Blair Bombs, Tindall Dull

Well, finished Mozart in the Jungle by Blair Tindall. It was somewhat entertaining if smutty. Imagine an open book of your sexlife with some name dropping and facts about the music industry added in the most clunky manner imaginable. Blair Tindall writes some good stories but they are interupted with facts. Now mind you, I am interested in the music business and to some degree with sex, but if you're going to mix the two with a book on music, far more finesse is required.
I know, by reading and looking at this blog, who am I to talk?
I'm just sharing that there are very few transitions in the writing, and if hearing about affairs and sexual encounters bother you, this isn't the book for you.
Then again, it's her first book and maybe after more writing she'll improve. But I wasn't impressed - nor do I think it deserved all the press it got. Kudos on that!
*note I did read this quickly - not as fast as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - but want to pass it along to some coworkers!



Now I can recommend another musical book, and I really think is some great writing too!

Tony Faber's Stradivari's Genius is not only a bit of history of violin making and of instruments, it's a nice story with facts and assumptions. I'd like to think I'm fairly knowledgable about violins and have to say I learned quite a bit reading this. Again it is a first novel, but it's night and day compared to Tindall's book. We don't hear who Tony slept with (or Stradivari either really!) as Blair wrote in her life story, but there is drama, fact, and charming transitions.

It's kinda like listening to an orchestra - their interpretation of a Brahms Symphony can be elegant, or they can screw up the transitions. It's still good music. Same with Mozart in the Jungle...good story, lousy interpretation. Faber's book is a well played masterpiece, that is a gem for collectors and for anyone.
Mozart in the Jungle is the LaserLight $2 disc you see at outlets - of the book world that is.


So, if you're into musical books, or just looking for something worthwhile to read, I'd go with the fiddle than with the oboe. (If you need both, put on Hilary Hahn's recording of Bach's Concerto in c minor with Allan Vogel!)