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Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon
A revelatory account of the life of beloved American music icon, Paul Simon, by the bestselling rock biographer Peter Ames Carlin
To have been alive during the last sixty years is to have lived with the music of Paul Simon. The boy from Queens scored his first hit record in 1957, just months after Elvis Presley ignited the rock era. As the songwriting half of Simon & Garfunkel, his work helped define the youth movement of the '60s. On his own in the '70s, Simon made radio-dominating hits. He kicked off the '80s by reuniting with Garfunkel to perform for half a million New Yorkers in Central Park. Five years later, Simon’s album “Graceland” sold millions and spurred an international political controversy. And it doesn’t stop there.
The grandchild of Jewish immigrants from Hungary, the nearly 75-year-old singer-songwriter has not only sold more than 100 million records, won 15 Grammy awards and been installed into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame twice, but has also animated the meaning—and flexibility—of personal and cultural identity in a rapidly shrinking world.
Simon has also lived one of the most vibrant lives of modern times; a story replete with tales of Carrie Fisher, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Woody Allen, Shelley Duvall, Nelson Mandela, the Grateful Dead, drugs, depression, marriage, divorce, and more. A life story with the scope and power of an epic novel, Carlin’s unnamed Paul Simon book is the first major biography of one of the most influential popular artists in American history.
To have been alive during the last sixty years is to have lived with the music of Paul Simon. The boy from Queens scored his first hit record in 1957, just months after Elvis Presley ignited the rock era. As the songwriting half of Simon & Garfunkel, his work helped define the youth movement of the '60s. On his own in the '70s, Simon made radio-dominating hits. He kicked off the '80s by reuniting with Garfunkel to perform for half a million New Yorkers in Central Park. Five years later, Simon’s album “Graceland” sold millions and spurred an international political controversy. And it doesn’t stop there.
The grandchild of Jewish immigrants from Hungary, the nearly 75-year-old singer-songwriter has not only sold more than 100 million records, won 15 Grammy awards and been installed into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame twice, but has also animated the meaning—and flexibility—of personal and cultural identity in a rapidly shrinking world.
Simon has also lived one of the most vibrant lives of modern times; a story replete with tales of Carrie Fisher, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Woody Allen, Shelley Duvall, Nelson Mandela, the Grateful Dead, drugs, depression, marriage, divorce, and more. A life story with the scope and power of an epic novel, Carlin’s unnamed Paul Simon book is the first major biography of one of the most influential popular artists in American history.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2016
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April 23, 2022
There was always something sucky on a Simon & Garfunkel record, a terrible song about a rich guy who committed suicide (“Richard Cory”) followed immediately by a terrible song about a poor guy who committed suicide (“A Most Peculiar Man”) – two suicide songs one after the other! (Side two of The Sounds of Silence - I don’t think that would be allowed anymore) – then two very sucky singles "Homeward Bound" and "I am a Rock" - then on the colossally better Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme album we have "Silent Night/7 O’Clock News" where the idea is to sing Silent Night and then fade up the evening news full of horrors like Vietnam and Richard Speck the mass murderer so that the horrors drown out the pretty carol, geddit? – and on the next even better album Bookends Artie was inspired to go and record some miserable shuffling old people in a home and make it into the very non-musical track "Voices of Old People", I bet that doesn’t get many Spotify streams, and finally on the last and best album Bridge over Troubled Water everything was very unsucky until the very last one "Song for the Asking" which is so plaintive that it falls into suckiness to my ears.
But they tried hard and they were earnest and Paul Simon could write gorgeous tunes. So it’s all good.
WHAT’S IN A NAME? A GARFUNKEL BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SING AS SWEET
In 1964 when they were signing to Columbia Records Simon was already recording under the name Paul Kane. When Artie joined him for gigs that year they went under the name Kane and Garr (!?) – then Simon and Garr – then Artie said no, I want to use my real name but Paul said no, they would be mistaken for comedians or tailors – what about Simon and Garfield? The label said hmmm… what about Paul and Artie? No, there was already an act called Art and Paul. Wait, what about…. The Catchers in the Rye! That got a big laugh. Finally Tom Wilson, the great producer, said come on, it’s 1964, you are allowed to be Jewish, Simon and Garfunkel it is.
But they tried hard and they were earnest and Paul Simon could write gorgeous tunes. So it’s all good.
WHAT’S IN A NAME? A GARFUNKEL BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SING AS SWEET
In 1964 when they were signing to Columbia Records Simon was already recording under the name Paul Kane. When Artie joined him for gigs that year they went under the name Kane and Garr (!?) – then Simon and Garr – then Artie said no, I want to use my real name but Paul said no, they would be mistaken for comedians or tailors – what about Simon and Garfield? The label said hmmm… what about Paul and Artie? No, there was already an act called Art and Paul. Wait, what about…. The Catchers in the Rye! That got a big laugh. Finally Tom Wilson, the great producer, said come on, it’s 1964, you are allowed to be Jewish, Simon and Garfunkel it is.
October 27, 2016
Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon by Peter Ames Carlin is a 2016 Henry Holt and Co. Publication.
I read Peter Ames Carlin’s book about the life of Brian Wilson and found it was solid enough for a rock biography. So, when I saw this book on LibraryThing's early review program, I requested it.
Sadly, this book is really disappointing. It has been my experience that rock bios, (not autobiographical), can go one of several ways- They can be stuffed with minutia, detailing every single album or song, or recording, who played what instruments, sang backup and so on, without giving the reader much insight into the artist’s personal life - or- the personal aspects and whining and drama is the main focus and the music is not examined too closely , -or- the author really does their homework and combines musical highlights in with the artist's life story.
I have listened to, and very much enjoyed, the work of Simon & Garfunkel as well as most of Paul’s solo material for most of my life. Yet, Paul Simon remained an enigma for me. Oh, sure, I knew there had been epic squabbles between Paul and Art, and of course I was aware that Paul had been married to Carrie Fisher and is now married to Edie Brickell.
