Simon & Garfunkel: Together Alone

This is really a biography of the music of Paul Simon with added Art bits. The book really doesn't offer any insights into the characters of the two stars despite some dramatic events in their lives such as Garfunkel's girlfriend committing suicide and the controversy that erupted around the making of Graceland, it also offers no real information as to why Garfunkel was wiped from the album 'Hearts and Bones'. So what the book becomes is a series of album reviews with the author giving his 'opinions' on the music and other things such as the films of Nic Roeg . So what you have here is a review rather than a biography, for a more in depth look at the lives of this duo you will have to look elsewhere.

Honedt, frank piece of writing. Brilliant.

Heavy on facts and less readable as result. Doesn’t flow great. Feels a bit pieced together. Clearly well researched and I read it all so not terrible but lacked in style. Might be more my preference for a digestible biography as Author has good reputation.

thank you for speed of delivery.

In the Seventies I often borrowed Spencer Leigh's original book on Paul Simon from my local library. Just today they began to demolish that same library in the name of 'austerity'. Not quite like the firemen coming to burn books in 'Fahrenheit 451' but close enough for those people who cannot afford to buy books today. This book on Simon and Garfunkel is typical Spencer Leigh, very well researched, at times humorous and opinionated. The chapter on the star crossed folkie Jackson C. Frank I found particularly interesting. In September 1965 Paul Simon was paid £12 for his appearance at the Widnes Folk Club and in January 1966 'The Sound of Silence' was top of the US Charts! Art Garfunkel's friendship with Jimmy Webb is another talking point as is Paul Simon's 'The Capeman' project, a Broadway musical that lost millions of dollars, some of that loss was recouped by a tour with Bob Dylan. The book is bang up to date in 2016 and 'All I suggest' is that it is close enough to being 'definitive' on the recording careers of Simon and Garfunkel with a full discography and notable cover versions of the songs listed. Cheers, Brian OConnell

Very little of interest so far in this book. Just dates of releases, and cobbled together facts from old interviews. Not shiny hardly any light on the two or much about their lives, just the authors own judgements on the songs that I don't agree with. Very disappointing

Excellent ,definitive book on Simon and Garfunkel by Spencer Leigh. You can read my full review for FATEA Magazine at the following site :-[...]

Spencer Leigh's insightful biography of Simon and Garfunkel is absorbing and illuminating in equal parts. He writes with real verve, his carefully researched narrative peppered with detail, opinion and quotations to provide a clear insight into the personalities of both Simon and Garfunkel, their friendship, their falling outs, their professional relationship and the ins and outs of their numerous break-ups and reunions. It's fascinating stuff. Leigh's informed analysis of the music they have made together and individually is especially rewarding and has you racing to play their albums: always a sign that a music bio is hitting the spot.Leigh is one of the best and most readable music biographers around and with 'Simon & Garfunkel: Together Alone' he has delivered another 'must read' tome.Recommended.