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Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words Hardcover – September 9, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"The book, which includes photographs and reproductions of Mitchell’s paintings, makes for a compelling narrative of the creative life and is recommended for both Mitchell fans and for music lovers." — Publishers Weekly
"A keepsake for fans. Longtime listeners will want to dive into these decade-spanning chats, in which Joni speaks freely about creativity and finding success in the music business." — HELLO! Canada Magazine
“The gifted, adventurous musician talks as brilliantly as she writes and sings.” — Kirkus Reviews
”An unflinching insight into the eight-times Grammy winning singer/songwriter’s lifelong battle with chronic illness, the pain of giving up her daughter for adoption, paranoia and a rare disease that literally makes her feel like her skin is crawling.” — Daily Mail
"This valuable book not only portrays an enduring artist but also reflects several decades of changing societal and musical culture. It will appeal to a wide audience and should be a part of music collections in public or academic libraries." — Library Journal
"A keepsake for fans. Longtime listeners will want to dive into these decade-spanning chats, in which Joni speaks freely about creativity and finding success in the music business." — HELLO! Canada Magazine
“The gifted, adventurous musician talks as brilliantly as she writes and sings.” — Kirkus Reviews
”An unflinching insight into the eight-times Grammy winning singer/songwriter’s lifelong battle with chronic illness, the pain of giving up her daughter for adoption, paranoia and a rare disease that literally makes her feel like her skin is crawling.” — Daily Mail
"This valuable book not only portrays an enduring artist but also reflects several decades of changing societal and musical culture. It will appeal to a wide audience and should be a part of music collections in public or academic libraries." — Library Journal
About the Author
Malka Marom began her career as a folksinger, in the popular duo Malka & Joso, who were the first to bring world music to Canada. As a soloist, Marom has performed on stage, TV, and radio around the world. She is also known and respected as a radio broadcaster and documentary maker and is the author of the bestselling novel Sulha. Marom lives in Toronto, Ontario.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By
voracious reader
on September 10, 2014
Format: Hardcover
4 Comments
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Many wonderful things have already been said about this book, so I won't be repetitive. The one word that makes me crazy that I see and hear used again and again, even in reviews here, to describe Joni's attitude toward herself and her work, is "arrogant." An artist, a master of many mediums, and of her stature is rarely found in any age, and yet Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are repeatedly described as "poets"; Joni is never, to my knowledge, put in their class. Her work is always qualified by her gender. This is grossly unfair, and in interviews one can tell how much this irritates her. And it should! She tells of being "short-sheeted" at New York venues by envious male performers such as Dylan...her guitar destroyed prior to a performance because the boys were pissed that she played better than they, and she was only a girl. I laud Joni for taking her praise into her own hands, and for saying she really had no peer...neither Cohen or Dylan had the vocal chops that she did, or painted with words as skillfully as she did, or used such complex harmonies, or made so many gutsy changes in her creative direction. I think many almost-greats copied her and resented her at the same time: she refused to be held down or put in a corner or pigeonhole. How frustrating that must have been! My deal is, those whose work goes beyond praise need to be glorified, regardless of gender. Joni continues to be short-sheeted, and she is irritated and goading into telling the truth, setting the record straight. Those who love her work, all of it, are stunned by her musical and poetical honesty...why would she make dishonest boasts? It seems to me ironic beyond words that she is painted with such a brush, and to think she is arrogant is to totally miss the point of the gender issues involved and her compulsion to right a true wrong, not one she perceives. Can we drop the word "arrogant" from the Joni Mitchell lexicon, once and for all? I think it's about time.
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36 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By
MeriJ
on August 25, 2014
Format: Hardcover
1 Comment
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Normally celebrity interviews are brief, awkward affairs held in sterile hotel rooms or agents' offices. After you read a few from the same tour, you realize they are just going through the motions, repeating boilerplate stories and once-fresh-but-now-stale observations for lazy interviewers who don't seem to notice or care they aren't getting the good stuff.
What's different about this book is that 1) the interviewer is a personal friend of Joni's, and 2) the three interviews evolved over a period of almost 40 years. They took place in Joni's living room, several days per session -- I daresay over wine and cigarettes -- the 1st in '73 during the taping of Court & Spark, the 2nd in '79 around the time of Mingus and the final one just two years ago.