Other than that, I really didn’t know much about Paul's temperament, or how he and Art got together musically, or how they ended up going in separate directions. This book has answered a few of those basic questions, but by the end of the book, I didn't feel as though I ever really got a feel for whom Paul really was in private life, as the insights were far and few between.
There are very few quotes from Paul or Art, and the ones that do pop up here or there are most likely gleaned from other sources, articles, interview etc.
The book edition I received is text only, without the obligatory photos, most of these books toss in. However, this is a nice trade size book, with high quality printing and binding.
While this is a thick book, with lots of information, it’s not the sort of reading that held my attention. It was rather dull, except in certain spots, and I admit to zoning out quite a few times. It took me a long time to read through this book, and I often found myself thinking of it as ‘homework’, because if I win a book, I feel obligated to read and review it.
So, when I say this bio is anemic, I’m referring to the absence of a personal presence, and the portrait of this artist, is far from flattering, in my opinion.
I’m not insinuating the author did not do a fair amount of research, because I think he did put some energy into the book, but I'm wondering if he was deliberately coloring inside the lines by glossing over a lot of the personal junk.
Either way, despite its bulk the book doesn’t have a lot soul, or depth, didn’t encourage me to add Simon’s music to one of my playlists or hunger for more information on the artist. If fact, it left feeling rather apathetic towards Simon and as though, in good conscience, I could not recommend this book, even to the most diehard fan.
1.5 stars
I read Peter Ames Carlin’s book about the life of Brian Wilson and found it was solid enough for a rock biography. So, when I saw this book on LibraryThing's early review program, I requested it.
Sadly, this book is really disappointing. It has been my experience that rock bios, (not autobiographical), can go one of several ways- They can be stuffed with minutia, detailing every single album or song, or recording, who played what instruments, sang backup and so on, without giving the reader much insight into the artist’s personal life - or- the personal aspects and whining and drama is the main focus and the music is not examined too closely , -or- the author really does their homework and combines musical highlights in with the artist's life story.
I have listened to, and very much enjoyed, the work of Simon & Garfunkel as well as most of Paul’s solo material for most of my life. Yet, Paul Simon remained an enigma for me. Oh, sure, I knew there had been epic squabbles between Paul and Art, and of course I was aware that Paul had been married to Carrie Fisher and is now married to Edie Brickell.
Other than that, I really didn’t know much about Paul's temperament, or how he and Art got together musically, or how they ended up going in separate directions. This book has answered a few of those basic questions, but by the end of the book, I didn't feel as though I ever really got a feel for whom Paul really was in private life, as the insights were far and few between.
There are very few quotes from Paul or Art, and the ones that do pop up here or there are most likely gleaned from other sources, articles, interview etc.
The book edition I received is text only, without the obligatory photos, most of these books toss in. However, this is a nice trade size book, with high quality printing and binding.
While this is a thick book, with lots of information, it’s not the sort of reading that held my attention. It was rather dull, except in certain spots, and I admit to zoning out quite a few times. It took me a long time to read through this book, and I often found myself thinking of it as ‘homework’, because if I win a book, I feel obligated to read and review it.
So, when I say this bio is anemic, I’m referring to the absence of a personal presence, and the portrait of this artist, is far from flattering, in my opinion.
I’m not insinuating the author did not do a fair amount of research, because I think he did put some energy into the book, but I'm wondering if he was deliberately coloring inside the lines by glossing over a lot of the personal junk.
Either way, despite its bulk the book doesn’t have a lot soul, or depth, didn’t encourage me to add Simon’s music to one of my playlists or hunger for more information on the artist. If fact, it left feeling rather apathetic towards Simon and as though, in good conscience, I could not recommend this book, even to the most diehard fan.
1.5 stars
August 22, 2020
Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon by Peter Ames Carlin caught my attention because, although I have enjoyed Paul Simon’s music for many decades, I knew very little about the man himself. This book starts at the very beginning of Simon’s life and goes from there. The book was somewhat entertaining but one gets the impression that Peter Ames Carlin is not a fan. From the humble beginnings to worldwide adulation, the songwriter and performer has reinvented himself many times over, much to the joy of his fans, from teenagers to seniors. The gossipy bits are fun and the book informs the reader of a long list of people, famous or unknown, who have crossed path with Simon along his musical journey.
Read
February 9, 2017Abandoned in favor of a Bookends relisten, which was time far better spent. Probably not the book's fault, but by now I should know better. I've read a bunch of biographies of my musical heroes and they are never even fractionally as compelling as the music. This one included.
October 22, 2016
When you don't have access to the stars, the band members or the wives, there really isn't much point, is there?
October 24, 2016
A couple years back, Peter Ames Carlin, who is quickly becoming the best rock and roll biographer of his generation, had a wide-ranging and enlightening conversation with me about Bruce, his superb 2012 biography of Bruce Springsteen. Carlin gave me an intimate view into the time that he spent with Springsteen while he was writing Bruce: how the two of them visited Springsteen’s favorite Jersey pizza joint, how Springsteen was candid and open about his battle with depression, and how Springsteen, via cellphone, made sure that a lost Carlin found his way back to the highway so that he could get back safely to his hotel.
In my interview with Carlin – and in Bruce – Springsteen lives up to everything his image entails: a nice, humble, honest, and extremely gifted human being. The interview, moreover, supported everything that I ever felt about Springsteen as a man and a musician: the man and his message were one and the same.
Carlin’s latest biography – his first since Bruce – is Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon (Henry Holt), and it presents him with a difficult task, one that’s much more difficult than his Springsteen book or his other two previous biographies of Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney (I mean, it’s difficult to dislike Wilson, a graceful man who has overcome many mental health issues to give the world some of its most memorable music, and McCartney, who was a Beatle). What makes Homeward Bound a more challenging book to write and, ultimately, Carlin’s greatest achievement is that Simon, unlike Springsteen, Wilson, and McCartney, appears in his pages as a man whose complexities derive from character traits that make him distinctly unlikeable.
