Saint Morrissey: A Portrait of This Charming Man by an Alarming Fan
by Mark Simpson
List Price:
Our Price: $5.59
You Save: $12.40 (69%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.24 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Mark SimpsonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-03-07
ISBN: 074328481X
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Touchstone
Book Reviews of Saint Morrissey: A Portrait of This Charming Man by an Alarming Fan
Book Review: Easy, breezy, pleased me.
Summary: 4 Stars
Through the first twenty or so pages, Simpson's apparent attempt to appropriate and emulate Morrissey's wit/sense of humor sort of turned me off. But while I would've enjoyed a slightly less precious delivery, Simpson does turn out to have a reasonable amount of original observations on Morrissey's career.
Promoted as a "psychobio," Saint Morrissey is more about the man than the music - you may be surprised how little Simpson has to say about the actual albums through 250 pages (though this may be down to the fact that Morrissey offers much more opportunity for intellectual tangents than the average artist). You might call it a Unified Theory of Morrisseyism: it's less about "he did this, then he recorded this, then this happened" (which is what a lot of otherwise fine bios, like Complicated Shadows, devolve into) than it is about what it all means. It's an emotional response instead of a historical exercise, and that really appealed to me. It's also less...invasive, I guess?...than, say, Heavier Than Heaven, which took disgusting license in trying to get into its subject's head. Saint Morrissey isn't about exposing its subject's secrets, because Simpson understands Morrissey's career well enough to realize that his secrets are a massive element of his appeal. That understanding and respect is the key appeal here. Of course, it's written by a fan, and an alarming one at that, so Saint Morrissey is never critical in any serious sense, but it never panders the way Landscapes of the Mind does, either.
In the end, it's a quick, cute read designed for those who already know all the significant dates and chart placements and catalogue numbers. Why don't you find out for yourself?
Music Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Music Books
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brainby Oliver Sacks
Knopf Publishing Group; Published: 2008; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.29
Listenby Joseph Kerman, Gary Tomlinson
Bedford/St. Martin's; Published: 2007-02-21; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $23.00
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Centuryby Alex Ross
Picador; Published: 2008-10-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.74
Price in other shops:
Forever Young: Photographs of Bob Dylanby Douglas R. Gilbert, Dave Marsh
Da Capo Press; Published: 2006-10-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.55
Price in other shops:
Heroes And Villains: The True Story Of The Beach Boysby Steven Gaines
Da Capo Press; Published: 1995-08-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.15
Price in other shops:
Handbook for Sound Engineers, Third Editionby Glen Ballou
Focal Press; Published: 2002-01-21; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops:
Jazz Anecdotesby Bill Crow
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1990-05-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $24.18
Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williamsby Paul Hemphill
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2006-08-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
How to Train Singers/ Book and Tapeby Larra Browning Henderson
Parker; Published: 1991-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $29.95
Price in other shops:
I, Tina: My Life Story (icon!t)by Tina Turner, Kurt Loder
It Books; Published: 2010-06-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Lifeby Simon Goddard
Reynolds & Hearn; Published: 2009-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $100.00
Morrissey - Viva HateMORRISSEY; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
Morrissey - Your ArsenalMORRISSEY; Release date: 1992-07-28; Music CD
Best price: $5.52
Price in other shops:
The Smiths - The Queen is DeadSmiths; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $6.67
Price in other shops:
Smiths - The Smiths: Still IllMusic Video Dist; Release date: 2007-03-13; DVD
Best price: $9.93
Price in other shops:
Morrissey: The Pageant of His Bleeding Heartby Gavin Hopps
Continuum; Published: 2009-06-24; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.18
Price in other shops:
Smiths - Louder Than BombsSmiths; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $6.33
Price in other shops:
Meetings with Morrisseyby Len Brown
Omnibus Press; Published: 2009-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.00
Price in other shops:
Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Allianceby Johnny Rogan
Omnibus Press; Omnibus Press; Published: 1993-12-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.95
Price in other shops:
Mozipedia: The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smithsby Simon Goddard
Plume; Published: 2010-09-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.39
Price in other shops: