Being a fan of Morrissey and his former band, The Smiths since the 80's, I was quite keen to read this book when it was given to me by a friend who is also a fan and he told me that he thought this to be the definitive book about Morrissey and The Smiths and contains all you need to know. Indeed this 'Mozipedia' which is a humorous take on an encyclopedia, certainly looked packed with plenty of information in its 532 pages as I thumbed through it briefly before settling down to read it.

Morrissey is perhaps one of the most original voices in the history of popular music. With The Smiths, he led the most influential British guitar group of the 1980s, with his enigmatic wit and self-deprecating style defining a generation. As a solo artist, he has also continued to be original and at times controversial. Whilst worshipped by some and vilified by others, there is no doubting his unique ability.

The 600 entries in this 'Mozipedia' are listed in alphabetical order in one of six categories:

1. The music of Morrissey and The Smiths - all songs, albums, compilations and video collections.

2. The life of Morrissey - biographical information, schools, youth, etc.

3. The influences of Morrissey - books, authors, films, actors, singers, groups, art, etc.

4. The who's who - all musicians, producers, band members that worked with Morrissey and The Smiths.

5. The world of Morrissey - specific places that are relevant to his life and referenced in song.

6. The tao of Morrissey - everything that didn't fit into one of the previous categories, such as his thoughts on cats, football, tea, etc.

As the book is split into these sections, it makes it an easy to read book and it is also easy to find particular items of interest. Some passages are longer than others but you can dip in and out of this book rather than read it from cover to cover. Although I started at the beginning I did find myself dipping in and out of other parts further into the book.
I did begin this book with an open mind and did not expect too much from it as I have found in the past that many of these types of books are not very readable, or they contain the information you already know and little of what you don't.

What sets this book apart for me is the fact that this is written by a true fan, Q journalist Simon Goddard. His passion for the subject material shines through and makes the text a very interesting read, telling the story behind every song Morrissey has recorded, either as a solo artist or with The Smiths. Goddard is also the author of 'Songs That Saved Your Life' a book about the songs of The Smiths published in 2002.
It was also interesting to hear that this is the only Smiths book to earn the approval of the band's founder member and guitarist Johnny Marr.
If there is anything to criticise here it could perhaps be said that Goddard is too much of a fan and finds it hard to be negative at all, by apologising for some of Morrissey's more controversial comments, but even this did not spoil my overall enjoyment of this book.

The information included here is concise but it still flows, making the text interesting to read and not just a set of lists and facts. There are also sections with photographs of Morrissey and The Smiths as well as photographs of various things mentioned in the book, such as Morrissey's influences, with an interesting amount devoted to the New York Dolls. Another interesting inclusion is the references to and also the passages on some songs that were never released.

Whilst this book could be the ultimate biography on Morrissey, what made it particualrly interesting for me is that it explains what us fans get from the singer's work and his music and lyrics. I identified a lot with the early Smiths lyrics of the 80's and it is also interesting to find out influences for certain lyrics etc.
Morrissey's cultural love of often obscure books, music, films and certain social groupings are all referred to here.

Overall, this book will obviously only appeal to fans of Morrissey and The Smiths. As a fan myself, I thought I knew quite a bit about Morrissey but I was wrong. Whilst the back cover's statement tells us "everything and anything you ever wanted to know about Morrissey" I found that even after reading this and discovering so much I didn't know, what is really evident is how Morrissey still remains something of an enigma. And I can't help but think that is a good thing.
Morrissey without the enigma, just wouldn't be Morrissey, as this man who can be so personal in his songs and yet so allusive when it comes to himself will always be a compelling fascination for his fans.

A good read I can recommend for all fans of Morrissey and The Smiths.