This isn’t to say that Carlin spends almost 400 pages attacking the writer of some of popular music’s greatest songs. Quite the opposite: Carlin has nothing but praise for most of Simon’s work, with and without his on-again-off-again partner, Art Garfunkel. He considers Simon & Garfunkel’s 1970 masterpiece, Bridge Over Troubled Water, one of the best and most important albums ever made and extols such Simon solo efforts as Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973), and The Rhythm of the Saints (1990). Carlin even highlights the much-maligned Songs of the Capeman (1997) as being one of Simon’s best.
But what’s truly extraordinary about Homeward Bound is the way in which Carlin traces Simon’s creative process. In other words, Carlin provides extraordinary insight into the way in which Simon, always with the help of excellent collaborators, made these and what seems like each and every one of his other fine songs and albums.
It’s Carlin’s deep engagement with Simon’s sometimes troubling relationship with his collaborators that makes Homeward Bound such a revelatory book and his best biography to date.
Carlin fearlessly probes Simon’s creative process and, in my reading at least, presents an artist whose work derives from a deep need to control every aspect of the creative process and, unfortunately in some cases, take credit where it should have gone to his collaborators. You’ll have to read Homeward Bound to learn about how this need for control and accompanying need for credit, in many ways, defines Simon’s career from his days with Garfunkel to 1986’s Graceland album and beyond. For now, I’ll just point you to such albums and songs as 1966’s “Scarborough Fair/Canticle,” Graceland, and 1983’s Hearts and Bones.
But what’s most interesting and memorable about Homeward Bound is the way in which Carlin interweaves Simon’s lifelong battle with depression into his discussion of Simon’s creative process. More, Carlin’s Simon is a very depressed man – a man who, now in his seventies, never managed to find himself. The music, therefore, in many cases seems to be an attempt to exert control over something, to manage a personality that tends to sway toward darkness and, sometimes even, paranoia.
Carlin succeeds in doing something almost unprecedented in rock and roll biographies. He puts the reader in an uncomfortable position. The reader knows about Simon’s depression and the truly awful decisions he makes to feed his own ego. But he/she also knows that Simon is a chronically depressed guy who might not always be in control of his awful decisions – that these decisions may make him, unlike Wilson, McCartney, and Springsteen, distinctly unlikeable.
We all want to see ourselves in our rock heroes. We want their songs to be an authentic and pure revelation of their inner lives, political beliefs, and deepest feelings. We want their songs to be just as earnest and clear as our own feelings about our own lives.
Carlin’s Homeward Bound is brilliant because it challenges this Romantic notion of the rock musician as hero. It’s also essential reading for any music fan who’s interested in what led to the creation of some of rock’s most essential songs and albums.
This review appears in Stereo Embers Magazine.
In my interview with Carlin – and in Bruce – Springsteen lives up to everything his image entails: a nice, humble, honest, and extremely gifted human being. The interview, moreover, supported everything that I ever felt about Springsteen as a man and a musician: the man and his message were one and the same.
Carlin’s latest biography – his first since Bruce – is Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon (Henry Holt), and it presents him with a difficult task, one that’s much more difficult than his Springsteen book or his other two previous biographies of Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney (I mean, it’s difficult to dislike Wilson, a graceful man who has overcome many mental health issues to give the world some of its most memorable music, and McCartney, who was a Beatle). What makes Homeward Bound a more challenging book to write and, ultimately, Carlin’s greatest achievement is that Simon, unlike Springsteen, Wilson, and McCartney, appears in his pages as a man whose complexities derive from character traits that make him distinctly unlikeable.
This isn’t to say that Carlin spends almost 400 pages attacking the writer of some of popular music’s greatest songs. Quite the opposite: Carlin has nothing but praise for most of Simon’s work, with and without his on-again-off-again partner, Art Garfunkel. He considers Simon & Garfunkel’s 1970 masterpiece, Bridge Over Troubled Water, one of the best and most important albums ever made and extols such Simon solo efforts as Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973), and The Rhythm of the Saints (1990). Carlin even highlights the much-maligned Songs of the Capeman (1997) as being one of Simon’s best.
But what’s truly extraordinary about Homeward Bound is the way in which Carlin traces Simon’s creative process. In other words, Carlin provides extraordinary insight into the way in which Simon, always with the help of excellent collaborators, made these and what seems like each and every one of his other fine songs and albums.
It’s Carlin’s deep engagement with Simon’s sometimes troubling relationship with his collaborators that makes Homeward Bound such a revelatory book and his best biography to date.
Carlin fearlessly probes Simon’s creative process and, in my reading at least, presents an artist whose work derives from a deep need to control every aspect of the creative process and, unfortunately in some cases, take credit where it should have gone to his collaborators. You’ll have to read Homeward Bound to learn about how this need for control and accompanying need for credit, in many ways, defines Simon’s career from his days with Garfunkel to 1986’s Graceland album and beyond. For now, I’ll just point you to such albums and songs as 1966’s “Scarborough Fair/Canticle,” Graceland, and 1983’s Hearts and Bones.
But what’s most interesting and memorable about Homeward Bound is the way in which Carlin interweaves Simon’s lifelong battle with depression into his discussion of Simon’s creative process. More, Carlin’s Simon is a very depressed man – a man who, now in his seventies, never managed to find himself. The music, therefore, in many cases seems to be an attempt to exert control over something, to manage a personality that tends to sway toward darkness and, sometimes even, paranoia.
Carlin succeeds in doing something almost unprecedented in rock and roll biographies. He puts the reader in an uncomfortable position. The reader knows about Simon’s depression and the truly awful decisions he makes to feed his own ego. But he/she also knows that Simon is a chronically depressed guy who might not always be in control of his awful decisions – that these decisions may make him, unlike Wilson, McCartney, and Springsteen, distinctly unlikeable.
We all want to see ourselves in our rock heroes. We want their songs to be an authentic and pure revelation of their inner lives, political beliefs, and deepest feelings. We want their songs to be just as earnest and clear as our own feelings about our own lives.
