Henry Alford

New York

Guy of letters (@NewYorker, @AirMailWeekly). My book about Joni Mitchell, "I Dream of Joni," just came out from Gallery Books.

Articles

Ed Helms Dives Into Disaster

1 month ago | newyorker.com | Henry Alford

Meet up with the actor Ed Helms for a stroll through Central Park on a cloudless spring day, and he might let loose with some slightly dire news. “Walking over here, I was dripped on,” he said, deadpan but with a hint of burgeoning hysteria.
Activism for Introverts! Copying the Constitution

2 months ago | newyorker.com | Henry Alford

It is sometimes said that democracy wants education. Also: strong foundations make for good buildings. And: the more larnin’, the more votin’.
I Dream of Joni: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots

Jan 25, 2025 | bookreporter.com | Henry Alford

Journalist and humorist Henry Alford compiles vignettes of one of the 20th century’s most acutely aware songwriters in I DREAM OF JONI. Joni Mitchell’s lyrics literally moved a generation of unconventional seekers toward greater understanding of, and pride in, themselves. In this creative biography, Alford interviews Mitchell’s many admirers, observers and family members, along with fellow artists.
“I Immediately Began to Weep.” How “Both Sides Now” Made Joni Mitchell a Superstar

Jan 21, 2025 | lithub.com | Henry Alford

“The first time I heard ‘Both Sides Now’ was on the phone in 1967 during the middle of the night. I got a call from [singer-songwriter] Tom Rush, who was very excited. Tom, a great fan of Joni’s, had earlier introduced me to her and to her fine song ‘The Circle Game.’“‘Joni has a new song, and I want you to hear it. I think you’ll love it.’ He put Joni on the phone, and she sang ‘Both Sides Now.’ “I immediately fell in love with the song and knew it was a classic. I had to sing it.
Next Week in Music | Jan. 20-26 • 12 New Books

Jan 19, 2025 | tinnitist.com | Stuart Murdoch |Henry Alford |Alan Byrne

Well, this is novel. Literally. For the first time in forever, this roundup includes a work of fiction — Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch’s Nobody’s Empire. Then again, since it’s the story of a young Scottish man named Stuart who becomes a songwriter, calling it totally fictional might be a stretch. Either way, it’s on my to-do list — as is the new Joni Mitchell bio I Dream Of Joni, if only because I love a pun.
Can You Write It Better Than Taylor Swift?

Dec 9, 2024 | newyorker.com | Henry Alford

Regrets, you’ve had a few. Ever since you first admired the Taylor Swift lyric “No amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity,” you’ve wished there was a way to appreciate the writerly side of Swift without the interference of postproduction wizardry or a level of screaming that registers on the Richter scale, as was heard two summers ago at a concert in Seattle.
Helping “Gypsy” ’s Strippers Take It All Off Anew

Nov 18, 2024 | newyorker.com | Henry Alford

Hunkered down in a West Side restaurant the other night, the writer and director George C. Wolfe and the choreographer Camille A. Brown reminisced about how they’d met. Wolfe, who is a puckish seventy years old and had on a fuzzy blue sweater, couldn’t quite remember. “It was in 2018, I believe,” Brown said. She is forty-four, and had long dreadlocks and gold hoops in her ears.
I DREAM OF JONI | Kirkus Reviews

Oct 25, 2024 | kirkusreviews.com | Henry Alford |Stephanie Johnson |Brandon Stanton |

A deliberately disorganized but heartfelt reconsideration of an iconic artist. An assessment-in-fragments of Mitchell’s complicated musical and personal journey. This stylish consideration of the folk-rock-jazz legend by magazine veteran Alford (And Then We Danced, etc.) is “loosely inspired” by Craig Brown’s dishy 2017 book, 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret.
A Virginia Living Room Moves Onto Fifth Avenue

Oct 21, 2024 | newyorker.com | Henry Alford

At the Cooper Hewitt, the Smithsonian’s design museum, situated in Andrew Carnegie’s 1902 mansion on upper Fifth Avenue, the warm light bouncing off the parquet floors and coffered oak ceilings can make visitors feel as if they were floating inside an enormous Scotch-and-soda.
Tilted Axes Wants You for Its Guitarmy

Jul 22, 2024 | newyorker.com | Henry Alford

Sometimes when the experimental composer Patrick Grant tells acquaintances about his group, Tilted Axes, they’ll respond, “Oh, you’re an electric-guitar parade,” whereupon Grant will say, “It’s not a parade—it’s a procession.” “What’s the difference?” they’ll ask.