Abstract

Join Portuguese writer Ana Leorne as she takes us on a trip into the mind of troubled rock star-poet-genius Jim Morrison. Diving into the era, the man, his art, the surrounding people, and not least the myth of The Doors’ enigmatic frontman, Leorne paints an illuminating picture of seemingly inevitable self-destruction – but also one of undeniable brilliance. Leorne’s book is a revealing insight into the fascinating American poet-shaman who helped change the general consciousness of his time. As is often the case, the price of his massive success and creative brilliance was high; his death in Paris in 1971 didn’t come as a surprise to those who knew him well. This Is the Strangest Life I’ve Ever Known is part biography, and part analysis of Morrison’s creative psyche; part a socio-political overview of the late 1960s, and part a closer look at related key works; part a story of demanding public projections, and part one of individual poetic triumphs. Utilising some of Morrison’s favourite literary and philosophical references, relying heavily on his poetry, and writing from the place he last chose to live (and die) in, Leorne successfully manages to paint a deep psychological portrait of a complex character of almost archetypical proportions.