Carlin’s Homeward Bound is brilliant because it challenges this Romantic notion of the rock musician as hero. It’s also essential reading for any music fan who’s interested in what led to the creation of some of rock’s most essential songs and albums.
This review appears in Stereo Embers Magazine.
August 12, 2016
Not a book for those looking for an in depth work. Book starts out as almost a fan gush and goes downhill from there. I finally skipped to the end and it still seemed flat - more of an "exhale" that the manuscript was done. Just for curiosity's sake I back tracked to the Jazz Fest concert with Artie. Oddly enough, although listed the songs and how Artie sounded, the fact that those of us in attendance that day picked Artie right up and joined in singing with him. I can honestly say that we in the crowd probably did not hit the high notes either, but a good time was had by all. Since we in the crowd could not possibly hear how the stage sounded, I just wonder how anyone could pick out any particular voice. It is easy enough to check how the crowd got behind Artie and I do not think I have ever seen that happen at any other shows I have attended over the years. That only leaves me to wonder how much else the author missed while trying to sound authoritative.
November 11, 2022
Warts and all.
I like a biography that provides the bad with the good. Yes, Paul Simon is a legendary songwriter. Yes, he has a voice like honey. And yes, he's a big-headed egomaniac.
The man could be resentful. Snarky. He had his jealousies. Poor Art Garfunkel must have put up with a lot over the years. Edie Brickell must have her stories. Paul seemed to despise Dylan as much as he adored him. But Paul Simon's music shines.
I hadn't realized that Paul wrote a few doo-wop tunes. "Anna Belle" is damn catchy. "Motorcycle" and "I Don't Believe Them" could have and should have been more known. Carlin gives readers some insider perspective on the composition of Paul's great tunes, such as with "The Sound of Silence". And are there too many superlatives one could use for Graceland? Wow, what a classic album that was and is. Who doesn't listen to Graceland? Simon is a fantastic lyricist, as well. Not enough singers put thought into the words or have something to say.
My only complaints about the bio are that we get few to no viewpoints from Art Garfunkel or Paul's wives, and there are few photos of the man's long musical ride. Overall, a good read. 3.5 stars.
I like a biography that provides the bad with the good. Yes, Paul Simon is a legendary songwriter. Yes, he has a voice like honey. And yes, he's a big-headed egomaniac.
The man could be resentful. Snarky. He had his jealousies. Poor Art Garfunkel must have put up with a lot over the years. Edie Brickell must have her stories. Paul seemed to despise Dylan as much as he adored him. But Paul Simon's music shines.
I hadn't realized that Paul wrote a few doo-wop tunes. "Anna Belle" is damn catchy. "Motorcycle" and "I Don't Believe Them" could have and should have been more known. Carlin gives readers some insider perspective on the composition of Paul's great tunes, such as with "The Sound of Silence". And are there too many superlatives one could use for Graceland? Wow, what a classic album that was and is. Who doesn't listen to Graceland? Simon is a fantastic lyricist, as well. Not enough singers put thought into the words or have something to say.
My only complaints about the bio are that we get few to no viewpoints from Art Garfunkel or Paul's wives, and there are few photos of the man's long musical ride. Overall, a good read. 3.5 stars.
March 1, 2017
In some ways this biography of Paul Simon was great, it was thorough on all parts of his life from his initial meeting and first estrangement with Art Garfunkle to college while their musical careers were on hold, to the heady days of early success, the big break up, his solo career to the present day. It is also well researched, the biographer, Peter Carlin, has studied all the songs, interviewed sources from years ago, read the reviews and gave balanced accounts of the controversies such as Graceland and apartheid, his pirating or depending on your viewpoint, the advocacy of different cultural music. Carlin shows Simon at his generous best and his petty worst.
Still, the biography left me somewhat flat. Carlin never makes Simon come alive, the book comes off somewhat as a rote description of the different events of his life without the reader getting to know him. So read this for the history and the discussions of music and culture but not for a lively adventure through the exciting times of his lives
Still, the biography left me somewhat flat. Carlin never makes Simon come alive, the book comes off somewhat as a rote description of the different events of his life without the reader getting to know him. So read this for the history and the discussions of music and culture but not for a lively adventure through the exciting times of his lives
April 7, 2017
In my lifetime, there has always been Paul Simon. I can remember listening to Simon & Garfunkel while in elementary school. To this day, S&G and solo Simon are still heavy on my playlist.
The rise and fall of S&G is rock and roll mythology, a group that, like the Beatles, had it all and then let it slip away. Carlin does an excellent job documenting both the rise and the fall and includes many details about their early careers that I was not aware of.
As in his previous biography about Bruce Springsteen, Carlin presents Simon as a man that is driven by both music and demons. While Simon has his flaws and is surrounded by controversy, he comes across as someone who is very dedicated to his craft and his gift. He definitely bulldozes some business associates and creative collaborators along the way but, as rock stars go, he's more likable than most. Carlin also succeeds in both describing the creative process and the ensuing results of many, many songs.
This is a must read for any true Paul Simon fan. At 375 pages, I was still hungry for more by the time I finished.
The rise and fall of S&G is rock and roll mythology, a group that, like the Beatles, had it all and then let it slip away. Carlin does an excellent job documenting both the rise and the fall and includes many details about their early careers that I was not aware of.
As in his previous biography about Bruce Springsteen, Carlin presents Simon as a man that is driven by both music and demons. While Simon has his flaws and is surrounded by controversy, he comes across as someone who is very dedicated to his craft and his gift. He definitely bulldozes some business associates and creative collaborators along the way but, as rock stars go, he's more likable than most. Carlin also succeeds in both describing the creative process and the ensuing results of many, many songs.
This is a must read for any true Paul Simon fan. At 375 pages, I was still hungry for more by the time I finished.
