The Collected Works of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts, and Lyrics

by Jim Morrison, Tom Robbins (Reader), Patti Smith (Reader)

The definitive anthology of Jim Morrison's writings with rare photographs and numerous handwritten excerpts of unpublished and published poetry and lyrics from his 28 privately held notebooks.


Created in collaboration with Jim Morrison’s estate and inspired by a posthumously discovered list entitled “Plan for Book,” The Collected Works of Jim Morrison is an almost 600-page anthology of the writings of the late poet and iconic Doors’ front man. This landmark publication is the definitive opus of Morrison’s creative output—and the book he intended to publish. Throughout, a compelling mix of 160 visual components accompanies the text: excerpts from his 28 privately held notebooks—all written in his own hand and published here for the first time—as well as an array of personal images and commentary on the work by Morrison himself.  


This oversized, beautifully produced collectible volume contains a wealth of new material—poetry, writings, lyrics, and audio transcripts of Morrison reading his work. Not only the most comprehensive book of Morrison’s work ever published, it is immersive, giving readers insight to the creative process of and offering access to the musings and observations of an artist whom the poet Michael McClure called “one of the finest, clearest spirits of our times.”  

This remarkable collector’s item includes: 




Foreword by Tom Robbins; introduction and notes by editor Frank Lisciandro that provide insight to the work; prologue by Anne Morrison Chewning
Published and unpublished work and a vast selection of notebook writings 
The transcript, the only photographs in existence, and production notes of Morrison’s last poetry recording on his twenty-seventh birthday 
The Paris notebook, possibly Morrison’s final journal, reproduced at full reading size
Excerpts from notebooks kept during his 1970 Miami trial
The shooting script and gorgeous color stills from the never-released film HWY
Complete published and unpublished song lyrics accompanied by numerous drafts in Morrison’s hand
Epilogue: “As I Look Back”: a compelling autobiography in poem form 
Family photographs as well as images of Morrison during his years as a performer
Hear Jim Morrison’s final poetry recording, now available for the first time, on the digital audio book: This book is also available in a digital audio edition, which makes available for the first time, Morrison’s final poetry recording at the Village Recorder in West Los Angeles on his twenty-seventh birthday, December 8, 1970. The digital audio book also includes performances by Patti Smith, Oliver Ray, and others reading Morrison’s work. 

Genres: Poetry, Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Rock N Roll

Audio Cassette

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

James Douglas Morrison was an American singer, poet, songwriter, writer, and film director. He is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors, and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic and influential frontmen in rock music. He was also the author of several books of poetry and the director of a documentary and short film.

Reviews

[Nate Jordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I checked into Morrison Hotel.

This isn’t your typical book.

This isn’t your typical writer.

This isn’t your typical anything.

Perhaps it’s anti-typical.

It’s Jim Morrison.

There’s nothing I can say – interpretively, academically, psychologically, or otherwise – that will help anyone understand Jim and his work beyond their own perceptions, interpretations, and limitations. It’s all personal.

As this review will only be.

First of all, some context.

Jim Morrison’s influence on me, especially in my younger days, was so profound that when I think on it now from the vantage point of two decades, it frankly scares me. I found Jim – and the myth of Jim – both fascinating and frightening. After coaxing me to drink whiskey and eat acid, Jim guided me to some dark truths, to an understanding that the only way to truly appreciate one’s existence was to push it to the brink of annihilation. Break on through….

Now that I’m older, I’ve kept Jim’s hounds at bay. The albums have been shelved for years, though I keep a few songs on my iPhone for rare celebrations.

See, about fifteen years ago my friend Ethan and I made a compact. Every time we’d hear “Roadhouse Blues” we’d have to stop what we’re doing and either flatrock a beer or take a shot. For the rest of our lives. That lasted till my second divorce.

Seriously, every time I hear The Doors I hear the Pied Piper. If I happen to be driving, the foot pushes the gas pedal more and more till I’m either hauling ass or snap out of it and change the station. Their music makes me want to accelerate my senses.

