The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

10.1. Sing Out: March is Music in Our Schools Month. Read a biography/autobiography/memoir of a musician, or a novel featuring a professional musician or music teacher. If the connection is not obvious from the title, please briefly explain the connection in your post.

Books approved:
Conquest
The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice
The Mozart Conspiracy
War for the Oaks
Bedlam's Bard
The Tapestry Shop
The Cellist of Sarajevo
Ragtime
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
The Kreutzer Sonata
Doctor Faustus
Liszt's Kiss: A Novel
Wild Roses
The Musician's Daughter
Between a Heart and a Rock Place
First Step 2 Forever
Three Legged Horse
Where Is Joe Merchant?
Music and silence
Trilby
Caressa’s Knees
Sing You Home
Requiem for a Mezzo
Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas
Vivaldi's Virgins
Bel Canto
Juliet, Naked

Books disapproved:
The Rainaldi Quartet
High Fidelity

Does The Book Thief work for this one? The foster father is an accordianist.

★Meghan★ wrote: "Does The Book Thief work for this one? The foster father is an accordianist."

The intent of this task (which I'm going to change to make it more clear) is to read about a professional musician. It's been a while since I read the Book Thief, but I don't recall the foster father being a professional musician. If he was, then it would work, since he had a significant role in the book.

I just checked out The Rainaldi Quartet, which is about a violin maker. Would this work, or do you prefer the actual violinist? (Don't worry--if you don't want to have it here, I can alway read it before the next challenge starts.)

Donna Jo wrote: "I just checked out The Rainaldi Quartet, which is about a violin maker. Would this work, or do you prefer the actual violinist? (Don't worry--if you don't want to have it here, I can..."

really looking for a musician here - but, there will probably be other tasks this will work for - lots to come yet!

guess i'm going to check mine then - Conquest - they are both musicians, one of whom is struggling and leaves the field and the other who has to make the choice to follow him or not...

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "guess i'm going to check mine then - Conquest - they are both musicians, one of whom is struggling and leaves the field and the other who has to make the choice to follow him or not..."

From reading the description, sounds like these are people who are/were professional musicians - you don't necessarily have to be a success!

Sandy wrote: "★Meghan★ wrote: "Does The Book Thief work for this one? The foster father is an accordianist."

The intent of this task (which I'm going to change to make it more clear) is to read ..."

I read The Book Thief recently and while the foster father ua a painter he is also paid for playing the accordian places.

Would The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice be ok for this task?

Kimifly wrote: "Would The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice be ok for this task?"

yes, sounds interesting!

Lahni wrote: "I read The Book Thief recently and while the foster father ua a painter he is also paid for playing the accordian places...."

If he'd be considered a professional musician, then it works.

Will The Mozart Conspiracy work? It sounds like one of the protagonists is an opera singer.

For fantasy fans, War for the Oaks by Emma Bull would work for this task, especially if you're a fan of Prince. :)

Beth F. wrote: "For fantasy fans, War for the Oaks by Emma Bull would work for this task, especially if you're a fan of Prince. :)"

Good idea! Also in the fantasy genre, Mercedes Lackey's Bedlam's Bard and the others in that series would work, since the main character is a musician.

Sue T wrote: "Will The Mozart Conspiracy work? It sounds like one of the protagonists is an opera singer."

yes, sounds like it would work.

Also, Emma Bull is a Goodreads author so you could claim a ticket! :)

Would "The Tapestry Shop" work? It is about compositions left behind by a poet/musician.

High Fidelity has come up in several searches I have done as a book about a musician. But from the back cover, it is about " a pop music junkie". Doesn't sound like it would fit to me but would like to know as I have it on my home shelves and would not need to adventure out to the library!

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would "The Tapestry Shop" work? It is about compositions left behind by a poet/musician."

The description said it's based on the life of a "poet/musician" so that would work.

Bea wrote: "High Fidelity has come up in several searches I have done as a book about a musician. But from the back cover, it is about " a pop music junkie". Doesn't sound like it would fit to m..."

No, that wouldn't work - doesn't sound as if it's about a musician.

How about the The Cellist of Sarajevo?

Erin (NY) wrote: "How about the The Cellist of Sarajevo?"

sounds good to me.

Would either of these work?
The Piano Teacher
The Pianist

Thanks

Bel Canto has an opera singer as a main character. i just read it for the winter challenge, but wanted to mention it for others. it's a lovely book. :)

I read Good Things I Wish You: A Novel for the Fall Challenge and it would definitely fit well into this task if anyone is looking for ideas.

Diane wrote: "Would either of these work?
The Piano Teacher
The Pianist

Thanks"

Yes. One about a music teacher, one about a musician.

kiki wrote: "Bel Canto has an opera singer as a main character. i just read it for the winter challenge, but wanted to mention it for others. it's a lovely book. :)"

It is a good book, well worth reading

I'm curious to see if any of these books would work. They are all by individuals who have varied experiences with professional musicians -- but they aren't focused on just 1 musician, more on the overall music experience with several groups:

Nerd Girl Rocks Paradise City: A True Story of Faking It in Hair Metal L.A.

