Face It: A Memoir

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Blondie fans will love its piquant atmospherics and the energy and honesty of Harry’s take on her singular saga.

While on tour with Iggy Pop and David Bowie, the latter flashes his penis at Harry in the dressing room “as if I were the official cock checker or something”. But yes you see her not being wanted as a baby and how that crept into her lifelong wish for love/family. She was and is one of the most recognizable stars in the world and makes no apologies about taking advantage of her looks throughout her career.Excepting that one intensely personal and brave revelation, Debbie remained aloof for the most part.

Harry didn't seem to be connected to the the book at all and there was nothing that felt personal or overly interesting in the entirety of the book.

With all the grit, grime, and glory recounted in intimate detail, Face It recreates the downtown scene of 1970s New York City, where Blondie played alongside the Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop and David Bowie. Photograph: Mick Rock/Rex Features View image in fullscreen ‘Ultimately for me, it’s the overwhelming need to have my entire life be an imaginative out-of-body experience. For all ebook purchases, you will be prompted to create an account or login with your existing HarperCollins username and password.

It may be the case, as Harry notes, that this would be a better memoir if she'd kept a journal over the years. Harry's memoir is divided into many chapters; each read like transcribed interviews, because they are. I can guarantee you that if you read this, you will spend your free time looking for old footage of Harry and Blondie on YouTube. Her tribute to Bowie at the end is lovely, as she recorded one of her most recent albums in the same studio where he recorded The Next Day and Blackstar. I really wanted something juicy with all kinds of crazy punk 70's NYC shit and this was a major let down.Those who are very dedicated fans, or were much more involved in the punk scene, and are far more familiar with the atmosphere of that time and place, may not glean anything new from this memoir, but I’m sure the trip down memory lane will be worth your time. That part where she explained her reasons for doing the book and trying NOT to do this book was for me the best part. Most of the art is really outstanding, and I thought it was such a nice thing to do because it shows she appreciates her fans and the things they send to her. The scope of Debbie Harry's impact on our culture has been matched only by her reticence to reveal her rich inner life - until now.

She describes the albums and songwriting, but doesn’t spend much time talking about the other members of the band with the obvious exception of Chris Stein. Debbie Harry tells her story in a very subtle and subdued way, of course, one could criticise her for being thin on detail if they are that way inclined, or they could just be tolerant and accept that this is the way she is telling her story, it's her story to tell after all and she can tell it exactly how she wants to. Nevertheless, I was enchanted by her girlhood in New Jersey and somehow making the decision after high school to become an artist (of a genre to be determined) in New York in the 1960s--and, despite all odds, actually accomplishing it.

Of all these illustrious bands Blondie has had the most commercial success and is still making new relevant music decades later.