October 22, 2016
(1 1/2). After reading the Springsteen book, this one felt as dry as the Sahara. I do love my music books, but this one gets deadly slow in many places, and focused way too much on the music reaction and not nearly enough on Simon's very interesting personal life. It paints a very benign picture of Paul, where other things I have read have portrayed him to be nasty, nastier and nastiest. The history of his relationship with Art Garfunkel is fascinating and that comprises some of the best parts of this book, along with the disclosure of his knowledge of the business side of the music industry, where he obviously really knew his stuff. I learned a few things, but it was a struggle getting there.
April 18, 2017
To say I'm a lifelong Simon & Garfunkel fan is a gross understatement; they are and have been my favorites for the past 40-something years. Anyone who knows me associates them with me; I'm that kind of fan.
There weren't many surprises in this book as I've read anything I could find on these two. I did enjoy the detail about their early lives in Forest Hills, Queens.
I'd love to have read more about the Concert in Central Park. For me there was too much history and political detail surrounding the Graceland albums and Paul's work with the African musicians. I felt that this was filler, added to compensate for the fact that Paul didn't authorize or contribute in any way.
Overall, interesting in some spots, but, meh.
There weren't many surprises in this book as I've read anything I could find on these two. I did enjoy the detail about their early lives in Forest Hills, Queens.
I'd love to have read more about the Concert in Central Park. For me there was too much history and political detail surrounding the Graceland albums and Paul's work with the African musicians. I felt that this was filler, added to compensate for the fact that Paul didn't authorize or contribute in any way.
Overall, interesting in some spots, but, meh.
May 30, 2018
Overwritten and just too long, this is only partially successful as a biography. It feels more like a personal account than a definitive account of Paul Simon himself, and as an unauthorized biography certainly doesn’t feel authoritative. For music buffs there’s a lot here – Carlin goes into the songs in great depth – but I would have preferred more about the man than the minutiae of the music. I ended up skipping quite a bit. It’s simply not objective enough and feels more like the gushings of a fan rather than a considered portrait. Informative, and obviously painstakingly researched, it’s an exhaustive but unfortunately also rather an exhausting biography with rather too much speculation. Paul Simon deserves better.
October 9, 2018
Carlin has some really great turn-of-phrase, but there is a LOT of conjecture and assumption in this book. Still, there are wonderful moments where songs are unpacked, instruments are described, and the creative process is depicted with a nice sense of awe.
February 6, 2020
If you're like me and grew up listening to Paul Simon, hunted down his records in second hand stores, then you might just be interested in learning a bit more about his life. This book does not disappoint.
July 21, 2017
A must read for the Paul Simon fan. I am one and have been since at least Sounds of Silence. Peter Ames Carlin’s Homeward Bound is a better than average effort to pin down the artist and the man. Paul Simon comes across as another example of an artist who is neither the most loyal of friends nor the most underhanded of business operators. If you are looking for a case against Paul, many are here. Is you are looking to be his defender the makings are also here. If you are looking to understand the music, there is a great deal of professional level analysis. Recommendation, A good biography but with some disclaimers.
It does not seem fair that anyone, artist or not should be held to a yes/no vote on their personality. Carlin deserves credit for not casting his, and for making it clear that Paul Simon straddles the decision. Having learned just how rough the music business can be, Paul can play rough, just not always from a position of moral superiority. Many are quoted about the good things he did for this or that starting artist, and others have a solid case about they were used and never recognized. Is there a single truth on Paul Simon? Not based on Homeward Bound.
I was mostly looking for some of the details of Simon’s life with specific illumination on his friendship with Art Garfunkel and marriage to Carrie Fisher. I am not sure that the ratio of answers to new questions is close to 50/50.
I was lead to believe that there was going to be a major show trial over his use of different names and of claims against his early profits. I do not think we got more than a few pages of how some contracts were bought out and how he mostly just outlived some of the claims.
Neither is there anything like a tabulation of good deeds vs bad deeds, versus split decisions. This last uncertainty may be to Carlin’s credit because it is left to the reader.
Lastly and again not entirely Carlin’s fault, there is little that tells me he had any special access to Paul, Artie or the documents behind either the music or the man.
What I liked most in Homeward Bound was the back ground, musical and personal that played into the recordings I have been enjoying since the early 60s. No living person has given me as many hours of musical pleasure as Paul Simon. I am grateful at Peter Carlin’s efforts to add contexts to what for me is a visceral pleasure.
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It does not seem fair that anyone, artist or not should be held to a yes/no vote on their personality. Carlin deserves credit for not casting his, and for making it clear that Paul Simon straddles the decision. Having learned just how rough the music business can be, Paul can play rough, just not always from a position of moral superiority. Many are quoted about the good things he did for this or that starting artist, and others have a solid case about they were used and never recognized. Is there a single truth on Paul Simon? Not based on Homeward Bound.
I was mostly looking for some of the details of Simon’s life with specific illumination on his friendship with Art Garfunkel and marriage to Carrie Fisher. I am not sure that the ratio of answers to new questions is close to 50/50.
I was lead to believe that there was going to be a major show trial over his use of different names and of claims against his early profits. I do not think we got more than a few pages of how some contracts were bought out and how he mostly just outlived some of the claims.
Neither is there anything like a tabulation of good deeds vs bad deeds, versus split decisions. This last uncertainty may be to Carlin’s credit because it is left to the reader.
Lastly and again not entirely Carlin’s fault, there is little that tells me he had any special access to Paul, Artie or the documents behind either the music or the man.
What I liked most in Homeward Bound was the back ground, musical and personal that played into the recordings I have been enjoying since the early 60s. No living person has given me as many hours of musical pleasure as Paul Simon. I am grateful at Peter Carlin’s efforts to add contexts to what for me is a visceral pleasure.
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January 2, 2017
Like many gifted artists, Paul Simon seems driven by a mix of ego and insecurities. The core example of this dichotomy is his lifelong relationship with Art Garfunkel, which is richly covered by Peter Ames Carlin, from their days in grade school and early performances as Tom & Jerry to their many attempts at reconciliation through reunion tours and abandoned recording sessions.
