.. does it seem these days that Morrissey books come along like buses? Nothing for ages then 3 at once (or is it 4, I've lost count).

Mark my words, there'll be another two along any minute...

Morrissey's genius as a word-smith has not exactly gone unnoticed by a lot of us, but this book will make it more universally acknowledged. Or at least discussed. A book to really look forward to.

The Times: Best known for such songs as 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' and 'Kill the DJ'"

Whaa?

Looks like a very interesting read
  It should also annoy a lot of academics who still sneer at popular culture

Something caught my eye in an item about Beckett in TONY (Kick the Beckett, by Helen Shaw, May 7-13) that I thought applied nicely to Morrissey.

"We have to treat him with the same lightness that he reserved for death, betrayal, emotional impotence and that old favorite, existential despair. Don't go to him on your knee, making him your god; in Beckett's world, gods have a tendency not to show up. Instead, meet him cheerfully on the road with this bit of Buddhist wisdom: Some things are far too serious to be taken seriously."

I'm looking forward to reading Hopps' book.

Kind Sir,

we want some more! :o)

no, just be happy and healthy and if you feel like a bit of isolation, could I join you for a day or so. Ah, the stories I could tell.

But basically I have a bone to pick with you about a certain character called, Kitt.

I will see you as this endearing man, unless you smack my palms with a whip. :p oh hell, even if YOU DID DO THAT I'd let you. Now you're 50. Only YOU would know what would make you happy. ----*
Cheers My Dear! I'll be 47 on 29 May, so let us be these flaky tarts we are, but in our defense we can pull apart a mind with the easiest of ease. I can't say I love you because, I had a friend in Texas who died of alcholism and he always said, "____ we will never know one another until we lock eyes." So the same goes for you. Here's some cake on your regal nose!

Gee, one can be a Morrissey Academic now? Most books about Morrissey are a bit same-same, the only ones I really enjoy was the Johhny Rogan one and the ones that consist almost entirely of photos (Linder Sterling's a firm favourite)

Slept well?

It's me again. (Yes. I've decided you're cute.)

Gavin, I wanted to ask you, have you realized you've written a book about a guy who occasionally nicks a line from our four-legged friends? ...And I'm not talking about the coke-dealing chihuahua in "Kill Uncle". (taps nose.)
Oh you have?
"But it didn't stop you?"

Academics are amusing.

Once, at Uni, I was asked to do a presentation about some crazy chap, Pinter think it was, and when I finished, my prof of English lit looked at me strangely and not very nicely and said "Well, miss Anonymous, that was appalling. I can't believe it, but you've missed the obvious. This might be-pause- because you- haven't -pause- mmm "lived" -pause- long enough yet, but you apparently failed to perceive that the broken drum is a metaphor for rape."

Collective look of "what the-?" from the girl students...(those who had done the homework anyway)...

He was probably right (never bothered to read it again that book), but the funny thing is that it was probably some kind of revenge...I never said anything nasty about him but, unfortunately, I was hanging with a bunch fun-loving girls who spread the rumour/fact he was still living with his mother... (He was pushing fifty.) And they never lowered their voices in the University corridors.
Guilt by association, Gavin.

I'm sure you don't have that kind of popularity problem with your female students, eh? (wink wink nudge nudge.)

...an author called Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (no Gavin, he's not related to Cindy Crawford), but I think he might just write about people who write books about Morrissey, one of these days...

Yes, it would be a play...

So far JB has been extremely lazy, but all it takes sometimes, is a gentle push...

(It all reminds me very much of a very amusing film with Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Amanda Pet, and a flight of stairs. Seen that? Very amusing film).