Boys in the Trees

A Memoir

By: Carly Simon

Narrated by: Carly Simon

Simon's memoir reveals her remarkable life, beginning with her storied childhood as the third daughter of Richard L. Simon, the co-founder of publishing giant Simon & Schuster, her musical debut as half of The Simon Sisters performing folk songs with her sister Lucy in Greenwich Village, to a meteoric solo career that would result in 13 top 40 hits, including the #1 song "You're So Vain."

She was the first artist in history to win a Grammy Award, an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, for her song "Let the River Run" from the movie Working Girl.

The memoir recalls a childhood enriched by music and culture, but also one shrouded in secrets that would eventually tear her family apart. Simon brilliantly captures moments of creative inspiration, the sparks of songs, and the stories behind writing "Anticipation" and "We Have No Secrets" among many others. Romantic entanglements with some of the most famous men of the day fueled her confessional lyrics, as well as the unraveling of her storybook marriage to James Taylor.

Includes original music composed especially for the program by Carly Simon and Teese Gohl, plus a previously unreleased bonus song from Carly Simon.

Critic reviews

Occasionally (some might argue often) an audio comes along that is better than the print version—and this title definitely qualifies.--<i>Starred Booklist Review</i>

Gorgeous and Sad

Still trying to decide how I felt about it. On the one hand it was gorgeous. She reads it herself and the audiobook is interlaced with lots and lots of her music throughout. It has to be a completely different experience from reading it with eyes only. In many ways it confirms how sensitive and brilliant she is.

On the other hand it also seems like it was her attempt to come to terms with the fact that she has never come to terms with the failure of her 10ish-year marriage to James Taylor which ended in the early 1980's. Yet she was married again for about 20 more years to someone else, and unless I nodded off toward the end, there's not even a mention of that. There's something disturbing and downright pitiful about how she seems so determinedly stuck in the long-ago.

Loved it but doesn't go past early 80s!

My headline says it all. Very interesting story. Carly's voice sounds great as the narrator. So disappointed the story ends early 80s. Curious to know what she's been doing since then.

Warning: Binge listening danger

First I didn't think I would like it. After I got used to Carly's voice and the story became increasingly self revealing I was Drawn in so much so that I wound up binge listening . A sensitive and creative soul has shared much of herself with readers and listeners. A thoughtful and provocative account I would highly recommend.

Loved this book

I enjoyed every second of this story. I've been listening to a lot of Carly Simon and James Taylor on my Amazon Echo!

Exceptionally well done...

Carly Simon shares her story wholeheartedly with poignancy. It is her truth and she conveys it vividly, with beautiful description.