"List of the Lost" enters UK Paperback Fiction charts at #3 - The Times

LIST OF THE LOST:
UK charts at Number 3! GREAT!

 

[Anonymous]

I found a simple trick that makes this book a lot more fun. Substitute for the names of the relay team -
Ezra - Liam
Nails - Niall
Justy - Louis
Harri - Harry

and realizing only half the names needed to be changed I started to wonder if this is some kind of 1D fan fic? Could the demon be Zayn?

 

[Anonymous]

What do you think of people who know other people's secret thoughts and motivations better than they do themselves? This is an interesting, well... somewhat, little glimpse into The Way You Think.
What I find really curious is that you're aware people feel you have expressed a hatred for Morrissey, but that you know your own feelings, despite what must reasonably be called evidence to the contrary. Even though a number of others feel this way, you know yourself better than they do. That seems reasonable, whether it's true or not. But not only do you know yourself despite what others may feel, you also know others despite what they claim to feel.

AND to cap it off, you're asking for positive reviews, because you seem to feel that if they existed, they would in some way be relevant. I'd speculate that you feel that the metacritical analysis has some validity. Unless of course it applies to you, in which case their is only one valid opinion.

Bonus points for the bit about being so invested in someone that finding out the horrible truth about them makes you a fool. I think this is the reason you and others, including myself at times, sometimes feel, as Johnny Rotten famously put it, that you've been had. You and David very clearly have strong personal feelings about Morrissey. A lot of time invested. Now be honest with yourself for one minute and ask why you do this unpaid job moderating a board dedicated to someone who is 'just a bloke.' Be honest about your own feelings. Whether you did it intentionally to be clever, or it was a 'Freudian slip' you called him a has been, 'has been a genius,' while stating your lack of ill will towards him. But again, YOU know your own feelings and motivations as well as those of everyone else. btw, this does not really sound very atheist or scientific, but actually quite mystical. Do you determine other people's thoughts and motivations through some sort of reasoning? Do you just know?

exactly, and then some.

 

[Anonymous]

Lets enter into your world Peter shall we and lets say you are right (youre not), lets pretend for the sake of arguement that you have the clearist vision on the subject (you don't) and that you are honest with yourself and us about your feelings for Morrissey.

You say "I do not hate Morrissey, I think he has been a genius, but his powers have faded."

Lets think about that shall we, in your view Morrissey talent which no doubt once touched your life, inspired you, entertained you, comforted you and thrilled you has begun to fade, the once glowing coals are now flickering embers. Its a emotional moment isn't it, that realisation, there is something tragic about us all aging I suppose....about the passing of time.... Perhaps you could think in terms of an old loved dog on its last legs
What to do in such a situations. One option would be to gather round the embers and breathe on the gently so as to draw out the last of the heat and light, to snuggle up together and feel the benefit, the shared warmth of the community that had formed around this once bright sun. The talent may have faded but there will still be moments of magic to enjoy, surges and gusts, maybe less than before but still.....but still....but still....there is room for kindness and love here. The talent may have faded but the love (the love of the song) is still there for Morrissey himself certainly. Perhaps we could even indulge him a little, a little thank you in return for the comfort he has provided as the light fades, as he passes to memory a goodbye kiss on the cheek, or even full on the mouth, why ever not. Goodbye old friend, time to rest your head, my darling my sweet.

The other option (one you have chosen) is to try and stamp out the fire as soon as you decide (and what is your opinion? - nothing) that it has started to fade, to piss on it and sneer while you are doing it and to say in a prickly voice "to let the fire burn out would wreck reputation of this once roaring fire. It seems a rather spiteful choice you've made on reflection. Especially if we are to believe you don't hate him. You think his talent is fading, but he hasn't killed anyone. Yes he's just a bloke (that we always knew) but you can still be kind to him Peter.

Here is the real truth Peter served up nice and cold and clear. You love you The Smiths don't you, but you missed your chance, to touch them and to hear them and you can't ever forgive yourself or them. Many nights you have dreamed of how it must have felt, the roar of the crowd the energy, the band, THE BAND.

It consumes you that missed opportunity and for decades you've lived in hope. Hope that once glowed like coals and now flickers like embers. What or who is standing in the way of your dream? Who holds the key to your happiness. Old Morrissey aided by the continued success of him as a solo artist, if he remains successful (in your mind) A reunion is less likely. So you usher in failure and you welcome doom and gloom. You are hateful and mean spirited horrid and petty and relentlessly dull but you won't win because Morrissey is who he is and you are you and Peter its time you were honest with yourself and us about your feelings for Morrissey.

Shout it from the roof tops


Your friend
Smiler

that's an interesting take on it.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting: "Anyway, I discovered I was useless and then I didn't have a choice, and once you've faced the mocking nature of making love badly then you can never get free of it."

 

[Chip]

And let's not forget that most of the loyal fanbase (= us) bought the book on pre-order, when all we knew about its contents were Morrissey's "beware the novelist" ramble and the "blue sky" quote. All of these pre-orders are in this first-week entry. Wondering if the book will fare as well next week, probably not I'm afraid. Bit like his singles -- snapped up in their first week by the devoted, then ignored by the general buying public and out of the charts by week 3.

Valid point and that is certainly how his albums are able to spring to the top of the UK charts despite selling few copies. However, I would note that both Autobiography and List of the Lost got far more press attention that any of his more recent albums. And Morrissey's status as a cultural icon far exceeds his commercial viability (and always has). I would not be surprised if some people outside his hardcore fan base bought the novel.

 

[Anonymous]

auto continued sell for quite a while.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Bur have you met his dog?
Resounding "no".

Bur WHAT!? .... Blondi had the cuuuuutist pups! And I don't mean Harry,Tom or Dick.

 

[Mr Delaney]

Well, it has dropped off a bit by now:

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

#3 in Books > Fiction > Romance > Gothic
#175 in Books > Fiction > Literary Fiction
#455 in Books > Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

 

[Anonymous]

Why do Amazon list it as romance? There's absolutely nothing romantic about bulbous salutations and otherwise central zones.

 

[Mr Delaney]

There's absolutely nothing romantic about bulbous salutations and otherwise central zones.

But plenty gothic ;-D

Shows up the "gothic romance" subgenre (if there really is such a thing) by the way for having sales so slow that LotL can dominate its Top 10 for weeks and having a third-best-selling title that's not even in the Top 1,000 of book sales. Bit like The Wedding Present getting Top-20 (and two Top-10) hits back in '92 with their limited-to-10,000-copies monthly singles.