So, now, here I am on top of hill 47, married, three kids, two dogs, homeowner. Responsibilities and what not. A few months ago I heard about the upcoming release of this book. I immediately pre-ordered it.

When it arrived on my doorstep in June, I knifed open the box and picked up this hefty tome – The Jim Bible – and the cover hit me. Jim, staring so hard into my orbs I could feel it in my throat. My anticipation soon turned to apprehension, even dread. I was about to once again enter the labyrinth where “no one here comes out alive.”

The book stood on my nightstand for two weeks. Jim’s stare unnerving me.

I don’t remember which came first, the wine or the reading but once they commenced, they commenced more and more.

Some of the material I was familiar with, much of the material was new. I particularly enjoyed the film treatment for The Hitchhiker.

Ultimately the book will take you on a trip, a very personal journey, with Jim Morrison as your guide. Jim writes like a photographer, capturing images and moments juxtaposed and disjointed in time. It’s all metaphor. Sensual metaphor.

The wine turned to beer. The beer turned to Scotch. There was smoke in the air. Chels and I made love more. It took me a couple weeks to get through the book. And I must say I’m glad my reunion with Jim is over, such Dionysian reverie can be exhausting, and I can get back to my Dad Life.

And check out of Morrison Hotel...

[Adrian Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

The legacy of Jim is still under consideration. There is a loud voice that looks back unkindly on this man out of time. I have no interest in that voice. The Doors touched my soul deeply even though I was there a decade after he departed. The print volume is full of detail and reproductions of written note books. The audiobook has pitch perfect readings, Patti Smith in particular gives flight to those strange shamanistic poems.

If you don’t like Jim, that’s fine. If you do, this is incredible.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? If you're a Doors fan then you'll probably want to buy this book. More specifically, if you're a Jim Morrison fan then you'll definitely want to buy this book. It's pretty great. Sure, there's a fair amount of drivel and adolescent cringeyness, but the moments of brilliance shine all the more because of them. Jim probably wasn't as great of a poet as he thought he was, but he really did have a strong observational eye on the culture and a sometimes magical way of expressing how he felt about the human condition. If he'd lived even just a little while longer, you can tell that his poetic vision would have solidified into something more mature and truly poignant.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve often said that Morrison’s work should be gathered together in one collection, and with this comprehensive anniversary publication I can now relax.

[Lucie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book including hundreds of black and white and colour stunning photos and and array of excerpts from his personal notebooks including poems, lyrics, film scripts and treatments and notes from his trial. Have a newfound respect for Morrison’s talent after reading this, realising he wasn’t just a stoner himbo in leather pants.

[Brian Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic, long overdue collection of Jim's complete poetry that is luxuriously illustrated with relevant private photos and visual reproductions of select journals in Jim's hand.

Look, if you're a Doors fan, you'll understand and cherish this. If you loathe Jim, this won't likely convert you. Jim did indeed have an innate talent for absorbing philosophy and literature, grasping their essential meaning, synthesizing that content, and turning it into poetry. It's good stuff if you turn your mind off and just follow the rhythms and let the complex meanings simmer. Is it worthy of inclusion in the "canon"? Probably not. But in the best tradition of the Beats and the postmodernists, Jim reflects the perspective that there is an elevated super reality above our mundane concerns, that "other side" when our perceptions of reality see beyond materiality and realize we are all energy and spirit here and now. For me, I'm into it. Some really lovely ideas here and Jim should get more credit for his sense of rhythm, probably his strength alongside depth of content. (Extra hint: the Audible version of this book is the first release of Jim reading his own poetry - the last hour of the recording.)

[Tom Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

What we probably expected.

Morrison undoubtedly had a driven mind and soul on fire with an outsize imagination which lived in a world of monsters, salesmen, dancing women and song. This collection is an atlas of his mind’s travels. There are love songs, poems and sea shanteys to accompany his travels real and imagined.

I can’t say that his poetry touched me as much as the dark power of The Doors’ music did, but there is much in it to assure me that they both arose from the same mind of a wild visionary. The Epilogue’s Autobiography is worth the price of admission. Four Stars ****.

