Is this Suzanne Verdal?

[WiTS]

I came across a book called The Girl in the Song: The True Stories Behind 50 Rock Classics.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/867 ... n-the-song



some internet articles claim, based on this book's description, that the girl in the cover photo is Suzanne Verdal. To my knowledge, this girl seems not Verdal.

I unfortunately don't have this book. I am wondering if anyone could help me identify.

If she is not as I reckon, then who is she?

Many thanks,
Weilin

[jarkko]

This is the only photo I have in my archive. It's said to be shot in 1992 - much later than the song.

[Goldin]

Some archival images: https://youtu.be/AY80R2Pb7LE?t=163

[Goldin]

Well...

Vanity Fair France & all the others:

Suzanne Verdal

But! DrHGuy:

The 1st 2 photos are Suzanne Elrod, mother of Leonard's children. The others are Suzanne Verdal who fed Leonard tea and oranges

[LisaLCFan]

Hmm, the two Suzannes certainly seem to bear something of a resemblance to each other. It would not be the first time in history that a man fell in love with a woman who looked like (and even had the same name!) as another woman with whom he had previously been enamoured.

[WiTS]

This is the only photo I have in my archive. It's said to be shot in 1992 - much later than the song.

Thanks, Jarkko. The photo in your archive was the first photo for me to match a face to Suzanne Verdal. Much appreciated.

[WiTS]

Some archival images: https://youtu.be/AY80R2Pb7LE?t=163

Well...

Vanity Fair France & all the others:

Suzanne Verdal

But! DrHGuy:

The 1st 2 photos are Suzanne Elrod, mother of Leonard's children. The others are Suzanne Verdal who fed Leonard tea and oranges

Thanks, Goldin.

Re what DrHGuy has identified, I don't think the first photo is Elrod. The shape of eyes, nose and face doesn't match.



I guess I'm going to purchase a second hand copy to check the credits to find out who she is.

[jarkko]

Helsinki City Library has one copy of the book. It was now on loan but I made a reservation. Will scan the pages about Suzanne for you when I’ve got the book.

[WiTS]

Helsinki City Library has one copy of the book. It was now on loan but I made a reservation. Will scan the pages about Suzanne for you when I’ve got the book.

Thank you a million, Jarkko.

There are two editions of this book.

The first edition (Chicago Review Press, 2011) has that Verdal? photo.

The second edition (Pavilion Books, 2014) is with Marianne Faithfull on the front cover and without Verdal photo.
https://books.google.com/books/about/Th ... C_CAAAQBAJ

Looking forward to your scans.

Many thanks,
Weilin

[jarkko]

Our library has a 2010 edition by Pavilion books with MF on the cover.
https://books.google.fi/books?id=DozLbw ... r_versions

[Goldin]

The only digital copy (.epub) I managed to get is a 2014 "Faithfull" edition.
I've counted 95 images inside the book (64 photos, 30 cover arts, 1 poster) & 83 entries in the "Picture Credits" section.
Therefore, I tend to think that might be quite an accurate copy of the book.

There are three images in the "Suzanne" chapter:
1. The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel in Montreal, known as the Sailors’ Chapel.
[Uncredited]
2. Songs of Leonard Cohen cover art
Credits: Courtesy of record company
3. Cohen’s first performance of “Suzanne” was with Judy Collins onstage in Central Park, July 1967.
Credits: Sony BMG Music Entertainment/Getty Images

[WiTS]

Our library has a 2010 edition by Pavilion books with MF on the cover.
https://books.google.fi/books?id=DozLbw ... r_versions

what a pity

[WiTS]

The only digital copy (.epub) I managed to get is a 2014 "Faithfull" edition.
I've counted 95 images inside the book (64 photos, 30 cover arts, 1 poster) & 83 entries in the "Picture Credits" section.
Therefore, I tend to think that might be quite an accurate copy of the book.

There are three images in the "Suzanne" chapter:
1. The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel in Montreal, known as the Sailors’ Chapel.
[Uncredited]
2. Songs of Leonard Cohen cover art
Credits: Courtesy of record company
3. Cohen’s first performance of “Suzanne” was with Judy Collins onstage in Central Park, July 1967.
Credits: Sony BMG Music Entertainment/Getty Images

Thanks, Goldin.

I guess the only two options are: 1. I'm going to get a second hand book to find out; 2. find the author and make an inquiry.

[WiTS]

Or... Ask Suzanne herself...

Where is she now? still in LA? Writing her book?

[jarkko]

I got the 2010 edition by Pavilion books (with MF on the cover) from my library and scanned those four pages for WiTS/Weilin. No photos of Suzanne, just the photos Goldin/Roman already listed in this thread.