New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons

News about Leonard Cohen and his work, press, radio & TV programs etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
mydoglorca
Posts: 207
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:22 pm
Location: bristol, uk

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by mydoglorca »

John E,

I am not surprised that a poor review mentioned the photograph quality in the UK edition. They are terrible. What happened to quality control? After waiting for months, on pre-order, we sent our copy back to Amazon uk unread and have ordered one from the US. It should be here before Christmas!

J & J
1976 Bristol 1979 Birmingham 1988 RAH x 2, 1993 RAH x 2 & Madrid, 2008 Edinburgh, London O2, Cardiff, Bournemouth, RAH 17 Nov, Birmingham, Manchester 30 Nov, 2009 Weybridge, Liverpool, Dublin 19 & 20th,2010 September -Marseille, Tours, Lille, 2012 12 & 14 Aug Ghent,Wembley x22013 O2, Antwerp, Bournemouth, Manchester
John Etherington
Posts: 2605
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:17 pm

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by John Etherington »

J & J - Thanks for your comments. If anyone here hasn't ordered Sylvie's book yet, I suggest you do what I did; order an American copy from amazon.com and choose mid-price (global expedited) shipping. Choosing this method, my copy arrived in approximately two weeks. At present, this will still cost you less than £20 in total (which is less than the official price of the book). Ironically, the reason why quality is being downgraded is probably because the publishers are finding it hard to give Amazon the huge discounts they demand to maintain their monopoly in bookselling!
User avatar
B4real
Posts: 7180
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:49 am
Location: Q'ld, Australia

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by B4real »

Thanks John,
for you review and advice on purchasing. I was waiting to buy the book here locally but I've just ordered it from Amazon USA (plus two LC songbooks and some other songbooks of sheet music for my violin). :)
Arrival date from 4th to 24th December. A nice Christmas present to myself!
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
User avatar
lizzytysh
Posts: 25503
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 8:57 pm
Location: Florida, U.S.A.

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by lizzytysh »

Oh, I love what you wrote, Theresa. Your mini review of the first two chapters feels like a nostalgic trip back in time, in itself.

EXQUISITE photo 8) , Wijbe :D and Willy :D !!!

Now, I'm REALLY glad that the only version that has been sent to me so far [after ordering all three] and the one I took with me to Austin [KNOWING I wouldn't be able to get to the mini event in time, yet still hoping to see Sylvie somewhere], was the Canadian edition that I had with me when we connected by divine providence, at the end of intermission... so that's the one I had signed, and for one reason or another, now may be emerging as the best one. It, otherwise, would have been the U.K. one taking first place, but with the apparent photo quality problem... who knows. The placement of the photos and some other things were nicking away at the U.S. one. I know that Sylvie was happy that I had the Canadian edition!
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
cohenadmirer
Posts: 1026
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:44 pm
Location: wirral, uk

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by cohenadmirer »

Simple but slightly interesting ' mindmap' of some of the connections between leonard cohen and bob dylan cited in sylvie simmon's book

http://mastermindmaps.wordpress.com/201 ... onss-book/
Leonard's work resonates
Brighton 1979; Dublin , Manchester june 2008; glasgow, manchester Nov 2008; Liverpool july 2009 ; Barcelona Sept 2009 ;marseille, lille september2010: Ghent August 2012;Barcelona October 2012;Montreal x2 November 2012: 2013; Saint John NB April 2013; Brussels June 2013;Manchester August 2013; Leeds , Birmingham September 2013; Amsterdam September 2013
cohenadmirer
Posts: 1026
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:44 pm
Location: wirral, uk

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by cohenadmirer »

