Simon and Garfunkel Timeless Duo

I love to mostly read biographies and non-fiction. Occasionally I read a fiction selection, but most times I feel the author lets me down with the abrupt ending. Thus leaving me miffed, feeling I wasted my time with their creation and saying "I could have written that!" Hence, give me a biography or non-fictional facts, I can't say it was time wasted on truth. So, I picked up this copy of a Paul Simon biography by Marc Eliot at a local Friends of the Library sale. I liked the simplistic white color of the book jacket with a simple photo of Paul Simon adorning it. Well. Let me allow to bring attention to my disagreement with the star system "amazon" has in place. This site rates this book only two stars. TWO STARS! Come on! I disagree. It was an easy read. It cited many sources. Gave a side of Paul perhaps that showed he was not a perfect individual in some of his choices and beliefs. I ask, who is? He is a very talented, emotional, human with a capacity to create songs that have lasted far longer than any Rap song will ever last. The songs and harmonies he and Art Garfunkel created are brilliant, touching, and had crossed many a generational boundary since the pair were in their early years. I found this book very interesting and recommendable. I always give an author of a non-fiction piece respect by reading their sources and thanks to all the people inspiring the author. This particular author praised the documentary film, Songs of America in 1969. It was made for a prime time audience. It aired against a ice skating show starring Peggy Flemming. The ice skater beat them in the ratings battle. The funding for the project was provided by Bell Telephone. The company wanted to associate themselves with a younger generation. Charles Grodin was asked to write and produce the film. Bell executives trusted them completely. Bell wanted to appeal to a younger generation and by attaching their name with Simon and Garfunkel, Bell would get what they wanted. Until the screening. Bell pulled their endorsement. They believed it showed too much political controversy for the times and wanted nothing to do with it. They were afraid of alienating their broadcast constituents in markets in the southern portion of the continent. So, Alberto VO5 stepped in to an already funded program and became the sponsor. Youtube has a clip of the opening credits of the film. I immediately was taken in by the song "America" and the faded color quality of the late 1960's. Today it would be referred to being filmed in Instagram. Amazing. I was mesmerized by this film. It is a time capsule to the year and to a generation. Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., funeral trains, Farm Workers strike, poverty in America, violence, riots, racism, civil rights, Vietnam. Wow. Such a turbulent era. How did the country survive? Some would say we are still reeling from all of it. Some would say we learned a great deal. Some would say we are still trying to figure everything out. The Take Back Wall Streeters could use this as reference and inspiration. Somehow, everything works out in the end, one way or another. Or we just listen to music. The music of Simon and Garfunkel. The music of the duo and their on stage, live harmonies are pleasant to the ears, then and now. I particularly love a scene where Art Garfunkel is going over and over and over the song list they are about to perform. Like he would ever forget the mix! Also, a scene where they are in a hotel room jamming and the creative process is clearly visible. INGENIUS CREATIVITY. The DVD came with a bonus disk with interviews with the stars, their song producers and Mr. Grodin in the current day. They give answers and clues into what they were thinking at the time and how certain ideas came into being. WONDERFUL addition to an already WONDERFUL, nostalgic film. If I were a history teacher, I would make this a mandatory film to watch and follow it with a discussion. Hmm. Is it too late for me to become one at this point in my life? Probably, but one can dream, can't one?