Leonard Cohen has aimed high: to be all Jewish heroes at once. Like Jacob, he struggled with angels. Like David, he sang psalms and seduced women. Like Abraham, he moved from place to place and remained a stranger everywhere. But he never ceased doing what he did best: stepping into avalanches and reviving our hearts. From Montreal and New York to the Greek island of Hydra, Leonard Cohen: The Man Who Saw the Angels Fall follows the singer’s cosmopolitan life and examines his perpetual dialogues with God, with himself, and with hotel rooms.
After more than two decades of research, Christophe Lebold, who spent time with the poet in Los Angeles, delivers a stimulating analysis of Cohen’s life and art. Gracefully blending biography and essay, he interrogates the mission Cohen set out for himself: to show us that darkness is just the flip side of light.
Nonfiction
Leonard Cohen: The Man Who Saw the Angels Fall
December 19, 2023
Discussion Questions
Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is one of the most covered songs in history. Everyone has a favorite version, whether it’s by Jeff Buckley or Bon Jovi. A plethora of content also exists about Cohen himself, with books released almost annually about his unique life and artistry. For Leonard Cohen: The Man Who Saw Angels Fall, author Christophe Lebold, professor of literature at the University of Strasbourg and admitted Cohen fan, spent more than two decades researching his subject. He delivers a masterpiece on the Canadian Jewish bard.
Lebold took literal steps to grow closer to Cohen, traveling to pivotal places in his life — from his birthplace in Canada to the United States to Greece. Eventually, the two men spent time together in LA and grew close. Fan became friend. In recounting Cohen’s personal journeys, both physical and intellectual, Sebold was able to reference his friend’s perspectives on religion, love, God, language, prayer, and darkness. Originally published in Sebolde’s native French, the text is a wonderful mash-up of essay, biography, visuals, and poetry, reflecting the multifaceted nature of this complex visionary. The result is a portrait that is honest and unforgettable, the definitive work on Leonard Cohen.
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