Leonard Cohen : the mystical roots of genius

Leonard Cohen The mystical roots of genius

Harry Freedman

Book - 2021

Leonard Cohen's music is studded with allusions to Jewish and Christian tradition, as well as Kabbalah and Zen. This book is about the ethos, origins, and traditions in Cohen's lyrics. He was as familiar with Christian traditions as he was Jewish. He is not concerned with confessional barriers, they simply impede access to the deep well of spiritual lore from which he draws. This is not a biography but a biographical narrative into the treatment of each song or theme, so that by the end the reader will in fact have a good understanding of Cohen's life story. Print run 25,000.

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Subjects
Cohen, Leonard, > 1934-2016.
Lyricists > Canada > Biography.
Singers > Canada > Biography.
Composers > Canada > Biography.
Biographies.
Genres
Biographies
Published
London : Bloomsbury Continuum 2021.
Language
English
Main Author
Harry Freedman (author)
Physical Description
xiv, 274 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9781472987303
9781472987273
Contents unavailable.
Review by Library Journal Review

Leonard Cohen's creative and personal life has been endlessly studied, yet Freedman (The Talmud: A Biography) takes a fresh approach by focusing on Biblical and Torahic references in Cohen's lyrics. Freedman writes that Cohen was a spiritual man who combined Jewish and Buddhist practice and felt a great affinity for the stories and messages of the Bible. He writes that Cohen also understood the Bible to be "a collection of stories that everybody knew," which allowed him to communicate through and add to the cultural consciousness. Freedman covers only 21 songs, though at least 150 others also have religious references; this lessens the impact of his thesis. Freedman's background as a scholar of Judaism is apparent; his discussion of Cohen's "Story of Isaac" goes into great detail about the tale of Abraham. His interpretations are certainly fascinating, but he's clearly drawing many less-supported conclusions (as he admits in the foreword). VERDICT An intriguing and specific look at the traditions and stories that influenced a brilliant songwriter.--Peter Thornell, Hingham P.L., MA

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