I Dream of Joni: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots

Inspired by Craig Brown’s Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, Alford (And Then We Danced: A Voyage into the Groove) presents 53 essays about music icon Joni Mitchell. Alford moves readers throughout Mitchell’s life, from Saskatoon, Canada, to her recent house jams and return to live performing. Alford’s humor draws readers in as he shares stories of Mitchell’s time in the 1960s Laurel Canyon folk scene, which was central to her relationships with artists including James Taylor, David Crosby, and Graham Nash. He delves into her reconnection with her biological daughter Kilauren Gibb, whom Mitchell placed for adoption when she was born, and does not shy away from Mitchell’s problematic use of blackface in the 1970s and ’80s. This well-researched book also examines her musical journey through folk, rock, and jazz. Structured as snapshots into Mitchell’s life that move readers between past and present with relative ease, this is a tribute to Mitchell’s life and work and a way for Alford, a self-proclaimed fan of the artist, to reconcile with the varied ways she has presented herself to the world throughout her career.