If you've wanted to read Morrissey's recently published memoir -- but you've been too scared to do it alone -- join me and other Moz fans in an online Soundcheck experiment called "The Morrissey Book Club."

Over the next three weeks, I'll lead an online discussion of Autobiography, in which Morrissey chronicles his early years in Manchester, his rise to fame with the influential rock band the Smiths, the band's implosion and his solo career. I'll be reading it for the first time, though I've seen an outline. So I know about the ghost story, for example. (Wow! And, thanks to Soundcheck intern Alex Martinez for laying the groundwork for The Morrissey Book Club.)

We'll consume the book in three gulps of about 150 pages each. Our first "due date" is next Thursday, Feb. 27. I'll start comment threads here on Soundcheck.org, so follow us on Twitter (@Soundcheck) for updates -- and tweet us your impulsive reactions, favorite lines and emotional analysis with the hashtag #mozclub. We may expand the discussion to other platforms, if there's interest. 

First step: Get a copy of the book. You can read "Autobiography" in hardcover or Kindle form. No judgments. Wherever possible, I'll reference "location" and "percentage complete" for Kindle users, in addition to page numbers for those with a physical copy. UPDATE: I've added page numbers for UK edition, which is nearly identical to the US edition except for this one thing. We'll discuss that during our project.

Next: Start reading. Here's the schedule. Topic descriptions are mine, not those of Morrissey (who apparently wouldn't dare divide his life into tidy chapters.) 

Part 1: The Manchester Years 

Due date: 2/27

Read to page 145 (location: 1680, completed 30%. UK page 145)

 

Part 2: The Smiths and the Solo Career

Due date: 3/6

Read to page 299 (location: 3561, completed 65%. UK page 302)

 

Part 3: The Court Case and Modern Moz

Due date: 3/13

Read to page 460, the end (location: 5458, completed 100%. UK page 460, the end)

Describe your Morrissey fandom in the thread below. Before we start, let's get something off our chests. (Because the frequently bare-chested Moz would want it that way.) Describe your Morrissey fandom: Are you a casual fan? An obsessive? Do you prefer the solo albums or the Smiths era? Also, do you have any lyrics tattooed on your body?