Face It: A Memoir

Powell's Picks of the Month

Hot new releases and under-the-radar gems for adults and kids.

Debbie Harry may not take herself that seriously, but she deeply respects the creative process. In her memoir, she explains how the bygone friendships and locales of ’70s New York inspired her and helped make Blondie rock-and-roll superstars. Recommended By Matt K. , Powells.com

“I was saying things in songs that female singers didn’t really say back then. I wasn’t submissive or begging him to come back, I was kicking his ass, kicking him out, kicking my own ass too. My Blondie character was an inflatable doll but with a dark, provocative, aggressive side. I was playing it up yet I was very serious.”—From Face It

BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL AND BORN TO BE PUNK

 

DEBBIE HARRY is a musician, actor, activist, and the iconic face of New York City cool. As the frontwoman of Blondie, she and the band forged a new sound that brought together the worlds of rock, punk, disco, reggae and hip-hop to create some of the most beloved pop songs of all time. As a muse, she collaborated with some of the boldest artists of the past four decades. The scope of Debbie Harry’s impact on our culture has been matched only by her reticence to reveal her rich inner life—until now.

In an arresting mix of visceral, soulful storytelling and stunning visuals that includes never-before-seen photographs, bespoke illustrations and fan art installations, Face It upends the standard music memoir while delivering a truly prismatic portrait. With all the grit, grime, and glory recounted in intimate detail, Face It re-creates the downtown scene of 1970s New York City, where Blondie played alongside the Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.

Following her path from glorious commercial success to heroin addiction, the near-death of partner Chris Stein, a heart-wrenching bankruptcy, and Blondie’s breakup as a band to her multifaceted acting career in more than thirty films, a stunning solo career and the triumphant return of her band, and her tireless advocacy for the environment and LGBTQ rights, Face It is a cinematic story of a woman who made her own path, and set the standard for a generation of artists who followed in her footsteps—a memoir as dynamic as its subject.

"[An] insightful new memoir…the most distinctive quality in Harry’s book is her sangfroid. At each dramatic turn — and there are plenty — she remains unflappable." Los Angeles Times

"Blondie fans will love its piquant atmospherics and the energy and honesty of Harry's take on her singular saga." Publishers Weekly

"In a narrative that feels simultaneously heartfelt and spontaneous, Harry recounts close encounters with violence and harassment with the same immediacy as the moments that catapulted Blondie to worldwide fame.... A wild ride of fame, friendships, music, and drugs sure to appeal to Blondie fans and 1970s rock in general." Kirkus

DEBBIE HARRY with Blondie has sold millions of albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Harry had the pleasure of acting in some of the most interesting independent films of the last twenty years. She is devoted to environmental issues such as clean water and saving pollinators as well as the promotion of the LGBTQ community and human rights.