Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Book review: I Will See You In Far Off Places

I Will See You In Far Off Places:
Áine Ní Cheallaigh
Capsule Press, Beacon NY
2016

I Will See You In Far Off Places: A Memoir of Following Morrissey's 2015 South American Tour


Following Morrissey on tour, even for just a few shows, is likely to be one of the most emotional, memorable experiences of your life. So imagine embarking on a journey through South America, when you are not familiar with the languages, for nearly two months, to 12 Morrissey concerts in seven countries. That's what Áine and her wife Nora set out to do last November.

I've been lucky enough to meet both Áine and Nora on some of our mutual travels to see Morrissey in the United States and the UK, so when I heard Áine was writing a book about their South American adventures, I couldn't wait to read it. Normally answering a knock at the door is something I'm not too thrilled about, but when my review copy of I Will See You In Far Off Places arrived by delivery, I gleefully answered, tearing into the packaging to discover a truly lovely addition to any Morrissey fan's collection.


Front cover
Back cover

The book itself is a nicely-sized paperback with a soft-brushed feel to the black cover, featuring a photo of Morrissey (taken by fellow Moz concert-regular Alyssa) mid shirt-toss, wearing a Brazilian flag wrapped around his waist. Inside there are many more black-and-white photos, accompanying the story of Áine and Nora's sometimes daunting, often inspiring adventures throughout South America. Each chapter is organized by show (city and date). The book is 238 pages and is in a very comfortably readable font, and is also available on Kindle.

Reviews can be tricky to write, especially if the a book evokes a strong response, because the temptation is to start babbling away about the whole work in fits of excitement and enthusiasm with the ever-pressing fear of giving too much away.  I Will See You In Far Off Places is absolutely a book that will elicit an intense response - with its magnetic weave of humour, adventure, and the emotional whirlwind of seeing Morrissey on stage, and Áine should be proud of capturing these experiences with a liveliness that is the next best thing to being on tour with Moz yourself. 

I devoured the book in one day.

The description is lush, detailing the traveller's fascination of visiting far-off countries - capturing deliciously that feeling when you've just stepped off the tarmac and engulf yourself in the vibrancy of a new city or country, with all of the accompanying excitement and insecurities. Áine's voice carries through, somehow comfortably conversational yet profound all at once, describing the beauty of nature and animals (monkeys will play a role), the smog and grit of city-life, and of course, the emotional journey itself.

And few journeys are quite as emotional, as my fellow Morrissey lovers will attest, as seeing the man on stage, baring his soul, his passion, his emotion - and Áine, throughout the book - captures the breathtaking essence of this. As a relatively new fan of Morrissey myself, I could relate to how it felt for the author to discover him a little later in life - how timing is everything - and that desire to exist solely in that moment when he appears on stage, and imprint it on your heart and mind. We come from all walks, and some of us have followed Moz since his Smiths days in the 1980's - others, much more recently - but each time Morrissey walks on stage, he offers his very human vulnerabilities and strengths: his pain, his isolation, his heart, his humour - and every time, be it the first or the hundredth show we've seen - it's unique; he touches the soul.  Áine brings the core of this experience to life with words.  

Oh - and then there's everything on concert days leading up to the moment Morrissey appears on stage. How vibrantly the author captures that too: from queue lists, to ticket scanning incidents, to the highs and lows and uncertainties of waiting in line, to the grasping grapple for a coveted spot on the barrier. You will nod in agreement if you've been there - and if you haven't - you will feel as if you are living it with Áine and Nora.  

At risk of giving too much away, which I'm always in fear of doing, I'll just point out some standout moments: the mutual isolation and uncertainty after the Paris attacks, the connection of our souls through art, and the sometimes humorous, other times rigorous mishaps of travel, to name a few. Also, the author describes a little about the 9-Type Personality Enneagram (she and Morrissey are both Type Fours) which is truly fascinating stuff as it demystifies a lot about personality and relationships. I had the pleasure of discussing this topic with her once while queuing for a Morrissey concert in Hull (discovering I am also a Four) and things just make so much more sense once you look into it.


Morrissey in Argentina, 2015. Photo by Ginger Shortcake, via TTY

The highlights of the 12 concerts are painted vividly for us - from handshakes, to the music, to the internal, eternal process of healing: the self, the heart, the mind, and grief. Áine explores how we see ourselves in Morrissey - and perhaps, just perhaps, how he sees himself in us, his audience: reflections of one another - embracing that it is okay to be human - and all that entails - as we walk through every insecurity, isolating moment, and hoping moment that occurs. As Áine so beautifully expresses, "Often, looking up at him on stage, he was simply my heart."

I Will See You In Far Off Places is about taking risks and chances, and diving into life. As Oscar Wilde once wrote, "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." In her memoirs, Áine reminds us of what it is to embrace the moment.



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