I’m Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen

I’m Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons (2012) I’ll admit, I started this book while Leonard Cohen was still alive, and I was quite enjoying it but got bogged down at some point—and I was sad when he died but didn’t jump right back into it. It’s a huge book—which seems funny to say when you compare a book to someone’s life—a book is tiny. But as a book—it’s so full and thorough—at least as far as I can tell— and well-written—it’s great. And she was in touch with L.C., throughout, it seems, and that really helps. But I’m a slow reader—and also, I wanted to take my time. I was halfway through, put it down for a while, then got the audiobook and started over. I was fascinated by every part of his life, but oddly, more and more as he got older. I guess I relate a lot more to the older Leonard Cohen—and he seemed way too young to die at the age of 82. Oddly, I have never been the biggest fan—I still haven’t gotten all the way through any of his books. I like all his music, but I only really love some songs, here and there. Well, like with every other recording artist, I go through phases of intense interest followed by cooling way down. I remember vividly when the I’m Your Man record came out—one of those that shocked me by its unexpected weirdness—and I went through a big phase then. I’ve always really liked reading about Leonard Cohen—and have always been inspired by him in a similar way as Hunter S. Thompson—but not because of drugs, or excess—but as models of how to live a life in a really off-kilter way—real oddballs, but also with an ease, and great sense of humor. I was especially fascinated by the part of his life where he was swindled out of his money and then had to start playing live again, partly out of necessity—which turned into something more—and it seemed like what he was supposed to be doing. Of course, I don’t believe in that—the “supposed to be”—but there’s something there. Anyway, this feels like one of those books I could read again—or just kind of always be reading—go back to from time to time for inspiration.

5.20.25