Leonard Cohen's legacy. In 2016, the great singer and poet Leonard Cohen passed away at the age of 82 – and the world grew darker, as noted in one of the countless obituaries. With songs like "Hallelujah" and "Suzanne," he became world-famous in the late 1960s. In his final years, his popularity surged once again. Until shortly before his death, he was working on this book, his literary legacy. Just weeks before he died, Leonard Cohen gave an interview to The New Yorker in which he stated that he was ready to die, but he absolutely needed enough time to finish his very last book. Fortunately, he was heard. "The Flame" is Leonard Cohen's powerful farewell, a valedictory composed of song lyrics, poems, notebook entries, and illustrations. It forms a cartography of his unique life journey.