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Tuesday, June 6, 2017

The Songs: A Novel by Charles Elton

Out today:
(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)
"A heart-breaking choice made 60 years earlier by folk legend Iz Herzl leaves an indelible mark on the next generation.

The Songs tells the extraordinary story of Iz Herzl, famed political activist and protest singer, who has always told his children that it is the future not the past they should concentrate on. Now, at 80, an almost forgotten figure, estranged from everyone who has ever loved him, his refusal to look back on his life leaves his teenage children, the brilliant Rose and her ailing younger brother, Huddie, adrift in myths and uncertainty that cause them to retreat into a secret world of their own.

Iz’s other child, Joseph, a faltering Broadway songwriter 40 years older than Rose and Huddie, whose one disastrous meeting as a child with his father has left him lost and alone, is on a shocking and violent path to self-destruction. When the disparate members of the Herzl family finally meet, the ambiguities at the heart of Iz Herzl’s life begin to surface in a way that will change all of them."

How good does that sound? Let me tell you, it most definitely is.  The Songs is a terrific story about a folk singer's musical legacy and the ways in which his notoriety affected his family.  Its heartbreaking, funny, and thoughtful all at once.  You can't help but get caught up in the characters' lives - I just loved getting to know them and their perspective on their famous father.  The story is interesting and rich with musical references - I just loved it!  Definitely a great book for summer.

I would most definitely recommend The Songs to fans of Charles Elton's work and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!




Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

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