Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon

To have lived through the past six decades is to have lived alongside the music of Paul Simon. The lad from Queens scored his first hit record in 1957, just a few months after Elvis Presley ignited the rock era. As the songwriting half of Simon & Garfunkel, his work became integral to defining the youth movement of the 1960s. Venturing solo in the 1970s, Simon crafted numerous radio-dominating hits. He ushered in the 1980s by reuniting with Garfunkel to perform for half a million New Yorkers in Central Park. Five years later, Simon's album Graceland achieved multi-million sales and sparked an international political debate. And his story doesn't end there.

The grandson of Jewish immigrants from Hungary, the near 75-year-old singer-songwriter has not only sold over 100 million records, won 15 Grammy awards, and been inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame twice, but has also illuminated the meaning and adaptability of personal and cultural identity in an increasingly interconnected world. Simon has also lived a life of remarkable vibrancy, a narrative rich with anecdotes involving Carrie Fisher, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Woody Allen, Shelley Duvall, Nelson Mandela, the Grateful Dead, drugs, depression, marriage, divorce, and much more.

A life story possessing the scope and power of an epic novel, Peter Ames Carlin's Homeward Bound stands as the first major biography of one of the most influential popular artists in American history. It promises a comprehensive and insightful exploration of a remarkable life and career.