I abandoned this after the second chapter. I didn't care for the foregrounding of the interviewer, or the constraints imposed on the interviewee by the question-and-response format directed to an individual identified as a friend.

Oh, Joni...you're such a weirdo... I have, for years now, been disabused of the notion that Joni Mitchell has any sort of sanity, so there were no surprises for me here. She's one of the few artists I love that I have to separate from the person...so I suppose it was with this mindset that I chose this as the audiobook to accompany me during all my subway commuting this week, and it was pretty darn entertaining. She is so problematic. How does she write such resonant songs? ( )

5 Stars - I enjoyed this book more than i expected to, and actually more than any book I've read in quite awhile. I guess i expected a typical musician biography like David Crosby, Neil Young, James Taylor and Jimmy Buffett. Their biographies talk about the drugs, the mishaps and adventures, the names, etc. this book talks about none of those things. The book consists of three very long interviews between Joni Mitchell and an old friend. It spends most of the time talking about the poetry in her lyrics, the journey of musical genres she has used over the years and how her painting and writing are both part of who she is. The thing which most surprised me was the power and beauty and expressiveness of her poetry (lyrics). Reading them is just as powerful as listening to them, but in a different way. ( )

I really enjoyed this compilation of interviews with Joni Mitchell over a 40 year span of time. No wonder she so polarizing in terms of her reputation. She is genuine, outspoken, intelligent, articulate, and profound. Strong women contend with other people's sense of intimidation, and Joni Mitchell is no different. Such a true artist! ( )

This book is made up of several interviews that Malka Marom did with Joni Mitchell through the years, from the early days of Mitchell's career, all the way up to 2012. The interviews are in-depth, broad in scope and at times very intimate and revealing. If you're looking for insight into Joni Mitchell's life and especially her creative process, you will definitely find that here.

Mitchell comes across as funny, opinionated, self-confident and almost arrogant at times - though reading this book you come to realize that she's needed every shred of that confidence and arrogance to carry through her artistic visions through the decades.

She touches on her relationships with Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, she dives deep into the origins of her own musical awakening and creativity, and she is blunt and forthright throughout each one of these interviews. Definitely a great read for anyone with an interest in Joni Mitchell, or the world of music since the 1960s. ( )