Paul Simon: A Life - Hardcover
Paul Simon: A Life - Hardcover
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by Marc Eliot (Author)
The definitive biography of legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon.
Paul Simon, one of the country's most popular musicians, has been a dynamic creative force for more than half a century. Now New York Times bestselling biographer Marc Eliot draws on extensive research and original interviews to trace the incredible life and career of this iconic musician. Along the way Eliot examines Simon's early struggles to succeed as a singer-songwriter, the ups and downs of his decades-long collaboration with Art Garfunkel, his at-times obsessive admiration and competitive drive with Bob Dylan, his musical triumphs such as Still Crazy After All These Years and Graceland, the spectacular failure of his Broadway musical The Capeman, and much more.
- The first comprehensive biography of Paul Simon and his music
- Explores the complex relationship between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel through years of their musical breakups and reunions
- Reveals personal details, with interviews, of Simon's life away from music
- Includes dozens of exclusive photographs, several published for the first time
Whether you grew up listening to classic Simon and Garfunkel songs or came to love Paul Simon's music through his solo albums, this highly entertaining biography will give you a new understanding of this talented artist and the many surprising twists and turns of his life and work as a songwriter, a performer, and an icon of Boomer Generation.
Front Jacket
How did a young doo-wop singer and Brill Building wannabe transform himself into a giant of the tumultuous rock revolution of the 1960s? What did Paul Simon's idol Bob Dylan do to earn Simon's enduring ire? And what is it that makes Paul's friendship with Art Garfunkel the longest, most successful, most complicated, and weirdest relationship in modern music history?
In "Paul Simon: A Life," "New York Times" bestselling biographer Marc Eliot presents the most detailed and comprehensive account to date of the incredible life and career of this multitalented, dynamic, and influential music icon.
This definitive biography reveals how Simon's immigrant parents encouraged his musical development from an early age, how he became friends with a tall gangly schoolmate who threatened to steal his musical thunder in a grade-school production of "Alice in Wonderland," and how their pattern of breaking up and reuniting began long before they became "Simon & Garfunkel."
Drawing on extensive interviews with many of Simon's friends, fellow musicians, and collaborators, Eliot relates how the duo was discovered at Gerde's Folk City in 1963, what exactly Paul was doing in England while the re-engineered recording of "The Sound of Silence" was becoming a monster hit back home, and how a song that he hadn't even finished writing became one of the biggest of Simon & Garfunkel's many huge hits.
You'll find a detailed review of the crucial role Paul played in the Monterey Music Festival, how Art Garfunkel's acting career delayed the recording and release of the "Bridge over Troubled Water" album, and how that landmark and last Simon & Garfunkel record documents their long and contentious friendship.
You'll also discover the enormous efforts Paul made to ensure that his first solo album would sound completely different from Simon & Garfunkel; the long and complex process that led to the creation of Graceland, the album that reinvigorated his career in the 1980s; and the whole story behind "The Capeman," his disastrous 1998 attempt at a Broadway musical.
Complete with more than two dozen photos, many never before published, this highly entertaining biography will give you a new understanding of this talented artist.
Back Jacket
The definitive biography of legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon
In this definitive biography, Paul Simon's glamorous and brilliant life is set against the backdrop of five decades of rock 'n' roll history. "New York Times" bestselling biographer Marc Eliot draws on extensive research and original interviews to pull back the curtain on one of the world's modern musical masters and cultural icons and shares: How a shoe store stockboy rose to the top of the music industryHow young Paul Simon struggled to emerge from the powerful shadow of his idol, Bob DylanStories from Paul's inner circle about the creatively brilliant but often troubled partnership with Art GarfunkelThe first and best chronicle of Paul's early, influential years in London, prior to "The Sound of Silence"Paul's women, his marriages, his girfriends, his difficult divorceHow Paul pushed rock 'n' roll forward by going back to his roots, finding inspiration and redemption in Africa, and creating his masterpiece, "Graceland"The real story of the stormy saga of "The Capeman"Tales of Paul's rock 'n' roll road, from the '50s to the present
Author Biography
MARC ELIOT is the "New York Times" bestselling author of more than a dozen books on popular culture, among them the highly acclaimed biography Cary Grant, the award-winning "Walt Disney: Hollywood's Dark Prince," and "American rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood," plus the music biographies "Down Thunder Road: The Making of Bruce Springsteen," "To the Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles," and "Death of a Rebel," about Phil Ochs. Visit him at marceliot.net.
Comic Book Preorder Policy
Comic Book Preorder Policy
Golden Apple Comics Comic Book Preorder Info
What is a preorder?
A preorder is an order placed for an item that has not yet been released. For comic books and collectibles, we offer preorders to allow customers to reserve their copies in advance. This ensures they will receive the item they want and eliminates the worry of it selling out before they have a chance to buy it.
What is the difference between a pull list or subscription and a preorder?