[RoXXie | The Art of Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Masterpiece of Literary Genius! – 5 Stars more than well deserved

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Collected Works of Jim Morrison, and I have to admit that it was a phenomenal experience. As an ongoing listener of The Doors and the mysterious Jim Morrison, this compilation has surpassed all of my expectations and then some.



The Collected Works of Jim Morrison

Opinion

A true musical and artistic genius’s unadulterated and uncensored originality is on display in this exquisitely selected collection. With an alluring gravity, Jim Morrison’s words entice you into his world, a labyrinth of ideas and emotions. Every poem, song, and prose piece has something to offer, regardless of your level of familiarity with his writing.

The wide range of this collection is what makes it unique. It includes a wide variety of Morrison’s output, including his incisive essays, intriguing poetry, and mesmerizing song lyrics. It’s an amazing voyage into the thoughts of a man who saw and communicated the human experience in a very special way.

Morrison writes with such haunting elegance, deep thought, and vivid imagery that it is genuinely compelling. He was obviously an introspective individual who wasn’t afraid to explore the darker recesses of his psyche, as seen by the timeless quality of his thoughts. It seems as though his words reach the reader’s heart and soul directly, transcending the confines of time.

The reading experience is enhanced by the book’s addition of perceptive commentary and background material that clarifies the setting and significance of Morrison’s works. It pays a thorough tribute to a genuinely legendary artist.

Conclusion

You’ll discover passion, rebellion, contemplation, and a deep understanding of the human condition in The Collected Works of Jim Morrison. This collection is a must-have for any library, whether you’re looking for motivation, wisdom, or just a peek into the head of a rock star. Anyone who values the fusion of literature and music should have a particular place on their library for this masterpiece. This incredible compilation is a wonderful way to honor Jim Morrison’s legacy, and I heartily recommend it. A hidden gem of five stars!


This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

[Mari Murillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Book Will Light Your Fire
After listening to The Doors since I was a little kid and many other bands from the mid’60s, I couldn't help but try reading The Collective Works of Jim Morrison by Jim Morrison. This book was originally given to me as a gift, and after I saw the size of the book and how many pages were in it, I wanted to put the book away and never open it, but the guilt took over me and I decided to just go for it. The book is pretty much divided into three passages: Poetry and journals, Lyrics and song transcripts, and finally movie transcripts. In each passage, it gives us real notebook excerpts from Jim Morrison's personal notebooks and makes it easier for the reader to read what Jim Morrison is trying to portray in his poems and lyrics. The book holds a lot of desultory because of how outdated and confusing each poem seems to be. I found myself stopping and wondering what each poem meant because there wasn't a clear purpose for each of them. It was as if Morrison was letting us take a dive into his brain and scooping out what he thought would be valuable lessons in life, which some are.
There isn't one specific theme of this book because it is a collection of poems. Some poems were about life, some poems were about sex, and some poems were just poems that held no significant meaning at all. Some of these poems were gratuitous and outdated, so there was some initial shock in taking it all in. I can't think of anything in particular that I hated or liked about this book, but I will say that it made me fall in love with Morrison's creativity and inspired me to write some of my own poems. I loved how the book included pictures of his writing and his movies to make the reader feel more drawn to what Morrison was going through and how he portrayed it in his writing. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates art in all shapes or forms and want to try something new, or to people who just like The Doors. I wouldn't recommend this book to people who don't like reading a lot of poetry and can't seem to stay focused when reading a big book. Either way, this book was an interesting read, and I believe it can be interesting for you too.

[kesseljunkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a massive tome, and it's well laid out & engaging. Morrison was a writer first and foremost, and his rock stardom seems so accidental as to be a contrivance. Looking through these collected works has given me a new appreciation for the linguistic talents of a man who impacted my outlook on art and expression from beyond the grave.

More importantly, selected quotes and citations reveal a genuine self-awareness on the part of Morrison that, at some root level, recognized he wasn't equipped for the life he found. He likely would have been happier, and lived longer, if he'd never been thrust into stardom.

