Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

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Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by jarkko »

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Judy Scott: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra

Hardcover : 240 pages
ISBN-10 : 1493059769
ISBN-13 : 978-1493059768
Publisher : Backbeat Books (30 May 2021)
Language: : English
In 1973, Judy Scott was intent on traveling to Istanbul, but serendipitously she stumbled onto the incomparable Greek island of Hydra and the people who would continue, over many subsequent visits, to enhance and influence her life ever after.

This memoir, based on notebooks and journals Scott kept during various times and visits to her favorite place on earth, recounts in very intimate detail her interactions and developing relationships with singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen and his beautiful muse and “love of his life” Marianne Ihlen.

As Leonard himself observed of this book when Scott sent the manuscript to him for his approval: “I particularly admire the detail and honesty of the piece.” One of the more unique features in this recounting is the emerging acknowledgment the author confronts of her own sexuality, as she recounts: “It did not take long for Leonard to recognize that I was more attracted to Marianne than I was to him, though I came to love him too in the end.”

And indeed it was Marianne herself, who sought out and fostered Scott’s interest and affection. After a shocking interlude at Marianne’s 38th birthday party, Scott writes: “After that, my life on Hydra was all about Marianne.” But it was Leonard’s interest, his kindness and generosity that signified her lifelong love and respect for the real private person who was Leonard Cohen. Robert Kory, Leonard’s executor, told Scott when they met to discuss several edits the Cohen family had requested: “Your story details a side of Leonard and a phase in his life that no other biography or coverage of the public person he was captures. And it lovingly depicts and lets me see the person he was at 38, long before I made his acquaintance and got to experience the musical and literary genius, and whose legacy I’m now dedicated to preserving.”

The book also goes into a detailed description of Hydra in the early 1970s. A unique place filled with astonishing physical beauty and an incomparable atmosphere of serenity and peaceful energy. Hydra is the only inhabited Greek island with no cars (they are forbidden), no automotive transportation at all. All the roads on the three large hills that circle the small deep-water yacht port contain stairs or steps that make traversing by wheeled vehicles impossible. This absence of gas-powered vehicles and motors was also the reason Hydra attracted so many artists; it was the light, the unfiltered magical “Greek light” absent noxious fumes that presented some of the purist images on earth.

The island also contained a small foreign community of like-minded creative souls, artists, musicians, writers and their supporters and admirers. As Scott explains: “Hydra in the late ’60s early ’70s was at its creative zenith. Like Paris in the ’30s, Harlem in the ’40s, Greenwich Village in the ’50s, San Francisco in the ’60s―Hydra in the ’70s was the place to be.”

The memoir, though it centers on her most important, most impactful interactions with Leonard and Marianne, also contains several portraits of other Hydra habitués, all members of the same small ex-pat community, all close friends (and occasional lovers) of Leonard and Marianne, all uniquely interesting in their own right. From George Lialios, the wealthy Greek man the book is dedicated to (whom Scott met first on the island and who introduced her to all the others contained in these pages) to Alexis Bolens, the Swiss/Greek handsome lothario, who’d worked as a mercenary in Rhodesia and a plantation manager in South Africa, from Lindsey Callicoatt, the writer, artisan and most beloved of all the foreign community, to George Slater, irascible poet, sea captain and brilliant curry maker―there are many characters who all contributed to the “Hydra family” that Scott lovingly recalls.

This book is both a story of a special time, place and cast of characters―a travelogue of an enchanted island as it was back then and still is to this day, backlit by the glow of Leonard Cohen and his muse, Marianne.
Thanks to Judy for the information
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by WiTS »

found this photo without caption
Could it be Judy Scott and Marianne on the behind?
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by B4real »

Wellin, I believe that photo above was taken in 1960 but I could be wrong. The above notes on the book says Judy arrived at Hydra in 1973. Even so, there is a resemblance :) There are at least four more photos that include the same person from the Life Magazine photo shoot by James Burke at Hydra in Oct 1960.

Also, I thought you and others might be interested in the following link and thread posted by Arlene our past forum member. Judy Scott is also a forum member here - https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... 13&t=28297
Leonard Cohen Hydra Friends Reunite with Marianne, May 2011
Post by bridger15 » Sat Aug 20, 2011 9:37 pm

An account, with beautiful photographs, of Judy Scott's (Jazz4111) recent visit to Hydra to celebrate Marianne Ihlen's birthday and visit long standing Hydra friends.

See: Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook
https://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com/201 ... unite.html

Thank you Judy, for sharing these special memories.

---Arlene

btw - I am now remembering this post below and my reply but unfortunately the video is no longer available.
https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... 11#p260216
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by jarkko »

Update: The book will be published on June 30, 2021
1988, 1993: Helsinki||2008: Manchester|Oslo|London O2|Berlin|Helsinki|London RAH|| 2009: New York Beacon|Berlin|Venice|Barcelona|Las Vegas|San José||2010: Salzburg|Helsinki|Gent|Bratislava|Las Vegas|| 2012: Gent|Helsinki|Verona|| 2013: New York|Pula|Oslo|||
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by Geoffrey »

jarkko wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 12:53 pm Update: The book will be published on June 30, 2021
that's the date i have to go to the dentist. it's just for a check-up, but you never know, and it's hanging over me all the time. send prayers, everybody - 9:30 in the morning norwegian time. please.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by abby »

What unexpected memory. Reading this was the first time I thought of Alexis Bolens in many years. I met him when I was 17 briefly visiting Hydra. I was looking for Leonard's house & he pointed toward a place behind a red church. If my memory serves, we spoke about his recent bereavement. Was it his son who died?

