Woody Allen’s memoir is released after the Oscar winner finds a new publisher who attacks protests

Woody Allen has opened up about his controversial relationship with Soon-Yi Previn in his new memoir, admitting in a queasy passage that in the early days of their relationship ‘lust reigned supreme and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other’.

Allen’s new memoir Apropos of Nothing, published on Monday by Arcade, is dedicated to his 49-year-old wife, with the filmmaker writing: ‘For Soon-Yi, the best. I had her eating out of my hand and then I noticed my arm was missing’.

The 84-year-old began a relationship with girlfriend Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter when Soon-Yi was 22, writing that despite the 35-year age gap between them, she was ‘ready to ripen superbly if only someone would show her some love’. 

Their relationship was uncovered by Farrow, who found erotic photos of the two together.  

Allen explains they took the nude pictures in the ‘very early stages of the relationship, when lust reigns supreme and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other’. 

The release of Allen’s book comes weeks after his previous publisher Hachette dropped plans to publish his memoir following public backlash sparked by another one of its authors, Allen’s estranged son Ronan Farrow.

Woody Allen has opened up about his controversial relationship with Soon-Yi Previn (pictured in 1994) in his new memoir, admitting in a queasy passage that in the early days of their relationship ‘lust reigned supreme and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other’

The 84-year-old began a relationship with girlfriend Mia Farrow's adopted daughter when Soon-Yi was 22, writing that despite the 35-year age gap between them, she was 'ready to ripen superbly if only someone would show her some love'. Pictured: Allen and Farrow, holding her daughter Dylan, along with her children Soon Yi (left) Fletcher (right) , and Misha (center)

The 84-year-old began a relationship with girlfriend Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter when Soon-Yi was 22, writing that despite the 35-year age gap between them, she was ‘ready to ripen superbly if only someone would show her some love’. Pictured: Allen and Farrow, holding her daughter Dylan, along with her children Soon Yi (left) Fletcher (right) , and Misha (center)

Allen, now 84, was effectively the stepfather to Soon-Yi, who was 22 at the time and is now 49. They have been married for more than two decades

Allen, now 84, was effectively the stepfather to Soon-Yi, who was 22 at the time and is now 49. They have been married for more than two decades

The initial announcement of Apropos of Nothing came earlier this month, when Hachette-owned Grand Central Publishing confirmed to The Associated Press that it would release his book on April 7. 

But the news was met with quick and growing outrage, centered on allegations that Allen abused his estranged daughter, Dylan Farrow. 

Allen's new memoir Apropos of Nothing is dedicated to his 49-year-old wife, with the filmmaker writing: 'For Soon-Yi, the best. I had her eating out of my hand and then I noticed my arm was missing’

Allen’s new memoir Apropos of Nothing is dedicated to his 49-year-old wife, with the filmmaker writing: ‘For Soon-Yi, the best. I had her eating out of my hand and then I noticed my arm was missing’

Ronan Farrow, who shared the Pulitzer Prize with the New York Times for his New Yorker investigation into Harvey Weinstein, was enraged to learn that Allen’s book was being published by the same parent company, Hachette Book Group, that released his Catch and Kill.  

Dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout over the Allen book and Farrow said he would stop working with the publisher.

Hachette canceled the release less than a week later and now the 400-page book has been released by Arcade, an imprint of Skyhorse publishing, with hardly any advance notice.

Allen was effectively the stepfather to Soon-Yi, who was 22 at the time and is now 49. They have been married for more than two decades.     

Allen describes how he and Soon-Yi went from ‘two people who never particularly liked one another to a couple now married over twenty years and still passionately in love’.

Things changed after Allen invited Soon-Yi to join him watching the New York Knicks basketball team where he learned about Mia’s alleged mistreatment of her.

Allen claims that Mia would punish Soon-Yi’s inability to speak English properly by holding her upside down and ‘threatening to put her in an insane asylum’ if she didn’t learn faster. 

