Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced copy of this book.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* learned a lot from this book, i didn't know like any of it lol read it not no specific reason but it was a really great read

Nothing can replace the man himself, but a well-done biography can help us remember why his work took up permanent residence in our hearts.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

Who By Fire is a fascinating look at a really unique time in the life of Leonard Cohen. Feeling a deep need and calling to help the cause in Israel during the Yom Kippur War, Cohen travelled to the Sinai. This book chronicles his time there, and some of the interesting things he experienced. Great read, full of never-before-published information.

A really interesting story narrated wonderfully by a brilliant voice cast. A must-listen for Cohen fans especially as it shows a different side to the iconic musician that many might not be familiar with.

I originally got this book solely on the fact that it was about Leonard Cohen. I knew that it was a story of Cohen playing music during a wartime in the Sinai, but I did not know that this was a story about the Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Israel.

I think the book could definitely have done without the decidedly political slant towards Israel in this, and I spent a lot of the book wondering how to think about this in light of a lot of recent events in the world. As a story of a musician trying to find himself, this works fine and is an interesting historical piece. However, for the rest of it about the war, the politics, etc., I decidedly was not a fan.

The narrator of this alongside the author was used as a sort of “stand-in” for Cohen and narrated Cohen’s own writings in a very Cohen-esque voice, which I found really jarring and strange as it seemed almost like an impersonation of him. Otherwise I had nothing of comment.

It’s a short book, and if you’re interested in the story of this little-known trip of Cohen’s as a piece of history, maybe give this a read? I got a lot of ick about how to think of this book’s politics so I’m not sure what value I really got from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for gifting me an ALC of Matti Friedman’s newest work, Who By Fire. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

Matti Friedman is a favorite writer/ journalist. If you haven’t read his previous works, you should and his newest offering is outstanding. You don’t need to be a fan of Leonard Cohen to appreciate this book but if you are then this book is a MUST READ. The audio contains recorded conversations with poet, songwriter Cohen which Friedman has brilliantly incorporated into the books narrative.

In October 1973, Egypt and Syria staged a two boarder attack on their neighbor Israel, on the holiest day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur. Matti Friedman offers a unique look of the war, through the journals of Leonard Cohen who traveled to Israel to “join” the young Israeli soldiers protecting their newly formed country. The soldiers stationed at the Sinai Peninsula faced some of the deadliest battles and Friedman shares their stories during those few weeks. For many the presence of Leonard Cohen added to the mystique of a war they were unprepared for. What Friedman does so well is taking a piece of history and writing it into a personal story of individuals.

I flew through the audio and was disappointed when it was over. My only quibble is I would have liked to learn more about how Israel was able to gain so much ground back to ultimately win a war that seemed headed towards massive defeat.

I am curious if the physical book will contain photos, which are discussed in the audio version. I would to see the images that were captured and described.

I received this audiobook (5 hours 15 minutes) from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I didn't really know much about Leonard Cohen before reading this book, so I had no idea he had also spent some time in Israel during the Yom Kippur war in October of 1973. To be honest, I'm not even really a fan of his music, but thought the subject of the book seemed interesting, as I didn't really remember anything about this particular war from school.

After reading this book, I don't have any warm or fuzzy feelings about Leonard Cohen. He seemed to have gone to Israel because he just didn't have anything else to do -- or in other words, he was at a cross roads in his life, and he just had nothing better to do. He didn't even bring his guitar to Israel--so it seemed that he went / arrived there without a plan as to how to "help" Israel in the war. Additionally, from his speeches later in life he claimed to have written certain songs for the Egyptians and the Israelis...and he even removed verses that were pro Israel...so does this mean he didn't really have a "side"? Cohen seems to be nothing more than a fickle celebrity who had high notions of his own self importance.

I would have liked to learn more about the war itself, not just the "role" (if you can even call it that) that Leonard Cohen played (no pun intended) in the war.

That being said, the book was well written and I liked the audiobook version where the quotes of Leonard Cohen are read by a different voice then the narrator.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

"They knew death was waiting for them when the concert ended. He played for them knowing his music might be the last thing they heard... In photographs, the singer seems transported and the audience intent. This isn't Woodstock. This isn't a night out, and everyone's sober. The stakes are high. Something important is happening."

Ugh so good. I thoroughly enjoyed delving into Cohen's trip to Israel during the Yom Kippur War. I, like many, didn't know much about it other than that he went to Israel and he played for the soldiers. Hearing testimonies, soliders' own experiences in the war and/or meeting Cohen was so interesting and intriguing. Even though I obviously knew the outcome of the war, I was incredibly invested in the personal accounts of what really went down. This book just does an excellent job at really emphasizing how young these soldiers were, and made me feel for them immensely. Friedman did an excellent job of really making you feel the anxieties, the stress, and the shift in the atmosphere at yet another war since the 6 Day War.

Hearing from Cohen's personal account from this time was just incredible. He can be such an enigma, and I'm so fascinated by him. Overall, Friedman did such an incredible job at weaving Cohen's personal work with the lives of those who fought and were witnesses to his show. Highly recommended.

The fact that I’ve listened to this (at normal speed) within a day is testament to how much I loved this genre-defying audiobook.

It helps if you like Leonard Cohen but I’m not sure that it’s essential. By focusing on Cohen’s ‘visit’ to Israel during the Yom Kippur war, the author has created a multi-layered narrative that is at once insightful and particular but also says something powerful about all of us.

We begin with an introduction to the meaning of some key elements of the Yom Kippur service, inarguably the most powerfully spiritual service in the Jewish religion. The story of Jonah is related as part of that service and the author skilfully deconstructs this familiar story before moving on.

It isn’t until we look at Leonard Cohen’s own life that we suddenly understand why Friedman took the time to talk about Jonah. Cohen too spent much of his life metaphorically running away and refusing to follow a pre-ordained path. By the end of his life, like Jonah, you feel that he had finally reconciled himself with who he was meant to be, finally choosing priest over lecher. If you are in any doubt, listen to ‘You Want it Darker’ from his final album. Hineni.

This is also a beautiful and touching book about youth and war and about our complexity as human beings. Absolutely beautiful, can’t recommend it enough.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Orange Sky Audio for an arc of this audiobook. This review is my honest opinion.

Skillfully weaving together the story of Leonard Cohen’s visit to the Israeli soldiers fighting in the Sinai during the Yom Kippur War, with actual stories of those who fought in that war, Who By Fire is a fascinating look at a forgotten part of musical history. Cohen’s visit wasn’t recorded on either film or audio tape, and there was scant mention of his visit in the Israeli press. The author interviewed soldiers who were there, and was fortunate enough to obtain access to the brief and unpublished journal that Cohen wrote when he traveled from his home in Greece to Israel. Parts of his journal reveal some rather unpleasant aspects of Cohen’s personality, and these aren’t glossed over by the author. Friedman also looks into the origin of some of Cohen’s songs influenced by his experience in the Sinai.

Excellent narration by the author and the actor reading Cohen’s journal.

My thanks to OrangeSky audio and Netgalley for providing an ALC of this rather interesting book.