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A review by 1outside
I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons
5.0
Been listening to Leonard for most of my life at this point. Us Mittle-Europeans love him, even if many, if not most, have no idea what he's singing. The tunes are just that good. And as a melody writer he remains underrated by everyone, incl. himself.
I got to see him perform live on my 21st birthday (September 2008) and what a magical evening it was! Got to share it with my mum, who is one of those who have no idea what he's singing but loves his music nevertheless.
I read a few of his books, even a book about him from perhaps the 90s (?), but until now, nothing as nearly all-encompassing as this biography. Thought it was about time.
I barrelled through this book with an intensity I'm rarely capable of. I guess Leonard is someone who provokes intensity in his listeners/readers. By the time I made it into the 90's, the cycles of various lovers and depressions of his got me close to a burn-out. "I can't wait to read about literally anything other than Leonard!". I even stopped listening to the music. It all got almost too much. But after his depression lifted for the last time, my warm feelings towards the content, sprightly, wise old man of my youth made their return.
The ending of the book made me sad. The book was finished in 2012. Leonard died only four years later, at a surprisingly young age of 82. A surprisingly young age for someone who already sounded eternal on the first song of his I ever heard, Suzanne. A surprisingly young age for someone who would skip onstage and kneel at his shows in his 70's. I sort of assumed he'd live as long as his friend Roshi, (who died aged 107). As it happened, Leonard outlived Roshi by only about two years and a half.
The ending made me sad because the author, who spend years immersed in his life and who got to interview him and meet with him in person, also assumed this happy, healthy old man was here to stay for quite a while longer, despite his (jokey) ruminations on death.
But man, what a life! What a man! Would I have stayed friends with him after he'd abandon me?
So many women!
So many drugs!
So much pain.
And yet, at the end of it all, despite the darkness of his lyrics, he makes people smile.
They're lining up to prisoners
And the guards are taking aim
I struggle with some demons
They were middle class and tame
I didn't know I had permission
To murder and to maim
You smile and say...ain't that the truth, Leonard. Ain't that the truth.
I got to see him perform live on my 21st birthday (September 2008) and what a magical evening it was! Got to share it with my mum, who is one of those who have no idea what he's singing but loves his music nevertheless.
I read a few of his books, even a book about him from perhaps the 90s (?), but until now, nothing as nearly all-encompassing as this biography. Thought it was about time.
I barrelled through this book with an intensity I'm rarely capable of. I guess Leonard is someone who provokes intensity in his listeners/readers. By the time I made it into the 90's, the cycles of various lovers and depressions of his got me close to a burn-out. "I can't wait to read about literally anything other than Leonard!". I even stopped listening to the music. It all got almost too much. But after his depression lifted for the last time, my warm feelings towards the content, sprightly, wise old man of my youth made their return.
The ending of the book made me sad. The book was finished in 2012. Leonard died only four years later, at a surprisingly young age of 82. A surprisingly young age for someone who already sounded eternal on the first song of his I ever heard, Suzanne. A surprisingly young age for someone who would skip onstage and kneel at his shows in his 70's. I sort of assumed he'd live as long as his friend Roshi, (who died aged 107). As it happened, Leonard outlived Roshi by only about two years and a half.
The ending made me sad because the author, who spend years immersed in his life and who got to interview him and meet with him in person, also assumed this happy, healthy old man was here to stay for quite a while longer, despite his (jokey) ruminations on death.
But man, what a life! What a man! Would I have stayed friends with him after he'd abandon me?
So many women!
So many drugs!
So much pain.
And yet, at the end of it all, despite the darkness of his lyrics, he makes people smile.
They're lining up to prisoners
And the guards are taking aim
I struggle with some demons
They were middle class and tame
I didn't know I had permission
To murder and to maim
You smile and say...ain't that the truth, Leonard. Ain't that the truth.