Guanaco is an adult amateur cellist (my favorite kind) based in Alaska (what a coincidence!) with a blog called Cellomania. I appreciate these cello blogs because they inspire me to keep practicing, though I hate to admit, by musical life is on pause until the end of the fall. (Which is why I need all those inspring cello blogs all the more.) Guanaco was nice enough to call attention to my book when it was in hardcover, and on 9/4 he mentioned it again, in relation to another novel called THE CELLIST OF SARAJEVO by Steven Galloway. (I haven't read it but it looks good -- there's the first book to be added to my virtual suitcase, below.) Guanaco writes:
This book calls to mind another recent novel about a fictionalized
historical cellist, "The Spanish Bow", by Andromeda Romano-Lax. Andromeda (I love that name), who herself is a cellist, presents an enthralling story about a cellist, loosely based on the life and times of Pablo Casals. Unlike the cellist in Galloway's book who is not really the main character in the story, the cellist in "The Spanish Bow" is the focus of the novel, and we read about his life from the time as a young child he receives "the bow" from his absent father until he ultimately becomes one of the most celebrated cellists of his time.It seems, as I watch way too much television for my own good, that more and more often one of the guest characters in the various series (frequently a child) is studying the cello. It seems to be a fad these days. A few recent movies present cellists as a main character [including "The Soloist", based on the book by Steve Lopez, which hasn't yet been released]. The depictions on TV are fleeting, almost superfluous. The movies are a little more engrossing, but I tend to get distracted watching the actor's simulated playing.I much prefer to read about cellists. So from this fan: thank you, Andromeda Romano-Lax...
