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  • Autobiography

  • By: Morrissey
  • Narrated by: David Morrissey
  • Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (455 ratings)
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Autobiography

By: Morrissey
Narrated by: David Morrissey
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Summary

Steven Patrick Morrissey was born in Manchester on May 22nd 1959. Singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Smiths (1982-1987), Morrissey has been a solo artist for twenty-six years, during which time he has had three number 1 albums in England in three different decades. Achieving eleven Top 10 albums (plus nine with the Smiths), his songs have been recorded by David Bowie, Nancy Sinatra, Marianne Faithfull, Chrissie Hynde, Thelma Houston, My Chemical Romance and Christy Moore, amongst others.

An animal protectionist, in 2006 Morrissey was voted the second greatest living British icon by viewers of the BBC, losing out to Sir David Attenborough. In 2007 Morrissey was voted the greatest northern male, past or present, in a nationwide newspaper poll. In 2012, Morrissey was awarded the Keys to the City of Tel-Aviv. It has been said 'Most pop stars have to be dead before they reach the iconic status that Morrissey has reached in his lifetime.

David Morrissey is one of the most versatile actors of his generation. He is also a screenwriter and director.

©2013 Morrissey (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Five stars. With typical pretension, Morrissey's first book has been published as a Penguin Classic. It justifies such presentation with a beautifully measured prose style that combines a lilting, poetic turn of phrase and acute quality of observation, revelling in a kind of morbid glee at life's injustice with arch, understated humour ... It is recognisably the voice of the most distinctive British pop lyricist of his era." (Neil McCormack, Daily Telegraph)
"The Best Music Biog Ever ... In the world of rock autobiographies, Morrissey's is nigh-on perfect." (Ben Hewitt, NME)
"A brilliant and timely book ... What is so refreshing about Morrissey's Autobiography is its very messiness, its deliriously florid, overblown prose style, its unwillingness to kowtow to a culture of literary formula and commercial pigeon-holing ... Autobiography is a true baggy monster, a book in which a distinctive prose style is allowed to develop ... A rococo triumph ... Overwhelmingly this is a book to be thankful for ... In the ways that matter, Autobiography reads like a work of genuine literary class" (Alex Niven)

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What listeners say about Autobiography

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The more you ignore me The closer I get .

The Smith and Morrissey were not part of my musical story, I gravitated towards Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens (pre conversion), David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Vangelis; this apart from Bowie are not in his book or musical vocabulary, but that is not a problem because this is an autobiography full of rancor, spite and venom for all that have ever slighted him in a universe that belongs too Morrissey.
It feels more like novel anchored by music and popular culture of the time, the character are dickensian for the most part but landed in the world coloured by the period of the references, it is never boring, and many times I laughed out loud, many of the protagonist will have passed as selebrities of different calibers through your very real life, in magazines, interview or if you are unlucky tabloids. depending on the slight imagined or real they will be judge and punished with funny insults or sarcasm. Not many escape this treatment including the author.
This is a candid, no holds barred description of the music industry, the judiciary that runs it and protects it, and a soul that is uncomfortable in most situation, but when writing or performing on stage.
A great read from an artist that is not the norm, but loves poetry and literature as much as the charts. a guy “that bear more grudges
Than lonely high court judges”.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Forget music Morrissey! You should write books.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Most autobiographies are interesting to the reader because they share a past (as I do with Morrissey) but I would recommend this book to you even if you've never heard of him. It's so beautifully written, funny and warm. I loved every minute.

What other book might you compare Autobiography to, and why?

Non.

Which character – as performed by David Morrissey – was your favourite?

Mick Joyce. 'A caan't remember, a just assoomed'.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

In Manchester no one can here you scream.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Beautifully written and beautifully narrated - a detailed insight in both to Morrissey and Manchester life.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Brilliantly written but needs a good edit!

Liked-
He is acutely perceptive, draws his characters well and it's a good, often fascinating read.
Narrator matches the story/place perfectly.

Disliked-
Entire self-indulgent rambling chapters in the latter part railing at great length against various solicitors/session musicians etc who wronged him. WAY too much detail for even the most avid fan! Why was all this left in?? It makes him seem petulant and unprofessional and I really didn't enjoy this sudden airing of his dirty laundry, it's beneath him and beneath his readers.

The narrator, David Morrissey, is brilliant but scarcely pauses between chapters.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Morrissey!