The controversy at the heart of the landmark album Graceland is also here, with helps the reader understand how it's possible that Simon was both genuinely supporting the South African musicians whom he so admired, while also exploiting their talents. His "Graceland" studio session with Los Lobos is now infamous for similar reasons.
His attempts to win over Broadway audiences with "The Capeman" and Hollywood with "One Trick Pony" show Simon at his most vulnerable and defensive. He has been jealous of Bob Dylan for being revered as the poet of his generation, of Art Garfunkel for being seen as 'the sex symbol' of the duo, and yet he toured with Dylan in the 90's and generously supported Garfunkel spending time in Hollywood working on the film "Catch 22".
Carlin does a balanced job of presenting the many facets of Simon's personality, as well as giving a fair overview of his work as a writer and singer.
Toward the end of the book, Carlin encounters Simon at Emory University, where Simon is scheduled to do a symposium. Simon spots Carlin, gives him an icy stare, and then a dismissive wave. As this book is not authorized, Simon tells us all we need to know about how he feels about his warts-and-all career being presented on the page. That's as close as Carlin ever got to Simon. So, like all third party unauthorized biographies, there should be a huge grain of salt taken with "Homeward Bound". Simon may not be the kind of guy you'd want to have a cup of coffee with - truly, it sounds like it depends on the day. Some days, he's a real mensch, other days...not so much. But, you want him on that stage, you want him at his writer's desk, and in the studio. Because that's where he creates a transcendent magic that makes the rest of it little of our business.
The controversy at the heart of the landmark album Graceland is also here, with helps the reader understand how it's possible that Simon was both genuinely supporting the South African musicians whom he so admired, while also exploiting their talents. His "Graceland" studio session with Los Lobos is now infamous for similar reasons.
His attempts to win over Broadway audiences with "The Capeman" and Hollywood with "One Trick Pony" show Simon at his most vulnerable and defensive. He has been jealous of Bob Dylan for being revered as the poet of his generation, of Art Garfunkel for being seen as 'the sex symbol' of the duo, and yet he toured with Dylan in the 90's and generously supported Garfunkel spending time in Hollywood working on the film "Catch 22".
Carlin does a balanced job of presenting the many facets of Simon's personality, as well as giving a fair overview of his work as a writer and singer.
Toward the end of the book, Carlin encounters Simon at Emory University, where Simon is scheduled to do a symposium. Simon spots Carlin, gives him an icy stare, and then a dismissive wave. As this book is not authorized, Simon tells us all we need to know about how he feels about his warts-and-all career being presented on the page. That's as close as Carlin ever got to Simon. So, like all third party unauthorized biographies, there should be a huge grain of salt taken with "Homeward Bound". Simon may not be the kind of guy you'd want to have a cup of coffee with - truly, it sounds like it depends on the day. Some days, he's a real mensch, other days...not so much. But, you want him on that stage, you want him at his writer's desk, and in the studio. Because that's where he creates a transcendent magic that makes the rest of it little of our business.
September 8, 2017
I have loved Paul Simon's music since I first heard Simon & Garfunkel in about 1967. I know this might be regarded as sacrilege by some but I much preferred Simon's song-writing to Bob Dylan's. And his singing? That goes without even saying. Strangely, Graceland - Simon's most successful solo album - is my least favourite of all his works. I much prefer Hearts & Bones, which did no business at all. This is a terrific biog of a complex personality & it explores the man in as much depth as the music. Simon was capable of extreme, & sometimes anonymous, generosity along with mind-numbing petulance & cruelty. Although he didn't credit guitarist Martin Carthy the arrangement of Scarborough Fair that he 'borrowed' for the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, he did the right thing by directing royalties to him. It wasn't until they re-connected many years later, after Carthy had seethed for so long about being ripped off, that both became aware that Cathy's manager had never forwarded those royalties on. Simon could also drop a protegee on the spot if she reminded him that the music that she had exposed him to & that he had just used to make Graceland had been intended for her own debut album. He always paid his session musicians way above union scale but took his musical The Capeman to Broadway believing he knew more about theatre, directing & everything else about staging a major musical better than experts who had been doing it most of their lives. And his on again off again relationship with Art Garfunkel is at times impossible to fathom. At the heart of the book is his songs & I certainly believe that my life has been enriched by his words & music. Highly recommended for baby boomer music fans.
April 5, 2017
A mass of contradictions: a shy internal boy who was also an athlete, a travelling folky who was also the president of his fraternity, a loner who was one half of a notoriously feuding duo, a generous family man who could cut people dead if he didn't like something they said to him, a depressive and rebellious artist who also had the business sense of an old-time music mogul - all these tendencies were present in the remarkable person who has had a legendary and lengthy career as a singer/songwriter unlike anyone else in his generation.
Peter Ames Carlin, who has also written biographies of Lenny Bruce and Bruce Springsteen, brings an admiring but also penetrating and cynical eye as he examines the life story of this complicated subject. It's an informative book but also a perplexing one as elusive and confusing as it's central character. I suspect critics and biographers will be examining this life for decades to come, trying to define what made this man tick but I doubt they'll get much closer to the core than Carlin does. For a life lived in the glare of publicity it seems as mysterious and unknowable as one from a different time. A complex book for a complex subject but the reader comes away as informed as it's probably possible to be. An interesting read for sure. - BH.
Peter Ames Carlin, who has also written biographies of Lenny Bruce and Bruce Springsteen, brings an admiring but also penetrating and cynical eye as he examines the life story of this complicated subject. It's an informative book but also a perplexing one as elusive and confusing as it's central character. I suspect critics and biographers will be examining this life for decades to come, trying to define what made this man tick but I doubt they'll get much closer to the core than Carlin does. For a life lived in the glare of publicity it seems as mysterious and unknowable as one from a different time. A complex book for a complex subject but the reader comes away as informed as it's probably possible to be. An interesting read for sure. - BH.
