Song So Wild and Blue

“Radiant … Lisicky’s lyrical, poignant attempt to get into Mitchell’s head as a way to better understand his own creativity reads like a novel… . This a remarkable act of literary imagination.” - Booklist (starred review)

“Exceptional, warmhearted… . Along with moving passages about his relationships and their challenges, Lisicky writes beautifully on mortality and death, including his parents’ health struggles… . A beautiful tribute to a legendary musician and the act of creation.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Passionate … the musician’s most devoted fans will enjoy this tribute from a fellow admirer.” - Publishers Weekly

“The singer’s fluid singularity, her refusal to apologize or conform, made [Lisicky] feel electric and understood. [Song So Wild and Blue] is an intimate, impressionistic Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man mode, interwoven with Mitchell myths and parallels.” - New York Times Book Review

“A stunning collage of nonfiction that pieces together the lives of writer and artist. This book will revolutionize how authors forever explore music in their work. It will change the way we remember ‘that album, that song’ that changed our life. Song So Wild and Blue will change the way we pay tribute to the people we love.” - The Rumpus

“Elegant … This volume is a love letter to the iconic folk singer, a meditation on her life and what makes her great, and a shout-out to her work as a painter. Lisicky splices his coming-of-age story in with his insightful exploration of her work, making for an absorbing read.” - Martha Anne Toll, NPR

“An exquisite, subtle ode to the people we used to be, and their inextricable intertwinement with the artists who change us. Lisicky’s love letter to Joni Mitchell is part coming-of-age story, part romance, part biography, and it left me aglow with recognition and wonder.” - Melissa Febos, bestselling author of Girlhood, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism

“An astonishing exploration of what it means to lead an artist’s life–how to last, dig deep, change, to embrace one’s voice while in conversation with your heroes. There is no writer more attentive than Lisicky, and to see him turn his brilliance to Joni Mitchell is a thrilling wonder. Some of us have been waiting for him to write a book about his relationship to her for years. This book exceeds all my extraordinarily high expectation–for its strangeness and honesty and beauty, and its ability to set the gossamer wings of song on the page. I loved it.” - Elizabeth McCracken, author of The Hero of This Book

“A luminous, soulful, dazzlingly original book. Every page throbs with Paul Lisicky’s uncanny intelligence and unabashed avidity–for Joni, for music, for making a life in art, and for life itself. Song So Wild and Blue is truly a gift.” - Claire Vaye Watkins, author of I Love You but I’ve Chosen Darkness

Paul Lisicky is the author of seven books, including Later, The Narrow Door, Unbuilt Projects, The Burning House, Famous Builder, and Lawnboy. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, Conjunctions, The Cut, Fence, the New York Times, Ploughshares, and more.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.