Publication date UK format 14/9/22 book 328 pages
I would like to thank the author, publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to pick this to read and review. all my reviews are honest.
Synopsis
How many ten-year-olds form a string quartet which goes on to world renown and lasts for half a century (and counting)? In the industrial heartland of the North East, Middlesbrough is frequently dubbed the arsehole of England, the least-desirable place to live. Yet there, in the seventies, was a thriving classical music scene out of which emerged the world-famous Brodsky Quartet who, now approaching their 50th anniversary, have built a starlit reputation for their live performances and over 70 acclaimed recordings. Jacqueline Thomas is the little girl who began this quartet and she remains its cellist to this day. Her memoir tells the story of the first ten formative years, with insight into the passion and fervour surrounding music-making on all levels, many amusing and sometimes hilarious extracts from her teen diaries, the single-minded obsession with their Art and the ambition to make it a success. With a distinct flavour of the 1970s, her teen-self also grapples with the gender inequalities endemic in the music world back then. The quirky title, from the author’s childhood nickname, is finally explained - a bonus for fans of The Juliet Letters, the album they co-wrote with Elvis Costello.
My Review
This was a nice and enjoyable read. I have to say I love listening to the cello, so when I saw this book, I had to review it. However, I have no clue the names of the songs thanks to a terrible memory. I knew nothing about the author before reading this book and found her life interesting. It was great to read her journey to stardom. I loved reading and learning about the struggles and stresses of them early days. Especially the music studies years as these were in Manchester my home town. I definitely appreciate classical music but can never remember the names of the songs I like. The author did a great job at writing this book, and it kept my interest throughout. I definitely recommend reading this book if you are into classical music. I am certainly glad I read this book as I always love learning new things and broadening my reading horizons.
Many thanks to the author and publishers for bringing us this very interesting book that I had to finish in one afternoon.
where you can buy this book
Amazon US K $7.99, PB $14.92
Waterstones PB £12.99
Google Books EB £5.99
B&N PB $16.00, EB $7.99
Kobo EB £4.99
Amazon UK K £4.99, PB £12.99
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