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Song of Names cover art

Song of Names

By: Norman Lebrecht
Narrated by: Simon Prebble
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Publisher's Summary

Martin Simmond’s father tells him, “Never trust a musician when he speaks about love.” The advice comes too late. Martin already loves Dovidl Rapoport, an eerily gifted Polish violin prodigy whose parents left him in the Simmonds’s care before they perished in the Holocaust. For a time the two boys are closer than brothers. But on the day he is to make his official debut, Dovidl disappears. Only 40 years later does Martin get his first clue about what happened to him.

In this ravishing novel of music and suspense, Norman Lebrecht unravels the strands of love, envy and exploitation that knot geniuses to their admirers. In doing so he also evokes the fragile bubble of Jewish life in prewar London; the fearful carnival of the Blitz, and the gray new world that emerged from its ashes. Bristling with ideas, lambent with feeling, The Song of Names is a masterful work of the imagination.
©2002 Original material © 2002 Norman Lebrecht. (P)2010 (p) 2010 HighBridge Company
Literary Fiction Historical Fiction
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Critic Reviews

“A vivid and outstanding story that sings about artistry, genius, music, love, envy, friendship, and revenge.” ( Booklist)

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Profile Image for Ina Bender

Good story , I like it

I like it much better than the movie, however not sure if I would enjoy reading it as a book - the author is too verbose and heavy with his language and in need of a better editor. It listens well as audio book, though. Also you have to connect personally with at least one of the topics to enjoy this story - either music or Holocaust or quest for identity or PTS, etc. If you are looking for light read or likable protagonists, then maybe give it a miss.

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