The Books of Albion by Peter Doherty

by Pete Doherty

The remarkable and revealing collected writings of Pete Doherty, from 1999 to the present day - a chance to understand one of the most intriguing personalities around

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Poetry, Autobiography

Hardcover

First published June 21, 2007

About the author

Pete Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles. In 2005, Doherty became prominent in tabloids, the news media, and pop culture blogs because of his romantic relationship with model Kate Moss and his frequently-publicised drug addictions.

Reviews

[Lynx · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a difficult read, in the most literal sense. Doherty's handwriting is barely legible and the amount of work I had to put into deciphering the page left me frustrated and gave me no encouragement to continue forward. But continue I did, tackling maybe 10 pages at a time before I reached my annoyance quota of the day. Theres some interesting scribbles in there, but unfortunately just not worth the effort it takes to come across them.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Arcady your life trips along
It's pure and simple as the shepherd's song
But see how quickly twisted it becomes
When the cat gut binds my ankles to your bedstead
That ain't love, no that ain't love

She’s the last of the English roses

Are you still thinking of
All of those pretty rhymes
And perfect crimes
Like you used to?

You said new love grows on trees
If you please and if you don't please
That makes perfect nonsense to me
As a price of being free these days
It's ridiculous

Are you still shaking out
All the dead wood from your bed love
Like you used to?
Well times don't change and
Are you still thinking of
All of those perfect rhymes for love divine?

Talk over Gin in teacups
And leaves on the lawn
Violence in bus stops
And the pale thin girl with eyes forlorn

If you're looking for a cheap sort
Set in false anticipation
I'll be waiting in the photo booth
At the underground station
So come away, won't you come away
We could go to Nunthorpe, Bristol, Mansfield, Woomoyle, Newcastle

There's a four-mile queue
Outside the disused power station

Yellowing classics
And canons at dawn
Coffee wallahs and pith helmets
And an English song

Once upon a time when the cold wind that blows
In my heart it was a summer breeze
And she would meet me in Chinatown for opium and tea
And she always brought me flowers
But I spared you those old ballads
Or songs that I couldn't play
If we make love in the morning
I see your eyes look like two marbles in your head

Now tell me, if darkness comes
Then I will sing you a song
And I will love you forever
Or at least 'til morning comes
Lady don't you fall backwards
Come on and fall into my arms

[Bethany Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected to read this like a magazine, flicking through Pete’s heroin fuelled scribbles. Instead, I read it for what it was an autobiography with poetic, lyrical and novelistic features.

I will be buying the second volume.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of Peter Doherty's journal entries and notebook scribblings. Incredibly pure and fascinating, though I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had been able to decipher Pete's handwriting.

[Samuel Skrifvars · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting and personal but at some parts not legible at all…

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter’s diary.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think you have to be a real hardcore fan to plough your way through these. There are a few bits of good poetry and some song lyrics but most of it is just scribbles and ramblings, sometimes when he is off his head. There is not really anything that prolific about it at all. Really did give it a go, but I have to confess I did skip quite a few pages. The scribbles are hard to read and when you do decipher it, what you often get from it doesn’t seem worth the task! He takes on a very romantic, melodramatic tone throughout the book, but it is really just describing boring day to day life!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this dribble is awful. please don't buy it as it's available for free almost anywhere on the net. but it's fascinating. like a car accident, i wanted to look away but i kept thinking there was something else to see.

intoxicatingly bad.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has anyone actually managed to decipher Peter's writing?Started off legible, coherrant and engaging, but alas, as he gets deeper into the drugs, looses all of those things. Hope he finds his way back....

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one for pre-existing fans, because while it's very cool Pete's hand writing takes a lot of effort to decipher. However to fans of The Libertines/Babyshambles etc it's an interesting insight into Pete's writing, that's worth the effort.

[Alenka · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfection

[??? · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to decipher for the most part, but I'd recommend it for fans of the Libs/Babyshambles.

[Zoeapo · Rating 4 out of 5]

pete的自己看不懂，照片非常棒