I finally saw the documentary Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love. I have to say I was left a little cold, by the end I liked neither Cohen nor Marianne. He was easy to dislike, taking her for granted while sniffing after every adoring female fan. But Marianne gave herself to him with so few conditions, even putting her son in a British boarding school so she could travel with Cohen. OK, maybe I’m not a romantic, but love of your child should surely come before love of a philanderer who has...

Whether you are a fan of Leonard Cohen or not, you have likely heard of the new film, Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love. The documentary on the romance between Cohen and Marianne Ihlen has been well received. At Hookline, we have our own take on the story with the novel The Water and the Wine by Tamar Hodes. Tamar lived on Hydra as a child, and Cohen and Marianne were her neighbours.
While Nick Broomfield’s film is a documentary, Tamar’s story is fictional. You might think factual gives...