By the time they get to 2012, the two of them are flipping through a book of Joni's lyrics and riffing off each other on what things meant, what was cool, what was stolen from others. It helps that the interviewer is a singer and that they met back when Joni was a total unknown.
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To be honest, I'm usually reluctant to read interviews with Joni. I have profound respect for her as an artist -- she truly is a genius and is unique in so many ways** -- but I find her arrogance off-putting.
Is she humble in these interviews? Of course not. The difference is that these dialogues actually go somewhere. I found the 2012 conversation particularly rewarding, like an intimate evening with old friends.
Check out this nugget from 1973. It summarizes what I love about her (and inspires me to find software to place nursery rhymes in reverse!Read more ›
What's different about this book is that 1) the interviewer is a personal friend of Joni's, and 2) the three interviews evolved over a period of almost 40 years. They took place in Joni's living room, several days per session -- I daresay over wine and cigarettes -- the 1st in '73 during the taping of Court & Spark, the 2nd in '79 around the time of Mingus and the final one just two years ago.
By the time they get to 2012, the two of them are flipping through a book of Joni's lyrics and riffing off each other on what things meant, what was cool, what was stolen from others. It helps that the interviewer is a singer and that they met back when Joni was a total unknown.
------------------------------------------------------------------
To be honest, I'm usually reluctant to read interviews with Joni. I have profound respect for her as an artist -- she truly is a genius and is unique in so many ways** -- but I find her arrogance off-putting.
Is she humble in these interviews? Of course not. The difference is that these dialogues actually go somewhere. I found the 2012 conversation particularly rewarding, like an intimate evening with old friends.
Check out this nugget from 1973. It summarizes what I love about her (and inspires me to find software to place nursery rhymes in reverse!Read more ›
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Pamela
on September 13, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
Verified Purchase
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I found this book particularly intriguing as it's not only Joni at her most candid, but also spans decades, showing the deepening of her convictions and perceptions as well as giving us a glimpse into the arc of her life. Malka took the time to share these interviews and with the exception of her introduction, leaves it all to Joni to tell us "In Her Own Words" what inspires and concerns her both personally and globally. A must for anyone who wants to understand and drink in the thoughts and feelings of Joni Mitchell.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By
Pointed Head
on September 5, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I am not a professional reviewer. I am a huge Joni Mitchell fan. Anyone who loves her art and music will enjoy this "tapping of her mind". Here, Joni is the painting and Malka Marom is the frame. Malka Marom skillfully converses with Joni giving you a closeness that only a friend can share. It is revealing, touching, thoughtful and real. It was like spending a day with an old friend - picking up just where we left off. Loving Joni's work is truly like making a friend for life - this book only deepens the relationship. I highly recommend it!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
Riggs
on September 16, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I did not want the book to end. More please?
I agree with all the positive comments/perspectives folks have already made, esp. by reviewer Voracious Reader, who reflects my perspective perfectly..
I love reading about exceptional people, how they think, create, personal histories, experiences, views, ect. And have been drawn to Joni's words, thoughts, staggering creativity, raw insight and clarity. So, this book is gold to me. Very very interesting. What an education, what a perfectly imperfect, brilliant, mind blowing human being! I was/am seriously struck & inspired by who she is as a person & artist. Fueled by desire to create. She has made life so much more richer for me/us.
This book is a keeper, I know I will read it again, and will refer back to it. Lovely photos & art.
I agree with all the positive comments/perspectives folks have already made, esp. by reviewer Voracious Reader, who reflects my perspective perfectly..
I love reading about exceptional people, how they think, create, personal histories, experiences, views, ect. And have been drawn to Joni's words, thoughts, staggering creativity, raw insight and clarity. So, this book is gold to me. Very very interesting. What an education, what a perfectly imperfect, brilliant, mind blowing human being! I was/am seriously struck & inspired by who she is as a person & artist. Fueled by desire to create. She has made life so much more richer for me/us.
This book is a keeper, I know I will read it again, and will refer back to it. Lovely photos & art.
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