I don't think anyone who has read this blog in the past would be surprised to hear that I'm a huge Joni Mitchell fan. Along with Margaret Atwood, Joni is up there on a pedestal for me because of my mom, who loves Joni Mitchell and played her music around our house. It's only natural to question your mother's taste in anything, but Margaret Atwood and Joni Mitchell are two women she got very, very right, and I'm very thankful that she passed it on to me.

This is a nice contrast to Just Kids by Patti Smith, which I read not too long ago, and which was a very straightforward, chronological memoir (that makes it sound less good than it was; it is exceptional). Joni Mitchell: In Her Own Words is more like a very extensive interview that took place across decades between Joni and her friend and fellow musician Malka Marom. This really makes the book a rewarding experience for fans, because the interviewer is bringing a lot of prior knowledge to the conversation, and Marom seamlessly references song lyrics, previous interviews, Joni's writing and artwork, etc. It's gotten me into a very Joni Mitchell state of mind, and I've been playing her albums all week.