johnny Marr, you fat, bitter, talentless old queen. He can do no right in my eyes (even though I immediately pre-ordered the book from Amazon and always buy tickets for the gigs despite regularly saying here that I don't). God I hate Morrissey, but still I need to keep visiting this site several times a day.

3) I had such high hopes, but this is a wasted opportunity. There are a few good moments, but then... [see 2, above]

4) I haven't read the book and don't need to because I've already pre-judged it despite having no first-hand knowledge of the actual contents - and that's precisely what qualifies me to speak so authoritatively about it.

5) How dare Morrissey publish a book! Books are made from paper which in turn is made from wood which comes from trees and there are lots of trees in the forests of Bavaria where Hitler and many high-ranking Nazis had holiday homes. What a politically incorrect hypocrite Morrissey is!

6) The book has already failed commercially. Waterstones was forced to cut the price to 99p in the first hour of sales and by close of business it was being shoved into the Remainder bins. The total failure of this book on the day of publication is the final nail in the coffin of Morrissey's career. Obviously I have no evidence for any of this, but if I say it pompously enough and other people want to believe it and we all cross our fingers and wish, perhaps we can somehow make it come true..?

7) I said I'd come back for an event like this even though I categorically denied I ever would, despite returning many times since I last said I was leaving forever. I have more insight and intelligence than pretty much anyone else on the planet which is why I believe that everyone hangs on my every word, and yet I fail to realise that my interminable and irrelevant posts are either just skim-read, ignored or derided by everyone, but I don't care because I love seeing my words on the screen: it gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Shareholders and literary critics alike are so incensed that Autobiography has been published as a Penguin Classic that even as I write they are burning down Penguin's London HQ! Yes, really - I just saw Melvyn Bragg light the first match! Now watch me write a lame 'jokey' sign-off so that no one can accuse me of taking myself too seriously (even though it's abundantly clear that I do). And this will absolutely be my last post. Ever! Definitely! Unambiguously the last. Until tomorrow. Or ten minutes from now.

(NB. Option 7 applies to BrummieBoy only)

There: it's all been said now. Anything more is superfluous.
so true, you've nailed it perfectly
 
I would like to know if anyone knows a bookshop on the web that buying the book also gives the free poster in limited edition!!!
 
so true, you've nailed it perfectly

Some will always like it, some will always hate it, some who hate him might like it, and some who love him might hate it, to some it will be a disaster, to some it will be a triumph?

Hardly Kreskin.
 
I just wish he'd written it in 1995 (pre Southpaw) so we wouldn't have had 20 years of bitterness and (largely) crap music to contend with.
Does anyone know if Alain Whyte gets much of a mention? He wrote more songs for Morrissey than anybody else ...
 
Who cares ?
He's havin none of my dough anymore ! NEVER !

Benny-the-Butcher

He'll never have your money again??? Oh no, whatever will Morrissey do without YOUR money??? Not lose a second of sleep is the answer.
 
Mumbo Jumbo Joyce, A blubbering mass of blubbering mess and Joyce Iscariot. Yep, the court case chapter is as you would expect!
 
I just wish he'd written it in 1995 (pre Southpaw) so we wouldn't have had 20 years of bitterness and (largely) crap music to contend with.
Does anyone know if Alain Whyte gets much of a mention? He wrote more songs for Morrissey than anybody else ...

read it you sad f*** and stop pretending you couldnt give a shit!
 
Mumbo Jumbo Joyce, A blubbering mass of blubbering mess and Joyce Iscariot. Yep, the court case chapter is as you would expect!

chapter? you found a chapter?? or are you just pissing in the wind as every other day?
 

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