The new biography of Leonard Cohen – ‘The Man Who Saw the Angels Fall’ – is the definitive memoir of one of the most important poets, songwriters and thinkers of our times.
Writer Christophe Lebold spent twenty years researching his subject and grew close to Leonard spending time with him in Los Angeles not long before he died in 2016. The book was first published in France to a plethora of excellent reviews and is out now in English in a quality edition published by Luath Press.
Leonard Cohen explored through his novels, poetry and lyrics themes of betrayal and redemption, faith and mortality, isolation and depression, love, regret and loss. To capture his ideas, misgivings, philosophy, Christophe Lebold journeyed in the footsteps of Cohen from his birthplace in Canada to the United States, Europe and his hideaway house on the Greek island of Hydra.
What Lebold has achieved is capturing the very essence of the man, his gentleness, curiosity, kindness, reserve, his ability to listen and the fact that his poetry had never come easily but was built up a word at a time as if he were constructing a drystone wall.
He once told a story on a chat show about his friend Bob Dylan. Dylan had said he admired Cohen’s song ‘Bird on the Wire,’ and asked how long he had taken to write it. About two years, Cohen replied. Cohen, in turn, asked Dylan how long he had taken to write ‘All Along the Watchtower.’ About 20 minutes, Dylan answered.
‘The Man Who Saw the Angels Fall’ is rich in detail, moving and compelling, a truly wonderful read.
He met actress Carol White in Hollywood and wrote her memoirs, Carol Comes Home. It was the first of a dozen books as a ghostwriter, including the Sunday Times bestseller Today I’m Alice – the story of multiple personality disorder survivor Alice Jamieson. His lates book, How to Rob the Bank of England, will be published in September 2024.
www.cliffordthurlow.com