 First edition | |
| Author | Morrissey |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
Publication date | 24 September 2015 |
| Pages | 118 |
| ISBN | 9780141982960 |
List of the Lost is a novel written by Morrissey, released on 24 September 2015. The book represents his first non-lyrical fiction publication. It is written in the "stream of consciousness" narrative style. [1]
The book is about a 1970s relay team in Boston who accidentally kill a homeless person, whose death brings misfortune to the team. [2] [3]
In August 2015 it was announced that List of the Lost would be published later that year through Penguin Books in the UK, Ireland, Australia, India, New Zealand, and South Africa. [4] It is Morrissey's first fictional book, having previously written an autobiography, published in 2013. [5] The book was released on 24 September 2015. [2]
The book received largely negative reviews. The Independent's Adam Sherwin described it as "a leaden festival of self-pity" but conceded that it was "lifted, however, by the occasional brilliant Wildean epigram." [6] For The Guardian , Michael Hann urged his readers "Do not read this book", due to the lack of engaging dialogue, and implausibility of the premise. [7] In a review for The Daily Beast , Nico Hines accused the book of being a "bizarre misogynistic ramble" due to its "repulsive" portrayal of women, as most in the book are obsessed with sex. [8] In The Telegraph's 1/5 star review, Charlotte Runcie wrote that "List of the Lost is terrible and, at only 118 pages, still feels overlong," going on to describe the novel as "poorly conceived, awkwardly expressed and lazily imagined." [9] John Niven of the New Statesman , responding to critics who wrote that the book may have been improved by a strong editor, opined that "asking a decent editor to save this book would have been like asking a doctor to help a corpse that had fallen from the top of the Empire State Building." [10]
NME's Jordan Bassett scored the book 2/5 calling it "a confused, often quite embarrassing slab of cringeworthy sex clichés and bizarre, stilted dialogue." [11] In a review for the Financial Times, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney found the book to contain "a few viciously turned barbs" but was otherwise "more self-indulgent and tedious than its slender dimensions would suggest possible". The review concluded by stating that it "sullies the reputation of the publishing house that has been foolish or greedy enough to commit it to print". [12] Ed Cummings' review in The Observer echoed this sentiment, stating that "the spineless mandarins at Penguin who brought this to print should be ashamed of themselves." [13]
In virtually the only at least partially positive mainstream review, writing for The Times , Melissa Katsoulis opined that "critics miss the point by dismissing it as pretentious. It's all about the lyricism." She praised Morrissey's attempt at novel writing as "deliberately eccentric in the high Modernist style." Katsoulis ultimately indicated that the work is "a ludicrous gothic fantasy" that is "unreadable in places" but acts as an "antidote to all those earnest, urban epics by the graduate trainees of the literary scene." Katsoulis concludes by praising Morrissey himself (i.e., not the novel) as both "inimitable and irreplaceable." [14]
Outside of the UK, Brazilian critic Jonatan Silva, in a review for A Escotilha, said that in List of the Lost Morrissey attempted to create a kind of pulp fiction à la Oscar Wilde, but failed in trying to connect the book with the spirit of sports and literature. He advised that readers who expected the same lyricism as found in Morrissey's autobiography would be disappointed. [15]
In Spain, Álvaro García of El País wrote "Critics wanted to get Morrissey since his autobiography" and "the novel works as another argument for his haters since, regardless of all criticism, the book remains as a top seller in Britain." [16]
Owen Richardson of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that "List of the Lost reads like the outcome of the perversity, or simple lack of self-awareness, that induces a writer to run with his bad qualities. It's terrible, though in such a bizarre way, unique even, that it might have prospects as a cult book, or at any rate an enduring curiosity. But I wouldn't bet on it." [17]
The response on social media was critical particularly of a sex scene in the book. [18] In December 2015, the novel was announced as the winner of the Literary Review Bad Sex Award. [19]
Northanger Abbey is a coming-of-age novel and a satire of Gothic novels written by the English author Jane Austen. Although the title page is dated 1818 and was published posthumously in 1817 with Persuasion, Northanger Abbey was completed in 1803, making it the first of Austen's novels to be completed in full. From a fondness of Gothic novels and an active imagination distorting her worldview, the story follows Catherine Morland, the naïve young protagonist, as she develops to better understand herself and the world around her.
New Musical Express (NME) is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "rock inkie", the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a free publication, before becoming an online brand which includes its website and radio stations.
John Martin Marr is an English musician, songwriter and singer. He first achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. He has since performed with numerous other bands and embarked on a solo career.
