Face It by Debbie Harry
Last updated: 7 October 2026
Face It is Debbie Harry's memoir, written with the music journalist Sylvie Simmons and first published in October 2019. It runs from her childhood in New Jersey to Blondie, her film work and the band's return, with her own photographs and fan art printed between the chapters. The HarperCollins paperback has 368 pages and an RRP of £12.99. On 7 October 2026 Amazon UK had it at £10.99.
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What Face It covers
Harry starts with her adoption as a baby and growing up in Hawthorne, New Jersey. She then moves to the downtown New York scene of the 1970s, where Blondie played the same clubs as the Ramones, Television and Talking Heads. Iggy Pop and David Bowie turn up in those chapters too.
After the hits, the book covers the harder years. Harry writes about her heroin use, her partner and bandmate Chris Stein's near-fatal illness, a bankruptcy and Blondie's break-up in 1982. The later chapters follow her solo records, more than thirty film roles, the band's return and her campaigning on the environment and LGBTQ rights.
The fan art and photographs
Face It is heavily illustrated. Fans have sent Harry drawings and paintings of her for decades, and a selection of them is printed in the book. They sit alongside her own photographs, many of them previously unpublished, and illustrations made for the book.
Because of that, the paperback is heavy for its size, at around 1kg on Amazon UK's listing.
How the book came about
When the book was announced in 2019, NME quoted her on agreeing to write it: "I didn't want to, but I did."
She wrote it with the music journalist Sylvie Simmons. HarperCollins published it in the UK and Dey Street in the US. The UK paperback followed in September 2022.
Key facts
- Author: Debbie Harry, with Sylvie Simmons
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- First published: 1 October 2019 (hardback); paperback 15 September 2022
- Format: paperback, 368 pages, 12.9 x 19.8 x 3.2cm
- ISBN: 9780008229443
- Price: £12.99 RRP, £10.99 on Amazon UK on 7 October 2026
- Ratings: 4.3 out of 5 from 5,013 ratings on Amazon UK, checked the same day
What the critics said
The Sunday Times called it "the ultimate rock'n'roll memoir". Kirkus wrote that "her tales are intermixed with interludes that capture the eclectic and electric passion she has for the creative process". Both quotes appear on the book's Waterstones listing.
Who it suits
- Blondie fans: she covers how the band formed, the hit years and why it split in 1982.
- Readers interested in 1970s New York: Blondie were regulars at CBGB and Max's Kansas City, and she writes about both clubs from the stage.
- Fashion and art fans: Andy Warhol made portraits of her in 1980, and the photographs and fan art make it a book to browse as well as read.
- Gift buyers: it suits a parent or friend who grew up with Parallel Lines.
The limits
The chapters jump around in time, and the fan-art sections break up the story, so it is less linear than most memoirs. Readers who only want the Blondie years may also find the later chapters on film and campaigning slower. If you want a longer, chronological music memoir, Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run runs to 528 pages and goes year by year.
Where to buy Face It in the UK
Amazon UK had the paperback in stock at £10.99 on 7 October 2026, which is £2 under the RRP. If you prefer to listen, our Audible UK guide covers the plans and the free trial.
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FAQs
What is Face It by Debbie Harry about?
It is her memoir. It covers her childhood, Blondie and the New York punk scene, her solo career and film roles, and the band's return.
Who co-wrote Face It?
Harry wrote it with Sylvie Simmons, a music journalist and biographer.
How long is Face It?
The UK paperback has 368 pages, including photographs and fan art.
How much does Face It cost in the UK?
The paperback has an RRP of £12.99. Amazon UK had it at £10.99 on 7 October 2026.
When was Face It published?
The hardback came out on 1 October 2019. HarperCollins published the UK paperback on 15 September 2022.
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