Alex Ross is one of those few music critics who can write about Mozart and Radiohead with equal authority and insight. Alex Ross is the music critic for The New Yorker. The wonderful essays in Listen to This cover classical music in China, composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, Schubert, John Luther Adams, the St. Lawrence Quartet, Sonic Youth, Verdi, Bob Dylan, the late Brahms, Bjork, and much more. If you’re going to only read one book about music this year, make it Listen to This. GRADE: A
That is one wide range of listening interests.
There’s plenty of range in topics in LISTEN TO THIS, Scott. And Alex Ross has pithy insights about all of them.
The last book about music I read was by Nick Hornby: Songbook (published in the United Kingdom as 31 Songs) is a 2002 collection of 26 essays by English writer Nick Hornby about songs and (more often) the particular emotional resonance they carry for him.
I’ve read that Nick Horby book, Jeff. Good stuff. But Alex Ross’ LISTEN TO THIS is much more eclectic and detailed. Well worth a look!
George-wish you would read a good book on installation art. Just saw an exhibit with thirty strings holding the outer skin of garlic and metal rods holding a five piece band at an angle. HELP.
Patrick might be able to explain that “installation art” to you, Patti. He’s the artistic one in our family. I’m clueless when it comes to that stuff.
Patti- it’s all “high concept” stuff. mostly for the sake of saying look what I thought up. And most of it is cr*p.
I don’t know enough about it to render an opinion, Rick. I admit I just don’t understand it.
I was expecting a book by Alex Ross the comic book painter.
They might be related, Evan.