The Things You Can Read: Review in Miniature: Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson

My thirty plus year love affair with Mozart is in no uncertain terms insatiable. My quest to attend all of his operas and to hear as many of his other musical compositions performed live continues and my next step, as the world’s biggest Mozart fan, is to share my love of everything Mozart with my children, so when I realized that a new biography on Mozart was being published by Penguin Group: Viking I had to get my hands on a copy...pronto. I was not disappointed. Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson is a great compliment to any Mozart aficionado's collection of biographies of this great composer.

Coming in at 176 pages this work of nonfiction does not overwhelm the new to Mozart biography reader or disappoint a reader who gobbles up everything Mozart. The book focuses on Mozart and his music. Specifically the biography focused on Mozart’s ability to write music, compose music for operas, and his ability to create emotional music that captured the hearts of the common man and royals alike. His was a life filled with financial debt, loss of children, and health problems. Many may be surprised to learn that he frequently had to beg for money from friends. Let me say that these were not uncommon problems for even upper class folks of Mozart’s day. but it is always surprising to me that he also had a tough time selling his compositions, which means a steady income for the Mozart family was a constant challenge. With all the ups and downs of Mozart’s life his talent never faded.

Sadly he died too young at just thirty-five, but through his music he still lives in the hearts of all classical musical lovers everywhere. This book will definitely whet your appetite for more about this remarkable child prodigy.

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Viking for the advance reader’s copy of Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson.