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Portrait Of The Artist As A Wise Man

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As fans of his music will testify, Leonard Cohen has a unique gift for translating emotion into words with art and sincerity. This book consists of various poems, passages and doodles that bear all the hallmarks of classic Cohen. Anyone who has ever struggled in life with crushing disappointment may recognize Cohen's perfect verbal distillation of their pain. Others will just enjoy the humour, wisdom and frankness. Many people are put off from reading poetry because of the unintelligible abstraction that characterizes so much of the medium. This well-presented volume is the perfect antidote. The pieces vary in subject and scope, but women and growing old are recurring themes. The prevailing impression is that Leonard Cohen is very modest - especially considering the fame and adulation he has enjoyed and endured since the sixties - and that he tries to do, and be, his best. The word is "mensch".

Confessional poetry and writings from a wise and humorous soul ...

Customer Rating:

This is Leonard Cohen. You get tongue-in-cheek self portraits dispersed amongst words that are sometimes funny, sometimes shocking, sometimes brilliant observations and sometimes self depricating honesty that reveals the always human-ness and always unique voice of this living legend of a song writer, writer and poet, Mr. Leonard Cohen. This guy is Interesting with a capital "I." Reason enough to check out his long awaited book of poems, drawings and essays. Another reason is that unlike most books of poetry it is 'entertaining' without sacrificing intelligence. His wry humour is laugh out loud funny in the the short essay, "The Luckiest Man in the World" and poems such as, "Never Once." He speaks of things that matter to him: his teacher, Roshi, pine trees, G-d, women, sex, laughter, mists, women and most of all from what I see the unending mystery of "self" (and women). When that self is Leonard Cohen it is worth stopping what you are doing and reading what he has to say. Then, if you are not familiar with Cohen's music, you are missing some of the best written lyrics and music, ever. Enjoy, Laurie