Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: From This Broken Hill, Volume 2

The second of three biographical volumes by the author chronicles the life of Montreal poet, novelist, singer-songwriter, and artist Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) from the conclusion of his first international music tour in 1971 as he continued to compose poetry, record music, and search for meaning into the late 1980s. The author explores Cohen’s decade-long relationships with Suzanne Elrod, with whom he had two children, and various other numerous romantic partners, including the beginning of his long relationship with French photographer Dominique Issermann and, simultaneously, a five-year relationship with a woman never previously identified. The author notes that the 1980s was a challenging time for Cohen. His personal life was in chaos and his career stumbled, so much so that his 1984 album, Various Positions, was rejected by Columbia Records, while other artistic endeavours failed to find an audience. However, this period also marked the start of his forty-year immersion in Zen Buddhism, which would connect him to the legendary Zen master Joshu Sasaki Roshi and inspire some of Cohen’s most profound and enduring art.

Toronto, ON

Simon & Schuster Canada

2021

xv-475p.

en

978-1-982176-89-1