Woody Allen's memoir released despite outcry

Famed director Woody Allen's memoir "Apropos of Nothing" was released on Monday by the independent New York-based outlet Arcade Publishing after being dropped by Hachette publishers.

Hachette decided against releasing Allen's memoir following severe backlash  over a decades-old allegation that Allen molested his daughter Dylan Farrow when she was a child.

Allen, 84, has denied any misconduct.

Allegations that Allen molested his adopted daughter when she was seven years old in the early 1990s have haunted the Oscar-winning filmmaker for decades.

The director of "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan" was cleared of the charges, first levelled by his then-partner Mia Farrow, and has consistently denied the abuse.

But Dylan, now 34, maintains she was molested.

New York-based Arcade Publishing announced it has acquired world rights to "Apropos of Nothing," saying it would not "bow to the politically correct pressures of the modern world."

"We as publishers prefer to give voice to a respected writer and filmmaker," editor Jeannette Seaver said in a statement to AFP.

About the controversial autobiography, Arcade announced: “The book is a candid and comprehensive personal account by Woody Allen of his life, ranging from his childhood in Brooklyn through his acclaimed career in film, theatre, television, print and stand-up comedy, as well as exploring his relationships with family and friends.”

The backlash against the book was led by Allen's son Ronan Farrow, a high-profile investigative journalist and best-selling author.

The staff of Hachette also staged a walkout in protest of the publishing giant's initial plan to release the memoir.

Some, however, criticised Hachette's withdrawal as censorship, including best-selling author Stephen King.

"The Hachette decision to drop the Woody Allen book makes me very uneasy. It's not him; I don't give a damn about Mr Allen. It's who gets muzzled next that worries me," he said on Twitter.