Paul Simon

November 1, 2014
How did a Jewish kid from Queens end up on top of the musical pyramid? That's the question Bonca seeks to answer in his insightful portrait of Paul Simon, who, at 72, remains at the top of his game. Simon met his future songwriting partner, Art Garfunkel, in sixth grade. They lived three blocks apart, became fast friends, and soon began writing songs together. At 15, they tried selling their wares at the famous Brill Building in midtown Manhattan. Their first album, Wednesday Morning 3 A.M., set the template for what was to follow: literate songwriting, lush harmonies, gorgeous melodies. That their songs appeared on The Graduate soundtrack only sealed the deal. When the duo parted ways in 1970, Simon began an exploration of world music, most successfully on Graceland and The Rhythm of the Saints. In spite of occasional missteps, such as the disastrous film, One-Trick Pony, Simon, Bonca affirms, continues to create important work, including his recent album, So Beautiful or So What.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)