An Equal Music
3 journalers for this copy...
From amazon.co.uk:
Michael plays second violin in an up-and-coming Maggiore Quartet, lives on the north side of Hyde Park, takes early morning dips in the Serpentine, has a French girlfriend named Virginie. But his mind is constantly drawn to his first and only love, Julia, whom he knew in Vienna many years earlier. When he catches sight of Julia on a London bus, he cannot help but pursue her. Vikram Seth's new novel is a gently-paced, multi-layered work, proceeding in short sections which flit from Michael's ongoing search for Julia back to his childhood as a Rochdale butcher's son, his early training and breakdown in Vienna under the tyrannical Carl Kall, and the emotional history of his quartet; while Michael's discovery of a Beethoven trio rewritten as a string quintet acts as a motif for Michael's pursuit of the lost Julia: can Michael recapture the magic of the past, like Beethoven, who deafly transfigured what he so many years earlier had hearingly composed? Seth is quite brilliant at conveying the intense and complex interplay of chamber musicians, in rehearsal and performance (an odd, obsessed, introspective, separatist breed), and manages the near-impossible--to write in 1999 about Art and Love without embarrassment.
Happy Reading!
Michael plays second violin in an up-and-coming Maggiore Quartet, lives on the north side of Hyde Park, takes early morning dips in the Serpentine, has a French girlfriend named Virginie. But his mind is constantly drawn to his first and only love, Julia, whom he knew in Vienna many years earlier. When he catches sight of Julia on a London bus, he cannot help but pursue her. Vikram Seth's new novel is a gently-paced, multi-layered work, proceeding in short sections which flit from Michael's ongoing search for Julia back to his childhood as a Rochdale butcher's son, his early training and breakdown in Vienna under the tyrannical Carl Kall, and the emotional history of his quartet; while Michael's discovery of a Beethoven trio rewritten as a string quintet acts as a motif for Michael's pursuit of the lost Julia: can Michael recapture the magic of the past, like Beethoven, who deafly transfigured what he so many years earlier had hearingly composed? Seth is quite brilliant at conveying the intense and complex interplay of chamber musicians, in rehearsal and performance (an odd, obsessed, introspective, separatist breed), and manages the near-impossible--to write in 1999 about Art and Love without embarrassment.
Happy Reading!
Journal Entry 2 by scotsbookie from Peebles, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 19, 2007
This is the 3rd of Vikram Seth's books I've read this year, the others being Two Lives (a memoir about Shanti Uncle & Aunt Henny) & A Suitable Boy. I have fallen in love with the way he writes.
This is beautifully written, lyrical in its prose at times. A story of love lost, found & lost once more. Of Michael & Julia & their love for each other & music. I enjoyed the details about chamber music & the life of a string quartet.
This is beautifully written, lyrical in its prose at times. A story of love lost, found & lost once more. Of Michael & Julia & their love for each other & music. I enjoyed the details about chamber music & the life of a string quartet.
BOOKRING!!
Rules:
Please:
1. Journal entry on receiving book
2. Journal entry when read book
3. PM next person on list for address
4. Try to read within a month, let me know if your going to be longer.
5. But most of all ENJOY!
lauraloo29 CAN (prefers to ship anywhere but Canada)
bookworm76 AUS (ships anywhere) <----it's here
& back to me.
Rules:
Please:
1. Journal entry on receiving book
2. Journal entry when read book
3. PM next person on list for address
4. Try to read within a month, let me know if your going to be longer.
5. But most of all ENJOY!
lauraloo29 CAN (prefers to ship anywhere but Canada)
bookworm76 AUS (ships anywhere) <----it's here
& back to me.
Journal Entry 4 by scotsbookie at post office in Mail, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (11/14/2007 UTC) at post office in Mail, Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Arrived today. I have a couple of other rings before it, but I will keep it moving. :)
I'm not able to get into this book. If it wasn't a ring and if I didn't have a monstrous TBR pile I might push my way through. But I will send it on its way instead. :) Thank you for sharing!
Arrived in the mail today. Looking forward to reading it.
This book was wonderful - thanks so much to scotsbookie for sharing it. The way Seth writes is really beautiful and the lyrical language matches the story line (about music) really well.
The love story between Michael and Julia was really touching too. There were tissues in spots - it was so beautifully written.
Thanks again - it is on its way back home.
The love story between Michael and Julia was really touching too. There were tissues in spots - it was so beautifully written.
Thanks again - it is on its way back home.
Journal Entry 9 by bookworm76 at Controlled Release in Lutwyche, Queensland Australia on Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Released 16 yrs ago (3/26/2008 UTC) at Controlled Release in Lutwyche, Queensland Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sent home at the end of the bookring. Thanks again to Scotsbookie for sharing it.
Sent home at the end of the bookring. Thanks again to Scotsbookie for sharing it.
Arrived safely back with me this morning, thank you bookworm76 :)