A comic book pull list is similar to preordering books in advance, but with a few key differences. Preorders offer more flexibility, whereas a pull list can be harder to adjust. Since pull lists are typically set months in advance, adding or removing titles can be tricky. On the other hand, preorders can be placed closer to the release date— even the week of release— as long as stock is available. While there are differences, preorders can still function much like a traditional subscription pull, allowing you to secure the books you want ahead of time.
Do I pay up front for my preorder?
This process helps us verify that payment is valid and ensures you are committed to your order. Since we need to place preorders months in advance, we base our orders on the demand from our customers. By securing payment up front, we're able to reserve the books specifically for you, guaranteeing you get what you've requested.
What is “FOC” or Final Order Cut Off?
This is the final deadline for retailers to place book orders before they go to print. We cap our orders at the Final Order Cutoff (FOC). This date usually falls 1–2 months before the release date, though for hardcovers, trade paperbacks, manga, and specialty items, the timeline may be even longer. Certain items require orders to be placed at least six months in advance.
What can I find current preorders?
On the homepage of www.goldenapplecomics.com, we offer a dropdown menu organized by release date for both current and past preorders. A new catalog is uploaded around the 3rd or 4th weekend of each month once it becomes available. Cover sets and CGC offerings are typically added within a few days of the catalog’s release.
Does Golden Apple Comics offer discounts on preorders?
Yes, comic books are discounted for approximately the 1st 1 - 2 months when we list the catalog. As it gets closer to the time we need to order, the discounts will be removed. We encourage you to place your orders sooner so that we can get our ordering locked in and receive the discount.
How does shipping work?
If you place a preorder containing items with multiple release dates, your order will ship after the latest release date in the order. We typically ship new preorders within 5–10 business days of their release. However, delays can occur due to late arrivals, damages, or other unforeseen issues. We make every effort to secure replacements for damaged books, but this process can extend the turnaround time by several weeks.
Can I combine multiple orders into a single shipment?
Yes, Golden Apple Comics offers a combined shipping option for buyers with multiple orders. This allows you to add additional orders at discounted shipping rates. You’ll pay our standard shipping rate on your first order, and for subsequent orders, you can select the combined shipping option to reduce costs.
Please note that when choosing combined shipping, delivery times will vary depending on the number of books, the latest release date in your order, and how frequently you place orders.
HOW TO USE GOLDEN APPLE COMICS COMBINED SHIPPING
What grade is guaranteed on preorder books?
For preorder books, we strive to ship copies that are Near Mint (NM) 9.4 or better. While we understand collectors seek the highest grades, we cannot guarantee 9.8s on every book, as this is not always realistic. Printing imperfections and production variances make it impossible for every book to achieve a 9.8 grade.
What cover is gauranteed on preorder books?
Our listings use stock photos provided by publishers. These images may display unfinished artwork—such as sketches or virgin covers (without trade dress or logos). If a cover is a virgin variant, it will be clearly stated in the title.
If the title does not mention a virgin cover, the final product will include logos and trade dress.
It is industry standard for publishers to provide preview images to retailers before release. These previews often do not include logos, but the final printed product will.
Do you ship preorder books bagged and boarded?
Yes, all standard-sized comic books are shipped bagged and boarded. However, exceptions include items such as hardcovers, trade paperbacks, manga, and large-format or oversized books.
What if my preorder book is damaged?
We take great care in screening all books for damage and packing them securely to ensure they arrive in the best possible condition. However, despite our best efforts, a small number of books may still sustain damage during transit. If you encounter any issues, please email us at gappleorders@gmail.com, and we will be happy to assist you.
Can I cancel or return my preorder?
We do not accept cancellations, returns, or refunds on presale items. Any item sold before its official release date is considered a presale. All sales are final.
Hardcover (HC), Trade Paperback (TP), Softcover, Manga and Book Preorder Policy
Hardcover (HC), Trade Paperback (TP), Softcover, Manga and Book Preorder Policy
Items including but not limited to Hardcovers (HC), Trade Paperbacks (TPB/TP), Softcover (SC), Manga, Graphic Novels (GN), box sets are ordered at the time when a customer places an order. They will be shipped after they arrive from the publisher. We do not guarantee ship dates on HC, TPB, SC, GN, Manga or Box Sets. Typical turnaround time on these books is 1 - 3 weeks after the order is placed on nonpreorder items. On preorder items the release date is stated in the title and items will ship after that stated date.
Orders for these items are not refundable.
Refunds Policy
Refunds Policy
If you have a problem with your item that is damaged or missing please email us. We can offer a refund or exchange if we have stock. Refunds will be issued within 5 business days back to the account you paid with Paypal, Credit Cards, Bank Account etc. Refunds cannot be sent to alternate accounts.