As it is, I'm glad they made the effort to make these works available. At the end you feel like you have a complete picture of a man too often regarded as a mythical, supernatural being.

[C.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So inspiring and full of creativity. Definitely one of those books I'll go back to many times in the future whenever I need a little creative spark.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book truly demonstrates jim morrison’s unearthly talents. it was so refreshing to see his artistry being the focus instead of his struggles with substance abuse. everything in this book was so beautiful compiled

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic exhaustive collection of what appears to be everything Jim Morrison ever wrote- all the songs, all the poems and fragments including bits that were little more than a handwritten scribble in the corner of a spiral bound notebook. For those reasons it's a must have and must read for every Morrison/Doors fan. It also includes a lot of photos I had never seen before. It's too bad the book's build isn't better. This hardcover was falling apart and separating by the time I got half way through and I am a careful reader and collector. So just be aware the book is pretty fragile!

I give the contents 5/5 but the book is physically a 1/5

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nirvana

[Marguerite DesPalmiers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I think Jim Morrison was an awesome lyricist who could one day have become a great poet. These two excerpts from the book, which are fragments of interviews, illustrate his way of thinking about poetry and song.

“I think the day I finally was forced to realize that no one in the world really knows any more about what’s going on than any other person, I kind of lost interest in philosophy as a study of ideas, but philosophy appreciated from the standpoint of how men in the past have used words, have used language. That’s why for me poetry is the ultimate art form, because what defines us as human beings is language. The way we talk is the way we think, and the way we think is the way we act, and the way we act is what we are.”
(Jim Morrison, in an interview with Howard Smith, November 6, 1969, The Village Voice)

“To me a song comes with the music, a sound or rhythm first, then I make up words as fast as I can just to hold on to the feel until actually the music and the lyric come almost simultaneously. With a poem there’s not necessarily any music . . . a sense of rhythm and in that sense, a kind of music, but a song is more primitive. Usually it has a rhyme and a basic meter, whereas a poem can go anywhere.”
(Hopkins, “Jim Morrison: The Rolling Stone Interview.”)

[Kristin · Rating 1 out of 5]

For disciples only, though Jim’s true followers would have found all of this in previously published volumes or on the Internet. I read some of this stuff already years ago, and I went through this for sentimental reasons. The Doors were the music of my childhood, and I still really enjoy the good stuff, but I’ve largely outgrown their more rambling and dated material. Jim’s power lied in his performances, and this work is mostly odds and sods, even though it was meant to showcase his more serious side. The Doors are like a gateway drug. A way into the more profound works that inspired them. Jim was cool, but he’s meant for teenagers.

[Nagendra Sarma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say I understood it all. I did not know what he was craving for in his scribbles and adolescent poems. I let the book pour lines over me: lines written by Jim Morrison! Some understood, many didn't, but they kept me burning, kept me awake, and brought me nightmares. He was/is powerful, striking and grippingly original. I can almost call it groundbreaking, and I am sure it was.

The strong personality, the attitude and the style were jumping out of the book, and this work is a dream for any Morrison's fan. I shall keep the work with me for long, will visit the troubling pages again and again, and will cherish this as long as it could be!

A treasure!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve loved Jim Morrison and The Doors since my early 20s, so this is just a continuation of the love affair for me.

This book compiles poetry and writings from Jim’s journals, generously provided by his family. Jim had an immense talent, which was often overshadowed by his controversial antics, and I find his poetry profoundly moving.

If you pick this one up, I recommend also listening to the audiobook. Much of it is narrated by people like Patti Smith (!), but there are recordings of Jim’s so called ‘Lost Paris Tapes’ (recorded at Elektra Studios in Los Angeles) at the end, which I always find hypnotising and eerie.

[Rebecca Timberlake · Rating 2 out of 5]

(LISTENED TO AUDIOBOOK)


This was... dreadful. Which I hate saying because I love The Doors and loved Morrison, but his writing is that of a pretentious undergrad that carries his banjo from class to class but refuses to play, but will recite some Keats and tell you all about how he read Dostoevsky in the original Russian- self taught.

