‘I’m not here to change your mind about Dusty Springfield or Shostakovich or Tupac Shakur or synthpop. I’m here to change your mind about your mind.’
There are countless books on music with much analysis given to musicians, bands, eras and/or genres. But rarely does a book delve into what’s going on inside us when we listen.
Michel Faber explores two big questions: how we listen to music and why we listen to music. To answer these he considers biology, age, illness, the notion of ‘cool’, commerce, the dichotomy between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ taste and, through extensive interviews with musicians, unlocks some surprising answers. From the award-winning author of The Crimson Petal and the White and Under the Skin, this curious and celebratory book reflects Michel Faber’s lifelong obsession with music of all kinds.
Listen will change your relationship with the heard world.
In 1940s Hollywood, Maria, an associate producer at a studio on the verge of bankruptcy, must find a way through her present difficulties while also facing up to her family’s past in fascist Italy in an exploration of the relationship between life and art.
Ten plays retold in Morpurgo’s warm, accessible style – a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young children – copiously illustrated by contemporary artists. Age guide: 8-12
Please note that this title is not published until August 10th.
Three interlinked narratives which explore the fate and provenance of two related portraits. A vivid evocation of period detail and a moving meditation on the themes of art, beauty, and love.
Three interlinked narratives which explore the fate and provenance of two related portraits. A vivid evocation of period detail and a moving meditation on the themes of art, beauty, and love.
Drawing on hundreds of previously untranslated letters and sources, the chief art critic for the Financial Times conjures the artistic milieu and turbulent private life of the painter widely held as the founder of Impressionism.
Entertaining survey of the most popular British sports, ranging from medieval tournaments to the victorious Lionesses, showing how they drove social change.
A tender fictional depiction of the life of the poet Charles Causley, with beautifully evoked period detail of World War I action and its aftermath, and a moving examination of the tensions between a life of the mind and personal fulfilment.
An evocative account of Mozart’s early visits to Italy and his exposure to the culture, language and art which had a profound and lasting effect on his musical development.
In a welcome corrective to the more traditional male-centred approach to the past, the historical novelist reclaims the lives of generations of ordinary women.