Where does Autobiography rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Certainly up there with the best.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I had difficulty tearing myself away from it.

Any additional comments?

Morrissey is like Marmite (and I am sure that he too would agree), you either love him or hate him. I remember there being much criticism of this book on its publication. So what's new, everything Morrissey does seems to get slated somewhere along the line. One of the main criticisms was the amount of time he spends around the court action over royalties. Well, having listened, I can appreciate why he spent so much time on it and in no way does it detract from the rest of the book. If you are looking for a run of the mill autobiography then this is probably not for you. However, if you can appreciate the sincerity and humour found in Morrissey's music then you will appreciate his approach to this book. Even if you are not a fan but you enjoy books which defy convention then you may well enjoy Autobiography. The prose borders on the poetic throughout most of the book. The passion borders on rants at times, and I have to say with good cause, and serves to illustrate his sincerity. Is this a balanced and true account of Morrissey's life? It's probably as honest as any autobiography, it is one person's view. However, it is enjoyable and entertaining.I also think David Morrissey was the perfect choice to narrate this book. One of the most enjoyable audiobooks I have listened to. I, for one, would not have been happy if this had been "ordinary" and not "Morrissey"!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

typical morrisey... thats a good thing

What did you like most about Autobiography?

The way its written is just as you would expect him to be, very articulate, strangely funny but in a self deprecating way, not to mention a touch of paranoia. I will say, I have seen Morrissey live several times so I am not really an an impartial observer but even if you don't understand the man tI think the book is well worth a listen if you are interested in music at all.

What about David Morrissey’s performance did you like?

He clearly understands the author and his undertones are genuinely funny.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Morrissey seems to have a lot of acquaintances dying off during the book but Kirsty McColl is particularly saddening.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully read

Would you listen to Autobiography again? Why?

Yes. It is very revealing.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Autobiography?

Weird events I don't wish to post a spoiler on.

What about David Morrissey’s performance did you like?

He conveyed the emotion of the words perfectly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The reaction to the death of one of his friends.

Any additional comments?

In brief, the description of his Manchester upbringing that takes up the first quarter is engrossing, very well written and very evocative.

A lot of people in the music business we've all heard of get steamrollered pretty comprehensively, lots of surprises, bitchiness and deadpan humour sprinkled throughout.

There's some weird stuff I wont go into in case you want to read it yourself.
The only quibble is the length of the diatribe about his court case involving the other three members of the Smiths. I believe it goes on for fifty, yes, fifty pages.
Also the final fifth of the book is rather disappointing in comparison with the rest.

Generally a very entertaining read despite the book's rather self serving nature.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Morrissey - Warts (and all) Not Included

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'd recommend this book to fellow Morrissey fans, thought probably not to anyone who just wanted to read a good, solid music autobiography. For the most part it's an enjoyable read, but we don't really discover anything much that we didn't already know and there's a bit too much dwelling on the court cases and nastiness that has been documented so many times before.

What did you like best about this story?

His language and turn of phrase. Nobody could pass off a ghost-written autobiography for Morrissey. His use of the English language is what has kept many of us hanging off his every word for all these years and it's here in abundance.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Smart, Tough & Rivetting Stuff

What did you like most about Autobiography?

A real testament to what human spirit sometimes is, he tells us the stories of minor & major characters that came from or were projected through the Manchester streets, of an Irish immigrant roots and his nan, the stories and descriptions of 1960's and 1970;s Manchester, it's streets, schools, housing and swimming baths unearth a society still in many ways Victorian and bitterly austere. The humour and whit remind of some of Spike Milligan, the genuine spirit & humanity is visceral, This would be an excellent book even if the author was not a famous song writer, it is a indispensable work in it's own right. David Morrissey of "one Summer" (Icky & Billie) is brilliant. Savour & Enjoy

What was one of the most memorable moments of Autobiography?

Too many too mention in the class rooms.

Which character – as performed by David Morrissey – was your favourite?

The guy who manages them from Rough Trade.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

don't know just know

Any additional comments?

So thankful & glad he wrote this,

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Should've known really

What would have made Autobiography better?

Being a big smiths fan I expected more really , the book starts out great , but quickly sinks. Into uninteresting information about how quirky he was , think I daydreamed through quite a few hours of this.
Wouldn't recommend

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3 people found this helpful