Woody Allen’s Memoir Manages to Get Published Despite Backlash

It appears that Woody Allen’s memoir has a permanent home now, even after his previous publisher Hachette dropped it over outstanding backlash. The 400-page memoir, Apropos of Nothing, was released today through Arcade Publishing.

Allen’s memoir comes at a time when most people’s attention is affixed on the global coronavirus pandemic, so the 84-year-old filmmaker will likely not engage in interviews or promotional appearances. There has also been no word on what the financial aspect of Allen’s book deal looks like.

“The book is a candid and comprehensive personal account by Woody Allen of his life,” Arcade announced in a statement. “Ranging from his childhood in Brooklyn through his acclaimed career in film, theater, television, print and standup comedy, as well as exploring his relationships with family and friends.”

While it’s undeniably questionable to give Allen a platform, the memoir includes his stance on his relationship with Mia Farrow, her daughter Soon-Yi Previn (Allen says he would marry her again “in a heartbeat”), and Dylan Farrow’s accusations that Allen molested her as a child.

In case you needed any sort of clarification concerning Allen’s narcissism, he completely absolves himself of any guilt related to the various allegations against him, making it seem as if he just has a swarm of scorned people in his life dead-set on getting undeserved revenge.

“I can’t deny that it plays into my poetic fantasies to be an artist whose work isn’t seen in his own country and is forced, because of injustice, to have his public abroad,” Allen writes. “Henry Miller comes to mind. D.H. Lawrence. James Joyce. I see myself standing amongst them defiantly.”

Much like Roman Polanski, who managed to win a French César Award last month despite having been convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in the U.S., Allen’s (while alleged) actions aren’t at odds with his filmmaker status in Europe, where great interest has been expressed in publishing his memoir.

“In this strange time, when truth is too often dismissed as ‘fake news,’ we as publishers prefer to give voice to a respected artist, rather than bow to those determined to silence him,” Arcade editor Jeannette Seaver said in a statement.

Arcade, an imprint of Sky Publishing, is well-known for publishing books from controversial figures. Books on their roster have been penned by JFK conspiracy theorist Jim Garrison and attorney/frequent Trump defended Alan Dershowitz. Sky has also published renowned authors Samuel Beckett and Octavio Paz.