 Book cover, 2005 edition | |
| Author | Johnny Rogan |
|---|---|
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Van Morrison |
| Genre | Biography |
| Publisher | Secker & Warburg |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 640 |
| ISBN | 0-436-20566-1 |
| OCLC | 60377037 |
| 782.42164092 22 | |
| LC Class | ML420.M63 R64 2005 |
| Preceded by | Van Morrison: A Portrait of the Artist (1984) |
Van Morrison: No Surrender is a biography of musician Van Morrison, written by Johnny Rogan. It was first published in 2005 by Secker & Warburg, and another edition was published by Vintage Books in 2006. Rogan interviewed musicians and friends of Morrison, and spent 20 years researching the book and four years writing it. The book is comprehensive, and goes into detail about multiple facets of Morrison's life. Rogan recounts Morrison's youth in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and how early experiences there informed his music. He discusses how Morrison joined various bands before experiencing success with Them. Morrison later signed a contract with Bert Berns and moved to New York, where he became quite popular after recording "Brown Eyed Girl" and albums Astral Weeks and Moondance. Rogan comments on Morrison's exploration of spirituality, and describes how these experiences influenced his musical work. The biography discusses Morrison's move to Britain and then Dublin, and his relationship with model Michelle Rocca.
The book received mostly positive reviews in the media. Kirkus Reviews called it "a narrative of propulsive drive that is also a reflective, associative piece of social history,"[1] and The Sunday Independent described it as "an exhaustive study".[2] The Sunday Times noted: "What makes this book worthwhile is its fiercely illuminating angle. ... Morrison, as usual, declined to take part but the author's scholarly methods lend this weighty volume a real authority."[3] The Irish Times referred to the biography as a "superb book",[4] and a review in The Observer stated "This characteristically accomplished biography shows the singer from every angle."[5] Diarmaid Ferriter selected the book as his pick in The Sunday Business Post feature "Authors' choices". The book received negative reviews in The Toronto Star and The Herald.
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