Pick-a-Shelf discussion

What did you read for music?

Does it make your appreciation/knowledge for music deeper?

I read Idol [3-apr-2021] ★★★


You'd think meeting a guy who drives drunk and crashes his motorbike in your garden would kill any chance of romance, that's not the case in this book. Which is good, otherwise there wouldn't be a story. At first it's about Libby and Killian getting to know each other, but then real life comes knocking at their door. I like the characters, but the romance could have had some more spark. Now it feels a little flat. There is attraction, but is it really love? Despite that I enjoyed the book. I like that the book doesn't stop when things are about to get hard.

Used for
- Let's book it April 1. favorites
- Seriously Serial

I'd like to nominate:
guilty pleasure

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
★★★★

This is a lovely novel about a family coping with grief. It is told from several viewpoints, as they deal with the sudden loss of an uncle / brother / son. The main character is a young adult and is in a band with some friends (which seems to be the only reason it was shelved as music). It's not soppy or over emotional, but it's definitely sad.

Used for Let's book it April and Trim that TBR
I nominate translated

I read My Lord, What a Morning by Marian Anderson

4 stars (autobiography)

I am glad I read this.

This was a bit of a challenging book to rate in that it wasn't written by a writer (somehow someone has added some children's books written long after she passed away to her author, and I will work on rectifying this), was published in the 1950s and while it touches quite a bit on racism, etc, she wasn't a fighter and was writing for the classical music audience plus black readers back in the 1950s, BUT she also reminds me of my grandmother who was born at a similar time to her--it was a far more polite generation.

This book does cover some things from her life, but focuses a great deal on her career and her development as singer and artist (musical artist). On the one hand, it wasn't written to be a statement on racism, but on the other hand there is quite a bit in there. This book was written the decade before Jim Crow laws were made illegal. Anderson neither ignores the issues, nor makes radical statements since her focus was on her music. BUT this does not mean she didn't make any statements, she most certainly did.

In order to sing well and with the right attitude, she wrote that she couldn't dwell too much on her situation when she was the one exception as a black hotel guest--her management did the booking, but she could tell--so she handled herself in a way to help dispel ignorance, including in parts of Europe. That said, there are a few significant events surrounding her that I think need to be understood in the time she was living and not by contemporary times, and this isn't a spoiler for the story of her career. 1. When the DAR in Pennsylvania refused to allow her to perform in their hall, Eleanor Roosevelt quite the DAR--later a different DAR branch stood with Anderson in another state by buying a large block of tickets to one of her concerts. 2. She was the first black singer to be a member of the Metropolitan Opera company and as a soloist. Read the book for more details and what she thought of certain criticism. 3. Once she had established herself at a high level, she was able to take a stand and refuse to sing in any hall that had segregated seating.

Some of the things she longed to see have come to pass, but sadly not all have. Here is one that has improved but may not yet be all the way there in the classical music world:

My people have a right to expect that if an opportunity were open one of our own should not be by-passed, But the facts must be faced, and they have two aspects. A Negro must qualify on musical grounds and must be equal to the best competition if he is to find a place. On the other hand, there is no incentive for him to qualify if he knows that there will be no place open for him.

I nominate historical fiction

I read A Song for a New Day which is a pre-covid (2019) vision of a post-covid (or at least post-pandemic) music scene. The pandemic is more intense and coincides with terrorism that is not explained - the book concentrates on afterwards, and the virtual reality is more advanced but it was really interesting to see how the vision compares to reality.
The view point shifts between a musician who performed the 'last big concert' and a girl who was a child at the time of the pandemic and has since led an isolated life until she discovers music and sets out into the world.
I recommend this to anyone who lands on the Nebula award square in Bookopoly which is what I read it for.

I read If I Stay this month. It centers around a girl who is a musician, after she is in a severe car accident. It takes place while she's kind of having an out of body experience while in the hospital. Some parts I liked a lot, some parts were kind of slow. It went back and forth between what was happening at the hospital (which had me more interested) and flashbacks (which weren't bad but just a completely different feel from what was going on in the present). I gave the book 3 stars and haven't decided if I'll read the sequel.

I was able to use this book in the Seriously Series Challenge

I nominate Fae for my shelf.

Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults, Second Edition by Jenevora Williams
4 stars

This is an excellent resource for people teaching children and teens to sing either privately, in choirs or in schools. It can be helpful for people already teaching for updated information on the voice or fresh idea, etc, but it is also good as an introduction to teaching kids how to sing. Because this is the second edition of a book not primarily read by people who write GR reviews, there aren't many here, but there are two on the first edition book page (both short). This was one of several books recommended to me by a vocalist who teaches voice to college students who I knew wouldn't steer me astray (yes, he's actually read it).

I nominate memoir-biography

I started The Soloist, and decided it wasn't for me.

I read The Rainaldi Quartet (Castigliaone and Guastafeste #1), and loved it. It's chock-full of information about old violins, but it's a good mystery as well. It's great to discover a new mystery series I can enjoy, though it's a short one - only 3 books. Thanks for the recommendation, Bea!

Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin was my option and I had mixed feelings. Aretha was talented singer and pianist for the genre of soul. She had little forma training. Her personal life was a mess but I had to be patient and try to learn something about the trials she faced. The writing was okay.

I finished my music book Rock Me Two Times and all I can say is that it reminded me of why I dislike the rock star genre.
The rampant misogyny and doormat heroine who eagerly gives up her own agency for the hot rocker made me shudder.
If I hadn't been reading it for two different challenges it would have ended up a DNF.

I read some more books tagged Music


Managed [4-apr-2021] ★★★
The book annoyed me a bit at first, but soon enough I didn't want to stop reading. I really liked the banter between Sofie and Gabriel. It was funny. The romance was good and there was plenty of chemistry and sexual tension
Used for:
- Let's book it april
- Seriously Serial


Fall [4-apr-2021] ★★★
I thought this book started cute. I really liked Stella. She is a lovely character. I had some doubts about Jax/Jown, but think he's okay. The romance was nice, but the pacing of the story was a bit slow.
Used for:
- Seriously serial


All Rhodes Lead Here [6-apr-2021] ★★★★
I love Mariana Zapata's books and this book was just what I expect from this author. It was a lovely slow burner.
Used for:
- Let's book it april


The Mighty Storm [20-apr-2021] ★★
This book started good, but then ventured somewhere which I hate....a love triangle. Ugh. [spoiler] And I hate cheating[/spoiler]. That kind of spoiled the rest of the book for me. I did like the writing, but this plot just didn't work for me.
Used for:
- Let's book it april
- Seriously serial

For all of the books I'd like to nominate:
Summer reads

I read The Piper's Son. It's been on my TBR for a long time, and I was a bit disappointed in it. I'm used to books by Melina Marchetta being really great, and this one just wasn't.

There was some music in it, so I can see why it was shelved there, but it's not a major focus.

I read Love and Rockets, Vol. 1: Music for Mechanics by Gilbert Hernández.

The original, seminal Love & Rockets comic book series, which ran for 50 issues from 1981 to 1996, singlehandedly defined the post-underground generation of comics that spawned Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, and so many others. Now collected into 15 volumes, Love & Rockets is a body of work that The Nation has described as "one of the hidden treasures of our impoverished culture." Created by brothers Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario Hernandez, three Southern California Mexican-Americans armed with a passion for pop culture and punk rock, Love & Rockets gave a voice to minorities and women for the first time in the medium's then 50-year history and remains one of the greatest achievements in comic book history.


3/5 stars

Definitely an eclectic mix, not necessarily for me but objectively an awesome comic.



I nominate cozy mystery

I read Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

★★★

This was a story about a birthday party for a Japanese businessman in a South American country that is suddenly taken over by terrorists. All the guests are taken hostage, including a famous opera singer. The book is really about the relationships formed between all involved. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters, but found my mind wandering and could not wait to get to the end. I'm not sure why I really didn't enjoy the book, but gave it three stars.

I nominate memoir-biography

Book: Coming Home - 04.13 ★★★★
# Tags: 23



Review:
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was deeper and much more emotional than I expected. There was a bit of a love triangle happening but it wasn't overt - the most conflict came after one of the males in the triangle was actually completely out of the picture. Mostly I was impressed how the author authentically portrayed the depth of feelings the female MC had for both men at different times/places in her life. This book affected my emotions. It had an HEA but there are more books in the series that hint at more troubles for the couple.

Challenges: n/a
Nomination: tear-jerker