Sylvie Simmons

I love Leonard Cohen's music and his voice. Guess that goes without saying since I bought and read this book!

Sylvie Simmons is clearly a fan, both of the music/poetry and of the man himself. She clearly forgives all his infidelities, drug abuse and antics because he is such a great artist and a tortured soul, which makes this book come across as slightly biased towards the good side of Leonard Cohen.

What I liked about this book is the poetic style of descriptions, the inclusion of some of show more Mr. Cohen's works, the vivid images of life on Mount Baldy. It is a style that matches all the beauty and angst of Mr. Cohen's own writings...a fitting look at such a man. show less

I love Leonard Cohen. I love his gravelly voice, which really should not be lovable and yet somehow manages to be incredibly sexy, and all the more so as he ages. More importantly, I love his lyrics. His rich, complex, darkly poetic lyrics that blend sex and spirituality and humanity and pain together in ways that touch both the intellect and the emotions. So I couldn't resist picking up this biography for a look back over Cohen's life and career, and I'm happy to say that I was not show more disappointed.

Which is interesting, actually, because I have some general preferences when it comes to biography: usually, I like it best when the writer's personality largely disappears in favor of a sharp focus on the subject, and when it's made clear in the text where the biographer is drawing all her conclusions and assertions from, even -- or perhaps especially -- when describing the thoughts and attitudes and emotional states of the person she's writing about. Sylvie Simmons isn't particularly careful about doing that, and she adds a fair amount of her own personal analysis of Cohen's work. But somehow, for this particular subject, that subjectivity feels right. And it certainly doesn't hurt that, in my opinion, at least, her thoughts on Cohen's art are apt and insightful, and often quite beautifully phrased.

Some aspects of Cohen's life -- the ones with the most relevance to his poetry and his music -- are explored in considerable detail, while others -- his relationship with his children or his sister, for instance -- are largely left private, which strikes me as appropriate. But all in all, it adds up to a portrait of a complex and fascinating person, and I found it a surprisingly compelling read. It's also a rather thought-provoking one, as I find myself pondering the extent to which knowing more about the origins of these songs and the man who wrote them does, or should, affect my own responses to them. It's also prompted me to go back and listen to a lot of his music again, and to fill in the inexcusable gaps in my album collection, which I think would be enough to justify the book's existence all by itself. show less

From obscurity to legend status, Mandrax and promiscuity to monks and monasteries... From financial security to financial victimization to greater wealth and fame in his late years, this is a fascinating life of a self-assured poet singer traveling the more obscure corners of the world as writer and observer, Jew and Buddhist. this biography also well balances the recording and touring details for the Cohen scholars and the vivid colors of a unique life for all that go for a good bio.

This was an interesting experience because I was definitely not the intended audience - not only was I not one of Leonard Cohen's legions of fans, I'd never even heard of him until picking up the book. Why I picked up the book in the first place is a bit of a mystery, really. Maybe it was just pure voyeuristic impulse, the joy of crawling through someone's life and turning over all the stones. The position of un-anticipation, of not being able to say "well we're in 1973 so pretty soon THIS show more must happen" or "when is he finally going to write THAT ONE song", was refreshing. It left me completely open for whatever came along, at whatever pace and in whatever detail it chose.

Partway through the book I listened to one of the famous old Leonard Cohen songs, and then put on an album of his hits to understand better what the book was describing. I can't say that it did anything for me, but the book was still enjoyable through to the very last page. show less