Thank you for the memory!
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by lazariuk »

Geoffrey wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 1:44 pm
jarkko wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 12:53 pm Update: The book will be published on June 30, 2021
that's the date i have to go to the dentist. it's just for a check-up, but you never know, and it's hanging over me all the time. send prayers, everybody - 9:30 in the morning norwegian time. please.
You are going for a check up? What exactly do you wish the prayers to be for? You looking to date the dentist?
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by Geoffrey »

lazariuk wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:01 amYou are going for a check up? What exactly do you wish the prayers to be for? You looking to date the dentist?
it's not funny, jack. with this looming ahead my creativity suffers, my tic becomes more pronounced, i bite my nails so can't play the guitar to relax and have to take diazepam. just work out when 09:30 wednesday 30 june 2021 norwegian time occurs at your location and sit for about one hour sending healing thoughts in my direction. intelligence dictates that the likelihood of prayer having any power whatsoever is so remote that it can be practically discounted, but the knowledge that people are thinking of someone has considerable psychological value. all you need do is sit by a candle in a darkened room and look at the flickering flame while speaking positively to me as if i were there. just say comforting things about how everything is going to be all right. if leonard were alive he would have done it if i asked him.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

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Geoffrey wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:32 am if leonard were alive he would have done it if i asked him.
Seems that he escaped that fate
Everything being said to you is true; Imagine of what it is true.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

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Geoffrey wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:32 am ... with this looming ahead my creativity suffers, my tic becomes more pronounced, i bite my nails so can't play the guitar to relax and have to take diazepam. just work out when 09:30 wednesday 30 june 2021 norwegian time occurs at your location and sit for about one hour sending healing thoughts in my direction. intelligence dictates that the likelihood of prayer having any power whatsoever is so remote that it can be practically discounted...

I well remember your fear of going to the dentist -- you have spoken of it often. However, I find it odd that, despite the fact that your fear of the dentist is irrational, you nonetheless reject the irrationality of prayer as a potential healing agent. Perhaps two irrational beliefs that occur simultaneously might cancel-out one another, just as a double-negative in English grammar will lead to a positive statement. Therefore, you may wish to re-consider your rejection of prayer, in the event that my theory is correct.

As for your request, I am afraid that I will be unable to comply, because 09:30 in Norway is 01:30 where I am, and I am almost always very much asleep at that point, and thus it is fairly certain that I will not be sitting up in candle-light talking aloud to myself about you.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by lazariuk »

Geoffrey wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:32 am it's not funny, jack.
I know that going to dentists is not funny. I’ve had horrific experiences with dentists. Also my father died the day after a visit to the dentist and it was likely the dentist’s fault. He always refused pain medication and they gave him anesthetics against his will.
Do make sure you are not given any anesthetics as they may kill you and of course you will be in my prayers during this trying time. I don’t know how good my prayers are as I was kicked out of a church today for refusing to remove my hat. Didn’t seem to matter to them that Jesus always wore a hat to church.
Everything being said to you is true; Imagine of what it is true.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by Geoffrey »

thank you to lisa and jack for commenting, you both make important and appreciated points. it would be wrong of me to hijack this thread for an extended period, so perhaps we can leave it here, or continue elsewhere. people like to follow rules, can be quick to complain, and that could put the webmaster in an awkward position.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by AlanM »

I saw a TV show a while ago where someone was complaining about the perfection of the teeth of many public figures.

His comment was along the lines of "my mouth is like a vandalized graveyard!"
I can empathize with that.

My dental appointment is 10:55 am tomorrow (17th June).

Alan
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by Geoffrey »

alan wrote:
>my dental appointment is 10:55am tomorrow

what an alarming sentence! this would never occur in norway. nobody in scandinavia would ever be called into the dentist at such a strange time. do you really not see a red flag here? dental appointments by tradition are either on the hour or half hour. on rare occasions a quarter past or a quarter to the hour if a mere verbal consultation is required. i must say, alan, i am both shocked and disturbed by 10:55am - not least by your apparent blind compliance and lack of suspicion. can you imagine a top politician, a member of the royal family, or a worldwide celebrity being told to meet up at such an odd time? no, because it has to do with respect - and you are a human being made of flesh and blood just as they are. i can guarantee that not even adam cohen would allow himself to be treated with such contempt. is your dentist working with 'conveyor belt' mentality, trying to swell his/her bank account by squeezing in as many unsuspecting clients as possible, because 10:55am is unquestionably a gigantic hint that 'time is money', that you are simply a numberless pawn carrying a wallet. how can anyone have confidence in such a dentist? i can't help myself, this is unheard of, i was not expecting this and i am stunned. many dentists are professional people who will take their time with a patient, but always be on the lookout for rogue ones, and i fear your particular dentist may be one of those. if i were you i would ask around and see if you can find a better one.
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Re: Leonard, Marianne, and Me: Magical Summers on Hydra (new book)

Post by jarkko »

Thought you'd be interested in this Q&A we published on Songfacts with Judy Scott, author of Leonard, Marianne and Me:

https://www.songfacts.com/blog/writing/ ... nard-cohen

Carl Wiser
Songfacts
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