One Direction: Who We Are: Our Autobiography is One Direction's latest official book (after Where We Are) where they will tell their story that has never been told before. They will also release an audio book version where their story will be told by them.
I listened to the audio book version of this book since I'm still waiting for the physical copy and thinking it's cool to listen to their voice telling their own part, their own story. To be honest when they announced this book and the title it holds I am super excited because AUTOBIOGRAPHY and the promise of "who we are".
If youre 1D af, meaning die hard Directioner and your one and only fandom is One Direction, and you're like following them since The X-Factor, this book feels like or will feel like they didn't offer something new. I don't know if it's just me and if I just expected too much but I feel that they've told this story a million times before.
Each boys (like with their other books) discussed the same things in their own POV. They discussed their lives before One Direction and their humble beginnings (wkta or "we know this already"), how X-factor changed their lives (wkta), their experience in recording UAN and TMH and their reaction when both became #1 worldwide (again wkta), how they deal with celebrity status (pretty sure wkta), how their tour affects/affected them especially Ghana (wkta), and how they deal with the success of the band (uhm wkta!).
This might not be the case for all fans who have read this book and/or listened to the audio book, this is just imo.
To be fair, there were some pretty great honest story or as honest and as truthful as it can be that were kinda new to me like when Louis talked about his struggles about not getting enough solos during The X-factor (because apparently before x-factor he always wanted to be the center of attention and that's not the case in The X-factor) and some people said negative things about it. I mean even in UAN he rarely got solos. It was during Midnight Memories (third album!) that he got really confident with his voice and his contribution to the band. I mean, 3rd album was kinda a long time.. And I think I can understand now that when he started to be confident with his voice was the time I really really appreciate him and in fact my favorite part in every 1D song now is mostly (if not all) his part. Yeah, that's saying something. I'm so glad he got confident and I think he is ever since he experienced writing their own songs in TMH but really got the feel of it during MM.
But even then, you know, what's really really amazing with this band, you can't see jealousy even a spark. Louis could have easily be jealous towards idk Harry because Harry pretty much center-of-attention magnet but of course he won't, he loves Harry! I just hoped they talked about jealousy within the band which is wishful thinking because I don't think the management wants to have that image. They didn't even discuss their friendship off canon.
Another great part which was actually what I'm hoping they'll discuss but it's only Harry who did but still okay because as I've said pretty much all the media's/fans' attention are on him. He talked about gossips. He didn't dwell on it on a deeper level like if it's affecting him on a different level well, maybe because he's not? He said he gets it that it's part of it and he just kind of shrugs gossips. I mean remember like all the gossips Harry faced? He said that he learned not to believe in everything written in the paper which is I think what he wants to say to us to not believe everything other people said about him .
I want more 1D stories and can we at least retire with the X-factor and humble beginnings because we know it already! ;)
I hope they discussed how they have changed in the 4 years and I mean like, principle-wise, as a person, their friendship, their relationship with each other and with their family and their thoughts about the fans and the future of the band. I don't know, just more.
I'm kind of looking forward to the physical copy because of pictures although not really because I'm pretty certain photos from Tumblr will be a lot more interesting. Yeah, for collection.
But I understand that they don't really actually have a call on it. At the end of the day, it's still management's call, so. Yeah! Fine.
Goodreads rating: 3 out of 5 stars (this rating is for the audio book, I'm gonna change it if I like the physical book more which gonna be for sure)
Date read: 10/6/2014, Monday
Thanks for reading this. I would love to hear your thoughts about this book or just about the boys!
Love, Kaye