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The Holy or the Broken
Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah"
By Alan Light
Table of Contents
About The Book
See the film Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song from Sony Pictures Classics
This “thoughtful and illuminating” (The New York Times) work of music journalism is an unforgettable, fascinating, and unexpected account of one of the most performed and beloved songs in pop history—Leonard Cohen’s heartrending “Hallelujah.”
How did one obscure song become an international anthem for human triumph and tragedy, a song each successive generation seems to feel they have discovered and claimed as uniquely their own? Celebrated music journalist Alan Light follows the improbable journey of “Hallelujah” straight to the heart of popular culture.
This “thoughtful and illuminating” (The New York Times) work of music journalism is an unforgettable, fascinating, and unexpected account of one of the most performed and beloved songs in pop history—Leonard Cohen’s heartrending “Hallelujah.”
How did one obscure song become an international anthem for human triumph and tragedy, a song each successive generation seems to feel they have discovered and claimed as uniquely their own? Celebrated music journalist Alan Light follows the improbable journey of “Hallelujah” straight to the heart of popular culture.
About The Author
Photo credit: Mary Ellen Matthews
Emmy Award–winning music journalist Alan Light is the author of numerous books including The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah” (which was adapted into an acclaimed documentary), as well as Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain and biographies of Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, and the Beastie Boys. He was the cowriter of bestselling memoirs by Gregg Allman and Peter Frampton. Alan was a senior writer at Rolling Stone and the editor-in-chief of Vibe and Spin. He contributes frequently to The New York Times, Esquire, and The Wall Street Journal, among many publications, and cohosts the podcast Sound Up! With Mark Goodman and Alan Light.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (December 4, 2012)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9781451657869
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Raves and Reviews
"Thoughtful and illuminating... [Mr. Light] is a fine companion for this journey through one song’s changing fortunes."
– The New York Times
"A combination mystery tale, detective story, pop critique and sacred psalm of its own."
– The Daily News
"Brilliantly revelatory... A masterful work of critical journalism."
– Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A deeply researched mixture of critical analysis and cultural archaeology."
– Los Angeles Times
"Keeps the pages turning... A well-constructed, consistently enlightening book, which should have Cohen devotees and music fans alike seeking out their favorite version of the song."
– The Boston Globe
"Fresh and compelling."
– Entertainment Weekly
"Reverentially details every stage in the [song's] evolution—and along the way, he reveals the compelling stories behind some of its most iconic interpretations."
– The Atlantic
"Absorbing…Eloquent... Light expertly unpacks the song's long, strange journey to ubiquity."
– The Village Voice
"A must for music fans."
– Booklist (starred review)
"Reads like an investigative oral biography of a song. A true songography."
– Pop Matters
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Holy or the Broken eBook 9781451657869
- Author Photo (jpg): Alan Light Photo credit: Mary Ellen Matthews(0.1 MB)
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