December 17, 2019
Quickly turned into a hard-skim, w/ pauses here & there to read the more interesting bits. This book would have been better if it'd been 1/2 this size. Loads of stuff brought up but never closed out, esp. with regards to women in his life. They appear, then a new one appears, & this is the pattern. Where did the previous one go? Why are they gone? These & other such questions are not addressed.
Turns out the more problematic of Simon's work, despite selling well, is not stuff I actually like. Seems he's not the guy to get involved with unless you've a well-spelled out & iron-clad contract before-hand. He also appears to be uninterested in anything that doesn't directly involve or benefit himself. (Can't say I'm surprised.) That's the impression given by my experience w/ this work, anyway. That said, this book reads like an outline of info. for the book it should have been turned into. It's almost entirely bereft of 1st-person accounts, which leaves it to be nothing more than a pile of researched hearsay mixed in w/ a timeline pulled from accounts recorded in the historical record (newspapers, magazines, court papers, video, etc.). The totality of this pile lacks solidity, & as such the book is easily forgettable, making it matter that much less that it is so utterly bland of a read. I don't recommend it. A disappointment, for sure.
November 13, 2016
More a recap of Simon's many career successes and phases, Carlin uses lyrical analysis and perpheral figures to try to get under the surface of of the singer/songwriter. He ends p painting a portrait of a man whose insecurities and arrogance define him almost as much as his talent does. Hardly a revelation.
Still Simon comes off as relatively human and not like the uber-asshole he could.
Still the holes between the albums, and successful tours and reunions seem a little unfilled. His break up with Peggy and his long-term relationship with Carrie Fisher, as well as his marriage with Edie Brickell is hardly mention: it's clear that Carlin wants to talk about the work more than the man. In fact, he doesn't seem to have talked to any of the major figures of Simon's life, relying instead on interviews from various folks and a few peripheral figures, mostly musical collaborators and session musicians.
It wasn't bad and the early parts are particularly evocative but it seems to devolve into mere analysis of album songs and discussions of Simon's particular creative process. I know the work. I am more interested in the man.
Better than the McCartney book and on a par with the Springsteen book, overall it left me feeling pretty unsatisfied.
Still Simon comes off as relatively human and not like the uber-asshole he could.
Still the holes between the albums, and successful tours and reunions seem a little unfilled. His break up with Peggy and his long-term relationship with Carrie Fisher, as well as his marriage with Edie Brickell is hardly mention: it's clear that Carlin wants to talk about the work more than the man. In fact, he doesn't seem to have talked to any of the major figures of Simon's life, relying instead on interviews from various folks and a few peripheral figures, mostly musical collaborators and session musicians.
It wasn't bad and the early parts are particularly evocative but it seems to devolve into mere analysis of album songs and discussions of Simon's particular creative process. I know the work. I am more interested in the man.
Better than the McCartney book and on a par with the Springsteen book, overall it left me feeling pretty unsatisfied.
February 2, 2017
Finally finished this book (skipped a lot of pages along the way) and have several questions/comments:
1. The book needed a better copy editor. Too repetitive, missing punctuation and lousy grammar.
2. Did this author actually interview Paul Simon? The book gives detail after detail on some things, and glosses over others, but there are no insights or direct quotes from him! Since Mr. Simon is very much alive, this would have significantly enhanced the book. Also, the photos that are included appear to be either publicity pictures or photos that previously appeared in print articles about Paul Simon over the years - nothing that shows the essence of the man or his family, either earlier in his life or the present day.
3. How can a book about music in the 1960s and 1970s have no mention of Woodstock?
4. There's an overwhelming amount of minutiae in the book about the various songs and albums that Paul Simon recorded over the years. WAY too much minutiae. It's mind-numbing. There's a lot of text about album cover and posters, but yet no photos of either were included.
Bottom line - don't waste your time reading this book.
1. The book needed a better copy editor. Too repetitive, missing punctuation and lousy grammar.
2. Did this author actually interview Paul Simon? The book gives detail after detail on some things, and glosses over others, but there are no insights or direct quotes from him! Since Mr. Simon is very much alive, this would have significantly enhanced the book. Also, the photos that are included appear to be either publicity pictures or photos that previously appeared in print articles about Paul Simon over the years - nothing that shows the essence of the man or his family, either earlier in his life or the present day.
3. How can a book about music in the 1960s and 1970s have no mention of Woodstock?
4. There's an overwhelming amount of minutiae in the book about the various songs and albums that Paul Simon recorded over the years. WAY too much minutiae. It's mind-numbing. There's a lot of text about album cover and posters, but yet no photos of either were included.
Bottom line - don't waste your time reading this book.
January 2, 2017
So, I learned that Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel actually met in fourth grade! And they were making music since they were in high school and had a hit record under the pseudonym of Tom and Jerry before they graduated. The book is an unauthorized biography and it was clear that there was nothing but antagonism from Simon for this poor author. The author doesn't let that influence his writing and does a great job of providing all the details about all of his songs, concerts, business arrangements, and his interaction with various females (including Carrie Fisher, to whom he was married for a number of years).
Paul Simon sounds like a nice guy and a very talented and hard working musician. I was not disappointed by anything I learned about him. It's truly puzzling that Simon and Garfunkel can't work together. According to this book, they seem to try about once a decade to get together and though there is a lot of love and a great history between them, the reunion never brings a lasting cease-fire.
Paul Simon sounds like a nice guy and a very talented and hard working musician. I was not disappointed by anything I learned about him. It's truly puzzling that Simon and Garfunkel can't work together. According to this book, they seem to try about once a decade to get together and though there is a lot of love and a great history between them, the reunion never brings a lasting cease-fire.
January 15, 2017
I have been a fan of Paul Simon (and Art Garfunkel) for a very long time. I have a strong memory of my husband coming to the hospital to visit me right after the birth of our first son, bringing the album Bookends to me as a gift. The harmony and lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel have always been among my favorite listening and sing along music. Who couldn't relate to that line about "all the crap I learned in high school?"
