Knew It All Along

“We like to remember the nineteen-sixties as a time of love and peace. Let’s not forget it was also a time of hate and war. For me, though, it was a time of music.” This is a compelling first novel whose scope manages to be as broad as history—from the Russian Revolution to 1960s New York—but whose power derives from the closely observed intricacy of love and conflict. TWO MUSICIANS stand at the heart of the story, one at the beginning of his career and one at the end. We follow the young narrator, Michael, as he discovers his growing talent and obsession for music. On his journey he meets an elderly man who has lived through the best, and the worst, of the twentieth century. Over time, the old man reveals the power and tragedy of a life lived for his art. Michael comes to realize that he will have to confront the same forces in his own life and, finally, seek redemption and healing.