Pete Doherty has signed a book deal to publish his diaries, it was announced today.
The drug-addled Babyshambles singer will release 20 volumes of poems, drawings, lyrics and personal reflections in one hardback book.
Doherty was supposed to attend the publishing launch this afternoon in his favourite pub to do a poetry reading – but failed to turn up.
Ian Preece, commissioning editor of Orion Books, explained that the singer would not be coming.
“It’s probably because Holland v Argentina is on. That’s rock’n’roll” he said.
Orion have bought the world rights to Doherty’s journals.
They will chart his rise to fame from 1999 to the present day including his time with first band The Libertines, his relationship with supermodel Kate Moss and his spells in rehab and jail.
The launch took place at The Boogaloo pub in Highgate, north London, one of the singer’s favourite hang-outs.
Preece said: “The diaries stretch right back to Pete’s early years.
“They are full of poems, lyrics, thoughts, artwork and photos.
“Some of it is very funny, some it is pretty dark. All of it is incredibly readable.
“It is intimate and honest stuff and a complete antidote to a lot of what you might have read about him.”
The journals will be published in March 2007. Doherty, 27, said in a statement: “I am very happy to have a book coming out with Orion and to share a bookshelf with H G Wells, Ian Rankin and Stan Bowles.
“I’ve always wanted to have a book published and it’s all very exciting for me personally.
“Vaya con dios.”
The singer recently finished a spell in a Portuguese rehab clinic where he received treatment for crack and heroin addiction.
A judge has warned him he faces jail if he does not stay off drugs
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