John Etherington wrote:J & J - Thanks for your comments. If anyone here hasn't ordered Sylvie's book yet, I suggest you do what I did; order an American copy from amazon.com and choose mid-price (global expedited) shipping. Choosing this method, my copy arrived in approximately two weeks. At present, this will still cost you less than £20 in total (which is less than the official price of the book). Ironically, the reason why quality is being downgraded is probably because the publishers are finding it hard to give Amazon the huge discounts they demand to maintain their monopoly in bookselling!
Thanks for the good advice
Leonard's work resonates
Brighton 1979; Dublin , Manchester june 2008; glasgow, manchester Nov 2008; Liverpool july 2009 ; Barcelona Sept 2009 ;marseille, lille september2010: Ghent August 2012;Barcelona October 2012;Montreal x2 November 2012: 2013; Saint John NB April 2013; Brussels June 2013;Manchester August 2013; Leeds , Birmingham September 2013; Amsterdam September 2013
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by MaryB »

John E-

In the light of your extensive knowledge of all things LC, your approval of this biography is high praise indeed. I am halfway through it and yet, it leaves me confused at certain sections because it seems to jump between various time points. Is it me? Am I not reading it correctly or am I that uninformed as to his life? Even so, I am finding it such a rich weaving of the tapestry of his life.

Best regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
John Etherington
Posts: 2605
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:17 pm

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by John Etherington »

Hi Mary,

Thanks for your kind words. Apart from a few and very clear references to different phases of Leonard's life, Sylvies book is almost totally chronological. I must say that I found that calendar dates given (especially in the earlIer part of the book) were a little sparse, but a a number of key dates were still given.

All good wishes, John E
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by MaryB »

Thank you for that John. I'm simply going to have to pay closer attention and not read it as I'm starting to fall asleep (only available time :( to read). Maybe that's my problem.
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
maroo
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:21 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by maroo »

My copy of the book just arrived.
I had the same sensation about the pictures.
After reading this post, I think I'm going to send back to amazon, and buy the american edition as of us!!!

Thanks.

Piero

P.S. somewhere in the forum there was a note for some book mistake that need to be correct, I can't find anymore, do you know where this "note" is!?
Dublin 14/15th September 2012
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by MaryB »

Here it is maroo
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32913
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
maroo
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:21 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by maroo »

Really thanks MaryB!!!
Dublin 14/15th September 2012
User avatar
comehealing
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:27 am
Location: Wales, UK, The World
Contact:

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by comehealing »

There was a review in last weekend's Sunday Times (UK), unfortunately hidden behind a pay wall.
Very complimentary it was too.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/cul ... 157622.ece

However the most striking aspect of the review was that it was placed adjacent to a review of a book
by the consistently shameless Conrad Black. A sly joke on the books editor's part? How deliciously
Manichean ;)
Alexis
"Who, being loved, is poor?"
(Oscar Wilde)
"That love is all there is" (Emily Dickinson)
"A miracle, just take a look around: The inescapable earth" (Wislawa Szymborska)
User avatar
Goldin
Posts: 2480
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:57 pm
Contact:

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by Goldin »

Getting to the Essence: An Interview with Sylvie Simmons
by KEVIN J. O'CONNER
SEATTLE
05 November 2012
http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/koco ... e-simmons/

A passage that isn't unexpected, but is encouraging anyway:
It does mean he’s sort of speeding up the process of working; he realizes there’s only so many years left, from what he told me in December, when we last sat down to talk. And he said, you know, I really want to get my work done, and I don’t want to hang around. When this tour’s over, he’s going to be working on a new album, that he’s already started work on. That I do know; I don’t know when it’s coming out. But there is a sense of time running out. It sort of speeds up the older you get. But beyond that, he looks amazingly fit. When I saw him in December, he looked, you know—he doesn’t act like a 78-year-old. So, who knows?
sebmelmoth2003
Posts: 1110
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:41 pm

Re: New Leonard Cohen biography by Sylvie Simmons (Fall 2012

Post by sebmelmoth2003 »

in the review section of the mail on sunday.

A womanising monk in a Famous Blue Raincoat: The real man behind the voice of gloom

By John Preston...


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/a ... ds-newsxml
Post Reply

Return to “News”