Cohen was born into a rather elegant family in Montreal, and used to say he was "born in a suit." Simmons does a wonderful job sharing his life with us without exploiting him. She starts with his early years and a bit about his father's family. His father's death made him the "man of the house" at an early age, and he took the responsibility to heart. He went on to live an extraordinary life, populated with extraordinary people, and the author shares interviews that she had with these people as she takes us on the journey of his life.
We see the interesting people in his life (he lived with singer Joni Mitchell for a year) and the difficult people in his life (he was betrayed by his financial manager, Kelley Lynch), but when all is said and done this book makes us see a complex man who used his words to change the world. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the stories behind the music. Meanwhile, I am going to take a break and listen to "Suzanne".
- Beverly
Publisher - Ecco Publishing (Harper Collins)
Date of Publication - September 18, 2012