I'm with the Band: Confessions of a True Groupie

Wonderland Avenue: Tales of Glamour and Excess

If none of those would work, would the story of a child who is the son of a rock star and works on his relationship with his dad:
Born to Rock

Thanks for the Rec - I picked this one up for another challenge, so might slot it in here...if i don't end up liking the one i have right now

kiki wrote: "Bel Canto has an opera singer as a main character. i just read it for the winter challenge, but wanted to mention it for others. it's a lovely book. :)"

How about Choosing to SEE? It is written by Mary Beth Chapman, wife of Christian artist Stephen Curtis Chapman. It is about both of their struggles in losing a child.

Heather in KS

What about???
Ragtime
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
The Kreutzer Sonata
Doctor Faustus

Would Three Legged Horse by Ann Hood or Music and silence by Anne Redmon work for this task?

ALso -- what about:

Liszt's Kiss: A Novel
Wild Roses
The Musician's Daughter

Sorry, for so many...I'm trying to come up with options A,B and C in case the library only has one or the other.

Christine US wrote: "I'm curious to see if any of these books would work. They are all by individuals who have varied experiences with professional musicians -- but they aren't focused on just 1 musician, more on the ..."

Wonderland Avenue is one of my all-time favorite books. The Doors, especially Jim Morrison, and Iggy Pop play major roles in the story.

Christine US wrote: "I'm curious to see if any of these books would work. They are all by individuals who have varied experiences with professional musicians -- but they aren't focused on just 1 musician, more on the ..."

The nonfiction books need to be about a musician (or a musical group would work, too). These books sound more like "my adventures running around partying/sleeping with various musicians." So, the question to ask is whether you would consider this a biography of a musician, or a memoir of a groupie/roadie/whatever. The first works, the second doesn't.

For a fiction book, the musician/music teacher should play a substantial part in the book - not necessarily the protagonist, but someone who's a significant character.

Heather KS wrote: "How about Choosing to SEE? It is written by Mary Beth Chapman, wife of Christian artist Stephen Curtis Chapman. It is about both of their struggles in losing a child.

Heather in KS"

From the description, it sounds as if it's more a memoir of the wife than a biography of the husband-musician.

Jennifer N. wrote: "What about???
Ragtime
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
The Kreutzer Sonata
Doctor Faustus"

all work

Bea wrote: "Would Three Legged Horse by Ann Hood or Music and silence by Anne Redmon work for this task?"

Since the GR description doesn't tell anything about the books, you'll have to give me more detail.

Christine US wrote: "ALso -- what about:

Liszt's Kiss: A Novel
Wild Roses
The Musician's Daughter

Sorry, for so many...I'm trying to come up with options A,B and C in..."

These all sound fine.

Both of these available at my library online- both good?

Between a Heart and a Rock Place by Pat Benatar

First Step 2 Forever by Justin Bieber (my daughter will make me read this one to her)

Fran wrote: "Both of these available at my library online- both good?

Between a Heart and a Rock Place by Pat Benatar

First Step 2 Forever by [author:Justin ..."

Both would work

Sandy wrote: "Bea wrote: "Would Three Legged Horse by Ann Hood or Music and silence by Anne Redmon work for this task?"

Since the GR description doesn't ..."

Three-Legged Horse is the name of a folk band. Abby plays the violin. This is a story of Abby's life and unusual marriage. "When Three-Legged Horse decides to split up, Abby starts to question her obsessive ties to Zach and the old values that once made everything seem all right."

"Maud - who is music - is a twenty-six-year-old cellist in retreat from a highly promising career after a disastrous love affair with her teacher and mentor. Beatrice - who is silence - is a forty-year-old physician drawn out of her self-imposed, saitlike isolation by Maud's predicament. Into their lives comes Arthur, a half-crazed religious fanatic, bringing with him destruction wrought in the name of God, as he inexorably propels this rich and compeloling novel to its shocking conclusion."

What about Where Is Joe Merchant? The description says Joe Merchant is a rock star who died prior to the beginning of the story. Would that still work?

Bea wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Bea wrote: "Would Three Legged Horse by Ann Hood or Music and silence by Anne Redmon work for this task?"

Since the GR descri..."

from your descriptions, it certainly seems as if both of these books feature musicians, so they would work.

Katie wrote: "What about Where Is Joe Merchant? The description says Joe Merchant is a rock star who died prior to the beginning of the story. Would that still work?"

from the descriptions, sounds like the musician is central to the plot, even if he's dead - so, yes it works!

A suggestion for everyone is A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages by Kristen Chenoweth. She is a broadway star and this is her Memoir. I started this a long time ago and never finished, so I'm excited for this topic so I can finally finish! YAY!

There's a list of fiction featuring musicians here: http://www.ascpl.lib.oh.us/internetre...

They may not all be professional musicians.

Would Caressa's Knees work? Caressa is a professional concert cellist.