The people reading did great with what they had, and made it somewhat entertaining, so two stars for that and that alone.

[Catlynn Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic, profound, enticing, protruding, mystic, sincere. All words to describe the masterpieces found in “The Collected Works of Jim Morrison” By James Douglas Morrison. Ahead of his time in writing, and beyond his years in his messages. Anyone who thinks Morrison is a pretentious phony needs their head screwed on a little tighter. His music was astonishing, but his poetry far better. I wish he could see the affect he’s had on people. Rest in Peace 1 & Only Lizard King ❤️

[Kathleen Woodcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first half thinking Morrison was a wise ‘old soul’. Then I completely changed my mind by the second half thinking it was no longer him speaking but the drugs. I listened to it on Audible and preferred others reading his works. He came across as narcissistic. I wonder if he intentionally ended his life? He got so fucked up!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I was a teenager and I read the lords and new creatures and American night, I loved them! But now its kind of misogynistic and not really PC. Did we really need to publish everything?

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This beautifully put-together volume contains poetry that has aged terribly and is far worse than I ever remembered it. I'd rather he was a birdman. Better than him being a wordman.

[John William Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This guy has a great amount of imagination while he was writing.

[Julia Dolinish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the doors but I don’t think this was meant for audiobook. I found myself tuning out and back in a lot of the time

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love seeing the poems & lyrics written in his handwriting!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the verses are highly esoteric and difficult to comprehend, but overall a very interesting read!

[Kaisu Koskelin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Without the music and the ego mostly mediocre tripping jibberish.

[Mike Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morrison Will Forever Be Missed!

If you’re a fan of The Doors, and specifically Jim Morrison’s poetry, I’d recommend this compendium. There were moments of brilliance and confusion which I’m sure is just the way he’d’ve liked it. Morisson’s lugubrious darkness comes through loud and clear in many of these pieces with lines like “All games contain the idea of death” and “The night of the abortion she dreamed of a blood-red sea of embryos, crying to her” and “America, the great syphilitic whore.” But there are also some wondrous verses in here as well, like, “Man’s religious sense arises from his desire to co-create the world” and “Give me songs to sing & emerald dreams to dream & I’ll give you love unfolding” and “There’s a revolution every day -- every time The sun comes up.” I particularly loved his elegy, Ode to LA while thinking of Brian Jones, Deceased which includes these beautiful lines: “I hope you went out Smiling / Like a child / Into the cool remnant of a dream” and also the final poem in this book As I Look Back, which reads very much like something he wrote just as he was leaving for Paris and in which he brags of being the “1st to bring normal academic intelligence to rock” and says he “Had the disgrace to be successful” (which is just brilliant!)

This book also includes some rare photos and also pictures of Morison’s handwritten poems and lyrics which I always love seeing. As well as a brief film treatment he created that expands on the song “Riders on the Storm.” There’s a lot here and I didn’t love every single poem but many were worthy of multiple reads and intense scrutiny.

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's unlikely that anyone would willingly want to read this all the way through unless they were both a devoted Doors fan and had some interest in poetry. At over 500 pages, this tome contains nearly all the data one could want to consume if they had an interest in the creative psyche of Jim Morrison. As a personal Doors fan and a fan of Morrison, it's hard to extricate my personal love for the music and lyrics to the actual quality of many of the poems included in this. That being said, I do think the work that Morrison was able to create (in spite of his severe alcoholism) is rather sad, mystic, and is clearly indebted to the imagists and symbolist poets that he glutted himself on as a boy. I do think, though, that Morrison clearly has a knack for putting together the strange and the whimsical in ways that challenge and inspire the reader. While many of these poems contain a structure that may have been not entirely his own desire, their images and cadence ring clear. He also interestingly is able to pull from a past mythos and compound that with the present of the late-60s Americana that he was a stalwart for. I did find his film treatment to be pedestrian, but reading this collection inspired real emotion in me--a real sadness to think of what he might have accomplished had he lived longer. Just to see where his creative journey would go. Worth a read for fans and for those who love the modernist or imagistic poets of yore.