Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words

By: Malka Marom

Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie

When singer, musician, and broadcast journalist Malka Marom had the opportunity to interview Joni Mitchell in 1973, she was eager to reconnect with the performer that she'd first met late one night in 1966 at a Yorkville coffeehouse. More conversations followed over the next four decades of friendship, and it was only after Joni and Malka completed their last recorded interview, in 2012, that Malka discovered the heart of their discussions: the creative process.

In Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words, Joni and Malka follow this thread through seven decades of life and art, discussing the influence of Joni's childhood, love and loss, playing dives and huge festivals, acclaim and criticism, poverty and affluence, glamorous triumphs and tragic mistakes.

©2014 Malka Marom (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Mitchell's story will resonate on a universal level, just as her timeless music has already done." ( Library Journal)

One of the best artist/poet/composer ever done.

A great relevant dialogue between two women friends opening doors to each other in synchronized storytelling, with casual and relaxed tone.

This book is filled with detailed surprises, engaging about songwriting and composing music. Also understanding of an era through personal experiences of what she and the author learned.

Familiar Songs changing context and rhythm in labyrinth of circular time unfolding sequences of Poetry alive like hearing it for the first time...the bio In between flowed like music. Author achieved understanding of the length and depth of a persons insights, who has often been obscured by shallow culture.

There were passages that made me laugh and sigh, what a magnificent range. Discovered a wise & humble owl with translations of poetic perceptions, ideas, flow of images,complexity of feeling, struggling & critiquing involved in creative process, of art making.

More than a biography, a probing dialogue of sources that clarify an era and guide a large body of Original work. Splendid. Worth a second read.

I love Joni... please don't tell my wife🤣

Super great.. Real, candid Inspiring, insightful. Joni from Soup To Nuts... poet, singer, composer extraordinaire... a warrior for integrity and art. fantastic narration this was really a most enjoyable listen🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Great focus on the creative process

I enjoy music bios but am invariably disappointed in the lack of focus on details of the creative process by the subject of the book - not this time. Author and subjects talk like soul mates in an intimate and personal exploration of the bountiful creativity of Joni Mitchell. It's also nice to see, thanks to her brutal honesty that she is indeed human and lacks many of the "left brain" skills.

Great, lengthy. Spanned the decades of an outrageous career

Sheer volume of footage- anecdotes I had never heard. And startling indications of growth and change, and maturity

Gotta love Joni, man!

Somewhat disappointed with the story, too much recalling words to her songs and not enough about Mitchell herself. I could have done without the constant interruption of reciting the words to Joni's songs all the way through the book. But because of the retelling of the words to her songs I realize that the songs aren't as clever as I remember them being. But then again, it was the 60s and 70s.