Book Review
Oct. 29th, 2017 10:12 pmI'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen
by Sylvie Simmons
This biography of the late Leonard Cohen came out in 2012, so it is pretty comprehensive. Although this is a popular rather than scholarly work, Simmons is quite thorough, covering Cohen's life, music and writing. She even manages to get into his inner life a bit. Cohen was indeed a interesting man, perceptive about both life and himself, struggling with his art and path in life while producing a a lot of enduring and truly great work. While this is a very positive biography, clearly written from a perspective of admiration, I'm Your Man is not a hagiography, and both Simmons and Cohen are relatively clear-sighted about Cohen's human failings and quirks. As a fan of Cohen's work, I found it all fascinating and it gave me a better understanding of the man's work.
by Sylvie Simmons
This biography of the late Leonard Cohen came out in 2012, so it is pretty comprehensive. Although this is a popular rather than scholarly work, Simmons is quite thorough, covering Cohen's life, music and writing. She even manages to get into his inner life a bit. Cohen was indeed a interesting man, perceptive about both life and himself, struggling with his art and path in life while producing a a lot of enduring and truly great work. While this is a very positive biography, clearly written from a perspective of admiration, I'm Your Man is not a hagiography, and both Simmons and Cohen are relatively clear-sighted about Cohen's human failings and quirks. As a fan of Cohen's work, I found it all fascinating and it gave me a better understanding of the man's work.