“You Know Who I Am”

Authors such as Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway were among the most important celebrities of the earlier part of the twentieth century. Authors were later overshadowed by movie stars and then rock stars, who by the time Cohen began recording were at the top of the heap. This chapter will examine the transformation of Cohen from a literary figure who was already a celebrity in Canada into an international rock star. This unusual career path meant that Cohen would have a different sort of persona from those who were merely authors or popular musicians. His claim to the status of poet, for example, was different than that of Dylan or other songwriters who did not publish books of verse. His fame as a singer-songwriter gave the books he published later new meaning and a larger audience.