Leonard Cohen
The Mystical Roots of Genius
Harry Freedman
Product details
Publisher : Bloomsbury Continuum; 1st edition (28 Oct. 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 1472987276
ISBN-13 : 978-1472987273
Dimensions : 15.29 x 23.39 cm
Thanks to Amy Greaves at Bloomsbury for the information.Published to coincide with the 5th anniversary of Cohen’s death on 7th November 2016, this book uncovers the spiritual traditions that lie behind Leonard Cohen's profound and unmistakable lyrics.
“Now I've heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don’t really care for music, do you?” – ‘Hallelujah’
“A cultural story of a cultural giant” – Susie Orbach
“Leonard Cohen taught us that even in the midst of darkness there is light, in the midst of hatred there is love, with our dying breath we can still sing Hallelujah” - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
“This is among the finest volumes on Cohen’s life and lyrics” - John McKenna, writer and friend of Leonard Cohen
Harry Freedman is Britain's leading author of popular works of Jewish culture and history. His publications include Reason to Believe: The Controversial Life of Rabbi Louis Jacobs; The Talmud: A Biography; Kabbalah: Secrecy, Scandal and the Soul and The Murderous History of Bible Translations. He is currently writing Britain’s Jews, a portrait of Jewish life in the UK.
harryfreedmanbooks.com @harryfreedman1
The singer and poet Leonard Cohen was deeply learned in Judaism and Christianity, the spiritual traditions that underpinned his self-identity and the way he made sense of the world. In this book Harry Freedman, a leading author of cultural and religious history, explores the mystical and spiritual sources Cohen drew upon, discusses their original context and the stories and ideas behind them.
Cohen’s music is studded with allusions to Jewish and Christian tradition, to stories and ideas drawn from the Bible, Talmud and Kabbalah. From his 1967 classic ‘Suzanne’, through masterpieces like ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Who by Fire’, to his final challenge to the divinity, ‘You Want It Darker’ he drew on spirituality for inspiration and as a tool to create understanding, clarity and beauty.
Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius looks deeply into the imagination of one of the greatest singers and lyricists of our time, providing a window on the landscape of his soul. This book goes beyond traditional biography to provide an insight into the spiritual traditions behind Cohen's powerful lyrics. Freedman explores song by song how Cohen reworked myths and prayers, legends and allegories. By the end the reader will be left with a powerful understanding of Cohen’s story, and a whole new insight into the man he was, and his music.
Includes accompanying photographs depicting Cohen at different stages of his life and at key moments.