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Another short but sweet collection of Leonard Cohen's poetry, this one taking choice selections from poems written between 1956 and 1968. Whilst pleasant enough, I found the poems that I enjoyed most were ones I was already familiar with from other more recent collections like Stranger Music. Therefore, I can only really recommend it to completists. ( )

Leonard Cohen speaks to me as few other poets do. I find myself fitting melodies to his poems as I read them, inspired by the haunting tunes in McCabe and Mrs. Miller, (which appears to have been an homage to Cohen by Robert Altman), Hallelujah (in Shrek) and Suzanne, which can be found in this volume. I wonder what stirring music could be made to accompany the remaining poems in this volume; those that have not been set to music?

I don't think Leonard Cohen has been given his due. Read this alone, at night, with a cup of tea, and I think you'll agree. ( )