New book: Leonard Cohen: The Music and the Mystique

[Hartmut]

This at least sounds interesting:

Leonard Cohen: The Music and the Mystique
Maurice Ratcliff
(Paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1780383029

The "indispensable consumer's guide to the music of Leonard Cohen presented as a track by track analysis of every song recorded on officially released albums".

The name Maurice Ratcliff is "the pseudonym of a lifelong Leonard Cohen enthusiast".

[jarkko]

This new book is probably an updated edition of his 1999 book The Complete Guide To The Music Of Leonard Cohen

http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/book27.html

[Stranger]

If it is indeed an update of his earlier book, are there Forum members who could give me an idea of the quality and credibility of the analyses in the first book?

[david birkett]

As I recall, the previous book was neither terribly well written nor insightful. Besides, after the number of typographical errors in their last Cohen book, I am never going near an Omnibus Press title again, even if it came with a free inflatable Leonard and a packet of Custard Creams (or possibly Cremes).

[david birkett]

Infact, where is the truly great book about Cohen, by someone with the requisite amount of enthusiasm, understanding, knowledge, intelligence and ability?

[tomsakic]

After the catastrophe with Antony Reynolds' book, Omnibus Press lost any reputation.

Maurice Ratcliff's book is a good starter and okay album-by-album / song-by-song guide to all the albums up to More Best Of (1998), BUT FOR THE FILE, all the data, and even opinions, were taken from Jim Devlin's fine biography Leonard Cohen - In Every Style of Passion, also published by Omnibuss. With no acknowledge. I think Jim's contract was that Omnibus can use it... But I regard it as highly unethical.

I really fear who did the update of after-mid-90s albums (Field Commander Cohen, Ten New Songs, Dear Heather, The Essential Leonard Cohen, Live in London, Live at the Isle of Wight, Songs from the Road)... especially as Jim's third book for Omnibus (2nd was Leonard Cohen - In His Own Words), The Collected Lyrics of Leonard Cohen, was never published as it was deemed as "non-commercial" prior to 2008, and later they published The Lyrics of Leonard Cohen using online sources, no annotations, etc. and ignoring Jim's previous work on the manuscript.

[david birkett]

I ought to read the Devlin...Christmas approaches.

[Cheshire gal]

Amazon U.S. has news of a new book 'Leonard Cohen: The Music and the Mystique' to be released on May,1st.2012
Preorder price is $10.17. Author is Maurice Ratcliff.

It is a track by track analysis of every song on officially released albums from 1968 to his most recent studio and live sets from
the 21st Century. Also lists important events in his career with photos and CD cover art.

Sounds good.

*Sorry Tom, I had not realized this had been mentioned before*

[tomsakic]

This is an updated edition of: http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/book27.html

[Maarten]

Cover of the new edition:

Ratcliff2.jpg (13.79 KiB) Viewed 4958 times

[Mabeanie1]

There are 5 copies available on eBay for a Buy It Now price of £7.04 with free postage within the UK:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leonard-Cohen ... 937wt_1139

I have pre-ordered from Amazon UK at £6.53.

Publication date according to the eBay listing is 30 April. Amazon have an estimated dispatch date of 7-8 May.

Wendy

[tomsakic]

Amazon claimed to me yesterday: "not available / sold out". Again one of those mysterious Omnibus Press releases...

[John Etherington]

Since the new version of Maurice Ratcliff's book was being advertised in October, I'm wondering whether it includes "Old Ideas"? (if not, the timing is bad). I have the original, and don't believe there were many (if any) errors in it. However, the author seemed to gloss over some of the more challenging songs - especially in the case of "Songs of Love and Hate". For instance, there was little said about "Avalanche, "Last Year's Man" and "Famous Blue Raincoat", and in the case of "Sing Another Song Boys", nothing at all (just a listing of the other songs that Leonard sang at the Isle of Wight Festival"). I also found it surprising that when discussing a song such as "Coming Back to You", the author should raise the question "coming back to who?" (I thought it was fairly obvious that there might be a spiritual dimension to this particular song).

Since the book only aims to be "a guide", it would be unrealistic to expect a work of scholarly analysis. Also it's probably best that some songs retain an element of mystery. That said, I would hope that the new version at least mentions some of the things that have been discussed here on the Forum, such as the kabbalistic imagery in "The Window" and the often-used references to S & M - particularly in "Master Song" (which you won't find in the original). With so much more information available online, such omissions are less excusable now, but on the other hand it's much harder to say anything truly original!

[musicmania]

I wonder who Maurice Ratcliff is? If he is such a "lifelong Leonard Cohen enthusiast" (as copied from Amazon.co.uk description) surely he is a member or at least a browser of the forum and would therefore read the appropriate topics here. It would be interesting to know if the songs on Old Ideas will be included and also Born in Chains and Feels so Good.

[tomsakic]

Well my guess is that's why they scheduled the book for May release - they waited for Old Ideas, and Leonard is hot sell now. And with the tour they did not know about, it would be even better sale.