PERFORMING ARTS
(STARRED REVIEW) Monk, Katherine. Joni: The Creative
Odyssey of Joni Mitchell. Greystone. 2012.
320p. photogs. ISBN 9781553658375. pap.
$18.95. MUSIC
Biographies of Joni Mitchell are attempted
every few years, but the definitive one will
have to wait until the singer-songwriter tells
her own story. In the meantime. Monk's
{Weird Sex & Snowshoes: And Other Canadian
Film Phenomena) is the closest thing to essential
reading. She describes her book as a
"rambling adventure into the creative soul,"
and it follows Mitchell's path to popular and
critical success as well as her self-imposed
exile from that success, while frankly addressing
the highs and lows of her career and
personal life. One intriguing aspect of the
book is Monk's pursuit of a kind of Mitchell-
approved reading list (because of her subject's
own interest in philosophy). Monk
uses Martin Heidegger, Joseph Campbell,
and especially Friedrich Nietzsche to tell
Mitchell's story and shape the narrative of
her creative odyssey.
VERDICT
Monk's own
personality frequently surfaces, and it's noteworthy
that the last two major books on
Mitchell - this and Michelle Mercer's Will
You Take Me as I Am - each fuse factual information
with a strong authorial presence;
it speaks to the impact Mitchell's music can
have on an individual and makes for an engaging
narrative. This unique and thoughtful
biography is recommended for all fans of
Joni Mitchell.
- Peter Thornell, Hingbam P.L., MA
Printed from the official Joni Mitchell website. Permanent link: https://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=2541
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