The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English rock band The Smiths, released on 16 June 1986, by Rough Trade Records. The album was produced by the band's singer, Morrissey, and their guitarist, Johnny Marr, working predominantly with engineer Stephen Street who engineered The Smiths' previous album, Meat Is Murder (1985). Marr wrote several songs while the Smiths toured Britain in early 1985, working out arrangements with bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce during soundchecks. The album title is taken from American writer Hubert Selby Jr.'s 1964 novel, Last Exit to Brooklyn. The cover art features the French actor Alain Delon in the 1964 film L'Insoumis.
Shaun William George Ryder is an English singer, songwriter and poet. As lead singer of Happy Mondays, he was a leading figure in the Madchester cultural scene during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1993, he formed Black Grape with former Happy Mondays dancer Bez. He was the runner-up on the tenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. Ryder collaborated with Gorillaz on "Dare", which peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart in September 2005, becoming the band's only UK number one single. Ryder is known for his distinctive sprechgesang and lyricism.
Viva Hate is the debut solo studio album by English singer Morrissey. It was released on 14 March 1988 by HMV, six months after the final studio album by the Smiths, Strangeways, Here We Come (1987).
The Smiths is the debut studio album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 20 February 1984 by Rough Trade Records. After the original production by Troy Tate was felt to be inadequate, John Porter re-recorded the album in London, Manchester and Stockport during breaks in the band's UK tour during September 1983.
Literary Review is a British literary magazine founded in 1979 by Anne Smith, then head of the Department of English at the University of Edinburgh. Its offices are on Lexington Street in Soho. The magazine was edited for fourteen years by veteran journalist Auberon Waugh. The current editor is Nancy Sladek.
Ringleader of the Tormentors is the eighth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 3 April 2006 by record label Attack. The album was described as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound", which Morrissey attributed to new guitarist Jesse Tobias.
Alexander David Turner is an English musician. He is the front man and lead singer-songwriter of the rock band Arctic Monkeys. Turner is known for his lyricism ranging from kitchen sink realism to surrealist wordplay, which has been praised by music critics and the public. All but one of Turner's studio albums have topped the UK Albums Chart. He has won seven Brit Awards, an Ivor Novello Award, and a Mercury Prize among other accolades.
Simon John Wolstencroft is an English rock drummer best known for playing with The Fall from 1986 to 1997. He also played with early incarnations of The Smiths and The Stone Roses. His highly praised autobiography You Can Drum But You Can't Hide was published in 2014.
"The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get" is a song by English singer-songwriter Morrissey, co-written by Boz Boorer released as a single on 28 February 1994. It was taken from the then-unreleased Vauxhall and I album and was the first Morrissey single to be produced by Steve Lillywhite. The extra B-side "I'd Love To" features Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals.
Catherine O'Flynn is a British writer. She has published three novels for adults, and two for children as well as various articles and short stories. Her debut novel, What Was Lost, won the prestigious first novel prize at the Costa Book Awards in 2008.
"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. The song was first released on the group's 1987 album Strangeways, Here We Come. Marr's music features a larger sound, courtesy of a 12-string Gibson ES-335, and one of his few guitar solos with the Smiths. Morrissey's lyrics allude to alcohol and deception.
Courteeners are an English band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, in 2006 by Liam Fray, Michael Campbell, Daniel "Conan" Moores and Mark Cuppello (bass); the last was replaced by the band's producer Joe Cross in 2015. They previously toured with pianist Adam Payne, who has been featured on every album, but in 2019 was replaced with Elina Lin. In December 2012, the band dropped "The" from their name, continuing simply as "Courteeners". In 2024, Cross and Lin became official members of the band.
Years of Refusal is the ninth studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 16 February 2009 in the UK by record label Decca and on 17 February 2009 in the US by Lost Highway.
The 1975 are an English pop rock band formed in Wilmslow, Cheshire in 2002. The band consists of Matty Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald (bass), and George Daniel. The band's name was inspired by a page of scribblings found in Healy's preowned copy of On the Road by Jack Kerouac that was dated "1 June, The 1975".
Steven Patrick Morrissey, known mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then, he has pursued a successful solo career. Morrissey's music is characterised by his baritone voice and distinctive lyrics with recurring themes of emotional isolation, sexual longing, self-deprecating and dark humour, and anti-establishment stances.
Autobiography is a book by the British singer-songwriter Morrissey, published in October 2013.
Low in High School is the eleventh solo studio album by British singer Morrissey, released on 17 November 2017 through BMG. It was produced by Joe Chiccarelli, and recorded at La Fabrique Studios in France and at Ennio Morricone's Forum Studios in Italy.
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