Since first making waves in the folk music scene during the 1960s, Paul Simon has become one of modern music’s most prolific singer/songwriters. As one-half of Simon & Garfunkel, the New Jersey native proved his skills as a vocalist and musician. In the 1970s, he made his mark as an incomparable solo artist. He evolved his acoustic-centered sound, infusing elements from a range of genres.
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Thanks to celebrated works like his 1986 record Graceland, Simon has won nearly every critical accolade you can imagine. He’s won multiple Grammy Awards, earned the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, and has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Although his life has been full of incredible achievements and experiences, Simon has stayed fairly private. Still, many fans are itching to know more about what’s inside his creative mind. Here are three Paul Simon books that are essential reads for any music fan.
1. Lyrics 1964-2008
This 2008 compilation offers an enlightening retrospective of Simon’s written lyrical works. The hand-curated collection allows fans to flip through some of his most powerful and influential compositions. Journalist David Remnick provides a thoughtful introduction along with the staggeringly long list of included songs and visual accompaniments. If your passions lie in songwriting, Lyrics 1964-2008 belongs on your bookshelf.
2. Paul Simon: The Life
Music journalist Robert Hilburn spent three years interviewing those closest to Simon and the man himself for this comprehensive biography. Paul Simon: The Life offers the most revealing and layered portrait of the singer/songwriter currently available in book format. Through captivating recollections and intimate stories, Hilburn pulls back the curtain on his personal life, including some of his darkest chapters.
3. What Is It All But Luminous: Notes from an Underground Man
Paul Simon is a musical heavyweight in his own right, but it would be foolish to discount how much of his life has been intertwined with former folk duo partner Art Garfunkel. In his 2017 memoir, What Is It All But Luminous: Notes from an Underground Man, Garfunkel recounts their often tumultuous professional relationship. Although many questions are left unanswered, the captivating book offers a critical perspective on Simon’s life and career through the decades.
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