Woody Allen’s autobiography Apropos of Nothing has been published by Arcade Publishing following Hachette terminating their agreement with Allen earlier this month.
Hachette Book Group made the decision to cancel the book’s publication following a staff walkout protesting the company’s involvement with Allen.
The company’s decision to terminate their agreement with Allen has met with mixed reviews. Some have supported the decision, while others have said the decision is in effect censorship.
Arcade Publishing released the first print run of 75,000 copies of the book on Monday.
His new publisher referred to the book as “a candid and comprehensive personal account by Woody Allen of his life, ranging from his childhood in Brooklyn through his acclaimed career in film, theatre, television, print and stand-up comedy, as well as exploring his relationships with family and friends.”
Allen addressed Hachette’s decision in a postscript in his memoirs, in which he writes : “Hachette read the book and loved it and despite me being a toxic pariah and menace to society, they vowed to stand firm should things hit the fan.
“When actual flak did arrive, they thoughtfully reassessed their position, concluding that perhaps courage was not the virtue it was cracked up to be and there was a lot to be said for cowering.”
Hachette defended their decision not to publish the autobiography earlier this month, in a public statement which read: “We take our relationships with authors very seriously, and do not cancel books lightly.
"We have published and will continue to publish many challenging books. As publishers, we make sure every day in our work that different voices and conflicting points of views can be heard.”
