Woody Allen releases memoir Apropos of Nothing via new publisher

Woody Allen has released his new memoir.

After original publisher Hachette dropped the Oscar-winning filmmaker's autobiography earlier this month following intense backlash, the 84-year-old Allen released the nonfiction account, titled Apropos of Nothing, Monday through Arcade Publishing.

"The book is a candid and comprehensive personal account by Woody Allen of his life," the publisher said in a statement to the Associated Press, “ranging from his childhood in Brooklyn through his acclaimed career in film, theater, television, print and standup comedy, as well as exploring his relationships with family and friends.”

Arcade acquired rights to the book after substantial criticism aimed at Hachette caused the initial publisher to drop Apropos of Nothing from its schedule. Dylan Farrow, Allen's adopted daughter, has repeatedly claimed the director molested her when she was a child (allegations he has consistently denied), and called Hachette's acquisition of the book "an utter betrayal" of her brother, Ronan Farrow, who last year released his book Catch and Kill through Hachette's imprint Little, Brown and Company.

In a postscript added to the Arcade version, Allen alleges that Hachette told him it would publish the book despite his “being a toxic pariah and menace to society,” but "when actual flak did arrive, they thoughtfully reassessed their position" and "dumped the book like it was a hunk of Xenon 135."

In a statement to the Associated Press, Arcade editor Jeannette Seaver said: “In this strange time, when truth is too often dismissed as 'fake news,' we as publishers prefer to give voice to a respected artist, rather than bow to those determined to silence him."

The book reportedly begins by chronicling Allen's upbringing and love affairs with the likes of Diane Keaton and other women, before moving into his professional life working on projects like Radio Days, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Annie Hall, and Hannah and Her Sisters, among others. He also covers his relationship with Mia Farrow, Dylan's allegations of abuse, and his relationship with Farrow's daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, who was more than 30 years younger than him when they began a sexual relationship while he separated from Mia. According to the Associated Press, Allen speculates Dylan's allegations against him stem from Mia's "Ahab-like quest” for revenge against him for his relationship with Previn.

“I never laid a finger on Dylan, never did anything to her that could be even misconstrued as abusing her; it was a total fabrication from start to finish,” Allen writes, per the AP, referencing various claims that were the subject of two separate investigations in the 1990s, both of which resulted in no charges against him. “I certainly didn’t do anything improper to her."

In addition to Apropos of Nothing, Allen is currently working on finishing his next movie, tentatively titled Rifkin's Festival, which filmed last year in Spain with a cast including Christoph Waltz, Gina Gershon, Wallace Shawn, Elena Anaya, and Louis Garrel.

The filmmaker also recently dropped his $68 million lawsuit against Amazon Studios for terminating a four-picture deal after scrapping the release of his last movie, A Rainy Day in New York, over Dylan's allegations.

Related content:

• Hachette decides not to publish Woody Allen's memoir in wake of controversy
• Ronan and Dylan Farrow criticize publisher of Woody Allen's memoir: 'An utter betrayal'
• Gina Gershon, Wallace Shawn defend working with Woody Allen: 'A dream come true'