The release of Allen's book comes weeks after his previous publisher Hachette dropped plans to publish his memoir following public backlash sparked by another one of its authors, Allen's estranged son Ronan Farrow

The release of Allen’s book comes weeks after his previous publisher Hachette dropped plans to publish his memoir following public backlash sparked by another one of its authors, Allen’s estranged son Ronan Farrow 

Ronan Farrow was enraged to learn that Allen's book was being published by the same parent company, Hachette Book Group, that released his Catch and Kill. Dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout over the Allen book and Farrow said he would stop working with the publisher.

Ronan Farrow was enraged to learn that Allen’s book was being published by the same parent company, Hachette Book Group, that released his Catch and Kill. Dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout over the Allen book and Farrow said he would stop working with the publisher.

The outrage was centered on allegations that Allen abused his estranged daughter, Dylan Farrow (pictured with Mia Farrow in 2016)

The outrage was centered on allegations that Allen abused his estranged daughter, Dylan Farrow (pictured with Mia Farrow in 2016)

Mia thought that Soon-Yi was ‘hopelessly stupid’ and once allegedly refused to take her to the doctor when she had a broken ankle from playing soccer. 

The actress allegedly hit Soon-Yi with a hairbrush, a phone and reportedly once threw a ceramic rabbit at her, barely missing her head.

Allen writes: ‘I offer this background because when Soon-Yi went off with me, it was not simply a case of some ungrateful orphan betraying a kind and loving benefactress who had changed her life from rags to riches…

‘…it was the start of a friendship that would slowly grow over time and climax with the preposterous realization that we cared a great deal about each other. It took a long, long time to move from square one to this mutual caring, but it would happen and surprise us both’.

Allen calls Soon-Yi a ‘sharp, classy, fabulous young woman; highly intelligent, full of latent potential, and ready to ripen superbly if only someone would show her a little interest, a little support, and, most important, some love.’

He writes: ‘We spent a few afternoons walking and talking, delighting in each other’s company and, of course, going to bed’.

Allen  admits that when Mia found his and Soon-Yi's naked photos, he 'understand her shock, her dismay, her rage, everything. It was the correct reaction'

Allen  admits that when Mia found his and Soon-Yi’s naked photos, he ‘understand her shock, her dismay, her rage, everything. It was the correct reaction’

Allen calls Soon-Yi a 'sharp, classy, fabulous young woman; highly intelligent, full of latent potential, and ready to ripen superbly if only someone would show her a little interest, a little support, and, most important, some love.' Pictured: Soon-Yi and Allen in 1990

Allen calls Soon-Yi a ‘sharp, classy, fabulous young woman; highly intelligent, full of latent potential, and ready to ripen superbly if only someone would show her a little interest, a little support, and, most important, some love.’ Pictured: Soon-Yi and Allen in 1990 

Allen makes no mention of the three decade plus age difference between them. 

But admits that when Mia found his and Soon-Yi’s naked photos, he ‘understand her shock, her dismay, her rage, everything. It was the correct reaction’.

But he tries to justify the affair by saying they ‘thought we could have our little fling, keep it a secret’ as Soon-Yi wasn’t living with Mia and he lived in another apartment.

Allen writes: ‘I thought it would have been a nice experience, and probably Soon-Yi would eventually meet some guy at college and enter a more conventional relationship. I didn’t realize how attached to one another we’d already grown’.

According to the book when Mia found out, she called all her children together and told them that Allen had raped Soon-Yi which led Ronan to tell people: ‘My father’s f**ked my sister’.

Allen claims Mia locked Soon-Yi in her room, beat her and then cut off her college tuition.

On a scheduled visit to Mia in Connecticut, Allen claims that she pinned a note on the door of the room he would be staying in which read: ‘Child molester at the barbecue. Molested one daughter, now after another’.

He writes: ‘I knew Mia was fond of telling people I had molested her underage daughter when in fact Soon-Yi was twenty-two, and of course our love, which has resulted in a marriage of over twenty years, was hardly molestation’.

Soon-Yi broke her decades long silence in an article in New York magazine to brand Mia a ‘nasty, mean person’ who abused her when she was a child.

Soon-Yi claimed that Farrow used to slap her across the face, spank her with a hairbrush and threatened to send her to an asylum for the insane.

But Soon-Yi also admitted that marrying Allen in 1997 was a ‘huge betrayal and there was ‘no justification’ for it.   

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk