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Miracle and Wonder

By: Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam
Narrated by: Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam, Paul Simon
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Publisher's Summary

*For a more up-to-date version check out Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon (Special Edition)

What happens when Paul Simon, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in music history, and Malcolm Gladwell, the best-selling author, sit down together, with a tape recorder and a guitar?

Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon is part memoir, part investigation, and unlike any creative portrait you’ve ever heard before. Recorded over a series of 30 hours of conversation between Simon, Gladwell, and Gladwell’s oldest friend and co-writer, journalist and Broken Record podcast co-host Bruce Headlam, the conversation flows from Simon’s music, to his childhood in Queens, NY, to his frequent collaborators including Art Garfunkel and the nature of creativity itself. Gladwell and Headlam traveled from the mountains of Hawaii to Simon’s own backyard studio to record an artist they’ve idolized since childhood.

Woven throughout the audiobook is distinctive commentary about Simon’s songwriting alongside archival audio footage and never-before-heard live studio versions and original recordings of beloved hits including “The Boxer", “The Sound of Silence", and “Graceland”. Between conversations, Gladwell deploys his signature blend of historical research and social science in an attempt to understand how a boy from 1940s Queens conjured near-perfect songs over an incredible 65-year career. Along the way, he gathers reflections on Simon’s particular genius from the likes of Sting, Herbie Hancock, Renee Fleming, Jeff Tweedy, Aaron Lindsey, and Roseanne Cash.

The result is an intimate audio biography of one of America’s most popular songwriters. Brimming with music and conversation, Miracle and Wonder is a window into Simon’s legendary career, what it means to be alive as an artist, and how to create work that endures.

©2021 Pushkin Industries and Paul Simon (P)2021 Pushkin Industries and Paul Simon

What listeners say about Miracle and Wonder

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A must for Paul Simon fans

Really enjoyed this recording. I have loved his works as an artist because he kept exploring new sounds. Each album has a different flavour, and he goes into how these different sounds evolved.

His memory appears to be remarkable when it comes for identifying where or what was going on for him when he was creating the songs

I love his honesty, it appears to be a warts and all account.

I will definitely listen to this again. He is an amazing man.

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Realises the potential of the audiobook

Most audiobooks are just a reading of a regular book. A utilitarian solution for the time poor, often faintly irritating as the reader's interpretation diverges from the listener's. This audiobook is something else, realising the potential of audio to evoke emotions and tell story. It's the perfect topic executed by a master storyteller.

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Breathless. Stunning.

You will not regret investing in this most beautiful audiobook. Simply magical all the way to the end.

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loved it

grew up listening to some of his CDs which belonged to my folks... was so good hearing things explained as to why and how he wrote the music. felt like it was only a couple of hours long. so good

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such insight

loved this. such a good insight into the mechanism behind Paul Simons songwriting and the origins of his ideas. Thats where I belong is my favourite Paul Simon song by the way.

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Felt like a great podcast

The book felt like it was an extended podcast finding out about an interesting person and what led them to do what they did. Added depth to what I knew of his music

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Informative / entertaining

Pretty easy review this one. If you're a Paul Simon fan you'll enjoy this.
Easy listen, good narration, a mix of some of the classics and even a few ad-hoc performances thrown in.
Downside is its only 5 hours I'd have happily listened to twice that.

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Will take you on a journey (to Graceland perhaps?)

The format of this audiobook is truly inspired. Brilliantly formulated to bring you along the journey: not chronological but rather through unravelling and recreating - putting pieces together of a mystery I didn’t even know existed. Newfound respect and admiration for Paul Simon. This is exactly what I would expect as a fan of Malcolm Gladwell’s storytelling.

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A wonder indeed

I was entranced listening to this. Already a huge Paul Simon fan, this just drove home what an incredible artist he truly was and continues to be this day. Well worth a listen and some beautiful raw music in there too.

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Awesome.

An inspiring delight. Always loved his music and now I feel it and understand much more.

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