Carlin's book was jam packed with Paul Simon's evolution as a singer, song writer, and collaborator. I wish that more space had been devoted to Simon's early family life and relationships. I did find it interesting to learn that Simon, a rather impatient and arrogant man, was a loving and tolerant person when it came to the children at his playground job and in his family.
Like so many of us, especially men, Simon was greatly influenced by his father, a musician turned teacher. I enjoyed this detailed biography, especially learning the background of many of the songs that I have loved for so many years.
Carlin's book was jam packed with Paul Simon's evolution as a singer, song writer, and collaborator. I wish that more space had been devoted to Simon's early family life and relationships. I did find it interesting to learn that Simon, a rather impatient and arrogant man, was a loving and tolerant person when it came to the children at his playground job and in his family.
Like so many of us, especially men, Simon was greatly influenced by his father, a musician turned teacher. I enjoyed this detailed biography, especially learning the background of many of the songs that I have loved for so many years.
October 26, 2016
I am a big fan of Paul Simon's music. This book filled in many gaps in my knowledge about the trajectory of Simon’s career and the details of his personal life. Nonetheless, it was not a particularly satisfying read for someone who wants to understand the man. One does not get the feeling that Carlin particularly likes Simon. Maybe there is some history between the author and Simon—who did not authorize this bio—that came through in a bit of an edge to the writing. Or maybe Simon is not a particularly likeable person. Carlin’s Simon is a musical genius, a generous man, and a brilliant intellect with a good sense of humor who also is a “sharp” businessman and a person who suffers from depression. Although the book appears to have been very well researched, the absence of detail from Simon and most of his intimates does not give the reader a feeling that the author "knows" Simon, but instead that he knows the facts of Simon's life.
October 10, 2017
I found this a gripping book that I couldn't put down. Peter Carlin is a good writer and weaves the chapters brilliantly together. This is a sad book in some ways and casts a shadow over the personality of Paul Simon. Yes, he is a genius, but he is also pretty determined to get what he wants and doesn't care who may get hurt in the process. Maybe that is why Simon has been able to hold his career together so well for so long. After reading this book I feel I'd like to read a bio on Art Garfunkel. I was surprised at how petty and immature their relationship was at times. I mean, life is about learning to work and get on with people. That said, these are highly sensitive folks with huge egos.
I was surprised that Carlin didn't mention Harper Simon's own debut album which has a number of great tracks including Berkeley Girl.
Once again, Carlin did a great job and I will check out his other bios.
I was surprised that Carlin didn't mention Harper Simon's own debut album which has a number of great tracks including Berkeley Girl.
Once again, Carlin did a great job and I will check out his other bios.
April 9, 2018
Half-baked, poorly researched bio about Paul Simon. I thought the author sugar-coated some of Simon's less savory personal aspects-- Simon's many wives etc seem to arise without any preface or introduction, and disappear equally quickly. The controversies over cultural appropriation are mention but not detailed, and Simon's sad penchant for failing to credit authors or pay royalties is also only mentioned briefly. I am very ambivalent about Simon-- his music certainly was part of my formative years, but I'm dismayed at what a jerk he is. He also has made a bunch of highly grandiose self-assessments of his talent recently, which only add to the negative side for me. Although I'm being critical about the book, I don't know that I would bother reading a better researched book since the base material is, well, base!
December 15, 2016
This is an unauthorized bio of the pop star/songwriter and you will not like the Paul Simon in these pages. He's egotistical, petty, tyrannical and controlling, and, of course, brilliant.
The book is also highly readable and endlessly fascinating. Most interesting thing I did not know beforehand: "The Only Living Boy in New York" is about Paul being separated from Artie, while the latter is in Mexico filming "Catch-22." He is addressed as 'Tom' because Simon and Garfunkel began recording, while still in high school, under the name 'Tom and Jerry.' Huh.
In thinking about the unauthorized aspect of the book I have to say that I prefer unauthorized because who wants to read a biography where the subject handcuffed the biographer into portraying him in an a good light?
The book is also highly readable and endlessly fascinating. Most interesting thing I did not know beforehand: "The Only Living Boy in New York" is about Paul being separated from Artie, while the latter is in Mexico filming "Catch-22." He is addressed as 'Tom' because Simon and Garfunkel began recording, while still in high school, under the name 'Tom and Jerry.' Huh.
In thinking about the unauthorized aspect of the book I have to say that I prefer unauthorized because who wants to read a biography where the subject handcuffed the biographer into portraying him in an a good light?
December 27, 2016
Meh. I came of age in the late 60's/ early 70's and Simon and Garfunkel were counted among my heroes. Later, particularly Paul Simon's music continued to capture me. As another reviewer noted, it seems like biographies of musicians are frequently full of minutia. The reader slogs through endless detail for what? Often the reader ends up with a rather shallow notebook of every meeting, every decision, every encounter. Too much detail! What I wanted from this biography was a story with some depth. I wanted to know how Paul came to be the remarkable musician that he is. I don't need to know about every encounter but I would have liked to know more about his thought processes, his hopes, his regrets, his influences. Perhaps that is too much to ask of any biographer.
September 22, 2016
Disclosure: Won this via FirstReads.
As a casual fan, there was a lot I didn't know about Paul Simon, so this book was very enlightening. It paints a picture of a very talented, very insecure artist. It does have a tendency to drag in parts, but overall, made for a pretty good read. My one quibble, and this is not just with this author, is when he concludes what someone must have been thinking at a particular instance. I would be interested to see what those who are more knowledgeable on Mr. Simon have to say.
As a casual fan, there was a lot I didn't know about Paul Simon, so this book was very enlightening. It paints a picture of a very talented, very insecure artist. It does have a tendency to drag in parts, but overall, made for a pretty good read. My one quibble, and this is not just with this author, is when he concludes what someone must have been thinking at a particular instance. I would be interested to see what those who are more knowledgeable on Mr. Simon have to say.
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