We do not accept returns for any of the following:
No cancellations, returns or refunds on PRESALE items. Any items sold BEFORE the release dates are considered PRESALE. We will not refund ratios (IE 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, 1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:500 or any other type of ratio) for any reason. We will not refund any other PRESALE books. We place orders based on your orders. If you are ordering presale books we are paying for your books months in advance to secure copies specifically for you and we cannot return them for a refund. If you are ordering signed books, CGC/CBCS graded items that are preorder, please do allow plenty of time for delivery.
No Cancellations or refunds if you select our combined shipping option and do not qualify for a free shipment. Please review our SHIPPING POLICY for more details. Minimum purchase for free shipping is $100. Combined shipping orders must total over $100 to qualify for a free shipment. If your order is less than $100 you will be billed for our flat rate shipping - $6.99.
No cancellations on in stock books. Any in stock books that cannot be shipped immediately due to them being in orders with PRESALE items will not be refunded. In stock books with no PRESALE items in the order will ship ASAP when the order is ready to fill.
No refunds or returns on accurately described items. Books without a stated grade will be offered as NM 9.4 or better with no guarantee of 9.8s. We use industry standards to grade including Overstreet, CGC and CBCS standards. Not familiar with grading check out the following references:
Overstreet Comic Grading Standards
We will not accept returns or exchanges any book with out a stated grade where they would be NM 9.4 or better books. We cannot promise 9.8s on every book, that's not realistic. Printing is imperfect and does not allow for every book to be 9.8.
If the entire print run has similar defects like minor spine dings, bindery issues etc then you will be shipped what we receive unless there is a reprint announced in a timely manner by the publisher. Then you will be given the option to receive the reprint. In the cases where the entire print run has defects we only promise 9.2 or better.
Please note that the following defects may be allowed in NM 9.4 as long as there is not an accumulation of defects.
bindery defects like minor to moderate corner tears, white along the edge of the spine, covers that are offset from the pages (common on cardstock covers) - bindery defects may not affect the grade much if at all
printing defects like a slight color rubs on the back covers, small wrinkles in the paper that were present on the paper rolls prior to the books being printed, paper that is "wavy" from the printing process
printer lines or grooves, they some times run the entire length of the cover or just part of the length. These are from print rollers. Usually on cardstock or foil covers.

2 - 3 small color breaking spine dings or minor non color breaking spine dings
This specific photo example was also a line wide issue, every copy had the same problem.



Shipping Policy
Shipping Policy
PRESALE ITEMS - All PRESALE items have release dates stated in the title of the listing. These items will only be available to ship AFTER the item has been released and is in hand. Presale release dates are subject to change without notice. We do not guarantee release dates set by publishers or manufacturers. If you purchase multiple presale items your order will not ship until after the last item is in stock. Presale items will ship within 5 - 10 days of us receiving them if your entire order is ready to fill.
IN STOCK ITEMS - All in stock items will ship with in 5 - 10 business days of the order being placed in most cases. If you place an order for a presale item that is going to be released or the release of the presale items has been delayed that will delay your shipment. If your order contains both PRESALE and IN STOCK items, your order will not ship until after the last item is in stock.
PREORDER BOOKS INCLUDING TPB, HC, SC, GN, Manga and Box Sets - Items including but not limited to Hardcovers (HC), Trade Paperbacks (TPB/TP), Softcover (SC), Manga, Graphic Novels (GN), box sets are ordered at the time when a customer places an order. They will be shipped after they arrive from the publisher. We do not guarantee ship dates on HC, TPB, SC, GN, Manga or Box Sets. Preorders for these items are not refundable.
COMBINED SHIPPING - Golden Apple Comics offers buyers a combined shipping cost option across multiple orders. Our combined shipping option allows you to add additional orders with free shipping. There is a 30 book, montly minimum for combined orders. This amounts to approx $120 - 150 minimum to get a free shipping. Please only use this option if you plan to place multiple orders.
You pay our standard shipping on your first order. On orders after that you can select our combined shipping option to combine your orders and get free shipping.
When you select combined shipping, shipping times will vary based on the number of books, the final release date for an order, and frequency of orders.
HOW TO USE GOLDEN APPLE COMICS COMBINED SHIPPING
SPLIT SHIPMENTS - Split shipments are done as a courtesy or as part of our combined shipping system. If you do not qualify for a split shipment you will be subject to shipping charges. Please email us to request a split shipment.
IN STORE PICK UPS - Local pick ups will be filled as the items are available. We will email customers when the pick ups are filled, and let them know the items are being sent to the shop. We will partially fulfill your in-store pick-ups so you do not need to wait for the entire order to be available to receive items from your order. Please allow 48 hrs from the fulfillment email for your order to arrive at the shop for pick up.
INSURANCE - Orders are shipped with insurance for both parties protection.
SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION - Orders may be shipped with signature confirmation at our discretion based on both our insurance and payment processors requirements to be covered and insure delivery to the customer.
Please see our RETURNS AND REFUNDS policy for more details.
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