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St Andrews' academic publishes book on Morrissey to coincide with the singer's 50th birthday this year.
Dr Gavin Hopps, a research fellow at ITIA, has written the first academic study of iconic singer Morrissey. The book, Morrissey, The Pageant of His Bleeding Heart is being published to coincide with the singer's 50th birthday this year (22 May 2009).
One of the few academic experts on the work of Morrissey and The Smiths, Dr Hopps believes that for all his fame, the singer still hasn't received the recognition he deserves.
In his new book - due out in June in the US and July in the UK - Dr Hopps argues that Morrissey is the greatest lyricist in the history of British popular music, and compares Manchester's most famous son to literary luminaries such as Samuel Beckett, Philip Larkin, John Betjeman and Oscar Wilde, as well as comedy greats Frankie Howerd and George Formby.