I don't know if any Leonard Cohen fans visit this blog, but I used to like him a lot 35 years ago (what?!) and still think he is pretty cool. You may know this of course, but Cohen's "So long Marianne" is a song to a Norwegian girl called Marianne Ihlen, and they were friends and lovers for years in the early 60s. They met on the Greek island Hydra, where Marianne had moved in with Norwegian author Axel Jensen. The story is described in Kari Hufthamar's book "So long Marianne.Ei kjærleiks- historie" (meaning: "A love story")(Spartacus 2008), and they have also made a radio documentary together.
The book is in Norwegian (and not translated into any readable language for most of you, as far as I know), but contains previously unpublished letters (some in English), pictures and four poems by Cohen: "For M", "Waiting for Marianne", "The Poetry Place" and "Days of Kindness".
So if you are a big Cohen fan, let's hope you have a great library that can help you. And Cohen, he's on his way to Norway again in a week or two.
1 comment:
I don't know if any Leonard Cohen fans visit this blog
Well, speaking for myself, there's at least one. Can't read Norwegian, unfortunately, though the book sounds like a great read.
But if he's coming your way, you must go. He has become an amazing, inspirational live performer in his old age. You won't regret it.
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