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Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2020 10:11 am
by WiTS
I came across a book called The Girl in the Song: The True Stories Behind 50 Rock Classics.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/867 ... n-the-song
some internet articles claim, based on this book's description, that the girl in the cover photo is Suzanne Verdal. To my knowledge, this girl seems not Verdal.
I unfortunately don't have this book. I am wondering if anyone could help me identify.
If she is not as I reckon, then who is she?
Many thanks,
Weilin
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 6:52 pm
by jarkko
This is the only photo I have in my archive. It's said to be shot in 1992 - much later than the song.
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 7:28 pm
by Goldin
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 2:42 pm
by Goldin
Well...
Vanity Fair France & all the others:
Suzanne Verdal
But!
DrHGuy:
The 1st 2 photos are Suzanne Elrod, mother of Leonard's children. The others are Suzanne Verdal who fed Leonard tea and oranges
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:19 pm
by LisaLCFan
Hmm, the two Suzannes certainly seem to bear something of a resemblance to each other. It would not be the first time in history that a man fell in love with a woman who looked like (and even had the same name!) as another woman with whom he had previously been enamoured.
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:10 am
by WiTS
jarkko wrote: ↑Sat Jun 06, 2020 6:52 pm
This is the only photo I have in my archive. It's said to be shot in 1992 - much later than the song.
Thanks, Jarkko. The photo in your archive was the first photo for me to match a face to Suzanne Verdal. Much appreciated.
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:18 am
by WiTS
Goldin wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 2:42 pm
Well...
Vanity Fair France & all the others:
Suzanne Verdal
But!
DrHGuy:
The 1st 2 photos are Suzanne Elrod, mother of Leonard's children. The others are Suzanne Verdal who fed Leonard tea and oranges
Thanks, Goldin.
Re what DrHGuy has identified, I don't think the first photo is Elrod. The shape of eyes, nose and face doesn't match.
I guess I'm going to purchase a second hand copy to check the credits to find out who she is.
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:09 am
by jarkko
Helsinki City Library has one copy of the book. It was now on loan but I made a reservation. Will scan the pages about Suzanne for you when I’ve got the book.
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:00 am
by WiTS
jarkko wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:09 am
Helsinki City Library has one copy of the book. It was now on loan but I made a reservation. Will scan the pages about Suzanne for you when I’ve got the book.
Thank you a million, Jarkko.
There are two editions of this book.
The first edition (Chicago Review Press, 2011) has that Verdal? photo.
The second edition (Pavilion Books, 2014) is with Marianne Faithfull on the front cover and without Verdal photo.
https://books.google.com/books/about/Th ... C_CAAAQBAJ
Looking forward to your scans.
Many thanks,
Weilin
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 12:41 pm
by jarkko
Our library has a
2010 edition by Pavilion books with MF on the cover.
https://books.google.fi/books?id=DozLbw ... r_versions
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 7:19 pm
by Goldin
The only digital copy (.epub) I managed to get is a 2014 "Faithfull" edition.
I've counted 95 images inside the book (64 photos, 30 cover arts, 1 poster) & 83 entries in the "Picture Credits" section.
Therefore, I tend to think that might be quite an accurate copy of the book.
There are three images in the "Suzanne" chapter:
1.
The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel in Montreal, known as the Sailors’ Chapel.
[Uncredited]
2. Songs of Leonard Cohen cover art
Credits: Courtesy of record company
3.
Cohen’s first performance of “Suzanne” was with Judy Collins onstage in Central Park, July 1967.
Credits: Sony BMG Music Entertainment/Getty Images
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:07 pm
by WiTS
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:10 pm
by WiTS
Thanks, Goldin.
I guess the only two options are: 1. I'm going to get a second hand book to find out; 2. find the author and make an inquiry.

Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:13 pm
by WiTS
Or...

Ask Suzanne herself...
Where is she now? still in LA? Writing her book?
Re: Is this Suzanne Verdal?
Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:46 pm
by jarkko
I got the 2010 edition by Pavilion books (with MF on the cover) from my library and scanned those four pages for WiTS/Weilin. No photos of Suzanne, just the photos Goldin/Roman already listed in this thread.