I love the constant references to British film and TV, books and poetry, especially as someone who also lives an imaginary existence. Unfortunately this book lacks the poetic warmth Doherty is known for speaking in, and forgoes a lot of talk of the relationship between him and Carl in exchange for tedious goings on about drug binges and the like. It felt like a very literal recount of Pete's life, with a rather flat style, that didn't really convey the wonderful poetry of Pete's lyrics and outstanding songwriting. His deeply heartfelt recollections of his family, the places he grew up, and his budding fascination with literature from a very early age, had me immediately set right. He comes across as very honest and matter of fact when it comes to drug use, and talks candidly about some of the murkier accusations attached to that side of his life.

It turned into a long weekend, and on the morning of the second day, he was just sat there on the stairs with his head in his hands. In addition, there isn't any insight into why Pete was driven to such olympian levels of self-destruction. Doherty paints his drive to introduce chaos to the Libertines as an anti-capitalism kick – though that’s not the only reason why they played cash-in-hand shows.I really wasn't expecting to come away from this book liking Doherty, but he just completely challenged my preconceptions about him before I'd even finished the first chapter. If this isn’t quite a comeback story, it does end on a hopeful note, with Doherty – a musician again rather than a caricature – optimistic about what’s to come, intent on repairing various relationships once pushed to breaking point. My English is poor but I love the Libertines and other Peter's music, appreciate poetry although sometimes struggle with meaning.

He describes one infamously terrible Babyshambles gig – a bandmate had attempted suicide just beforehand and arrived wearing “his long woollen scarf that he’d used to hang himself still connected to the branch that had snapped”. It's not the huge, salacious reveals that I'm necessarily interested in, it's the day to day mundanities, interspersed with random and unusual events that fascinate me. Drugs naturally feature quite prominently in this biography, but Doherty never seems to glorify or glamorize them; quite the opposite in fact. Towards the end of the book, Pete seems to open up more and takes on a much more optimistic tone with the musician finally seeming to grapple his life, meet a woman he loves, and commit himself to sobriety (sort of). But hearing Pete speak now with a calm persona, a rational outlook, and no longer that wandering maelstrom of chaos, it sounds like he's finally figured out who he is and what he wants to be.The long-awaited, candid memoir from Peter Doherty, whose talent as a musician has more often been eclipsed by a Herculean appetite for self destruction: drugs, prison, prostitution, court, murder, death, robbery, car crashes and hospital emergencies. You wouldn't not want to live his life or be even close to it but observing it from distance it makes for a proper adventure. The real disappointment is anyone who's seen an interview with Peter Doherty knows there's a beautiful natural poetry to the way he speaks and that is missing. I’m fairly certain now those photos of Kate in the studio were actually taken by two Bangladeshi crack dealers.

I did pick up from an interview that it's been heavily edited and some of the true revelations removed but worth read. and an addict) and loved gaining a deeper insight into his genius/sources of inspiration, and learning the real timeline of events of his life. He immersed himself in books and poetry - something that is evident in his lyric-writing to this day. Doherty reveals that beyond the tabloid hoopla, it wasn’t all brinksmanship and squalor; there was joy too, in the excess, in his relationship with Moss – at times “an Evelyn Waugh scene”, we learn, all secret rendezvous and four-poster beds – and in the camaraderie among bands, especially in the Libertines’ more ramshackle days. He approached stints in rehab as an obligation he did for other people (the justice system, bandmates and so on) and regarded himself as a fully functioning addict.Doherty speaks about the drug scene in which he sought refuge from the paparazzi and police, stealing phones to “prove myself” to a dealer or hiding out at a super-fan’s flat. The long-awaited, candid memoir from Peter Doherty, whose talent as a musician has more often been eclipsed by a Herculean appetite for self-destruction: drugs, prison, prostitution, court, murder, death, robbery, car crashes and hospital emergencies.

His lack of reflection then is perhaps understandable given that he likely doesn’t remember a whole lot of what happened. Doherty sees that his behaviour was a destabilising force, but maintains he could have been offered more understanding.Peter's music is as eclectic as it is introspective, and is consistently thought of one of the leading lights on the British rock scene. Loved reading this as Pete is a fascinating bloke and it was good to read some of the stories he has and how he started e.