The definitive biography of Leonard Cohen.
Sylvie Simmons is one of the foremost music journalists chronicling rock 'n roll since the 1970s. She has written for ever major international music magazine, including Rolling Stone, MOJO, Q and Blender among other publications, and has interviewed everyone from Brian Wilson to Mick Jagger. A winner of the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for her liner notes to Leonard Cohen Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, she is also the author of the biographies Serge Gainsnourg- A Fistful of Cigarettes and Neil Young- Reflections in Broken Glass, as well as the short story collection Too Weird for Ziggy. She lives in San Francisco, California.
Cohen gets the music biography he truly deserves (5 stars).
*Mojo*
The year’s most meticulous, elegant and satisfying rock book.
*Independent*
Simmons’ clear affection for her subject helps to illuminate
Cohen’s motivations and working methods and gives an intriguing
insight into his singular mind.
*Sunday Times*
Simmons approaches her subject intelligently, and without a trace
of the hysteria that Cohen so often inspires… If you weren't
familiar with Cohen, I'm Your Man would read like a beautifully
plotted piece of fiction, with an extraordinary and bewitching
character at its centre.
*Independent on Sunday*
Simmons situates her subject well both in the Jewish tradition (if
not a singer he would have made a fantastic Rabbi) and in his
generation.
*Evening Standard*
At age 78, iconic musician Leonard Cohen is enjoying a remarkable comeback. The singer, songwriter, poet, and novelist has started his fourth major tour in five years and released the highly acclaimed album Old Ideas in January. Veteran music journalist Simmons (Neil Young: Reflections in Broken Glass) spent three years tracking Cohen's life, career, and travels. The result is the most extensive biography of the man to date-more substantial and insightful than Anthony Reynolds's 2010 Leonard Cohen: A Remarkable Life. Simmons covers every aspect of Cohen's fascinating life, the highs and the lows (and Cohen had many lows). She interviewed the musician at length, as well as his friends, lovers, and associates (including Judy Collins, Lou Reed, and Philip Glass). The book discusses Cohen's creative process and his endless search for enlightenment at length. Simmons also provides a revealing account of Cohen's five years in a Zen Buddhist monastery and the financial and legal woes that propelled him back on the road as a performer. Verdict Die-hard fans will appreciate the many details of album production and business deals, while casual fans will enjoy the personal drama and the origins of Cohen's best-known songs, such as "Suzanne," "Hallelujah," "Sisters of Mercy," and "Famous Blue Raincoat."-Thomas Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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