Harry Freedman. LEONARD COHEN: The MYSTICAL ROOTS of GENIUS. Bloomsbury, 2021.
A gift, found at the library books for sale section. Lovely close reading of several lyrics with an exploration of Biblical and specifically Jewish cultural sources, myths, legends, truths. Some I have already incorporated into my latest WIP. He translates Bonsecour (literally good help, succour) as consolation. Lovely.
One or two hesitancies on my part. I felt that the writer, a Jewish Brit, has never been to Montreal and does not grasp the extreme Christian symbolism of the city and how it could easily make outsiders feel excluded, especially in the 1950s and 60s. Although he mentions the role Rumi played in Cohen's sources, he never makes the connection when discussing "there's a crack in everything" quote, an image Rumi also uses. Perhaps the Jewish source pre-dates Rumi. And his discussing the image of the snake with its own tail in its mouth, does not use the term ouroborous, ancient, paradox, image of infinity & interpreted by Jung as the basic mandala of alchemy.
I love hearing how Leonard is revered in Europe. THis book was to me a gift of divination.