Holiday round-up, part 2
A couple of reviews of A Book of Noises have popped up in these days between Christmas and New Year (known as ‘crimbo limbo’, apparently). At Undark Dan Falk writes:
Henderson’s book stands out for its breadth, its humour, and especially the author’s passion for the material... The real draw is not the array of facts but rather the author’s own personal insights, and his ability to bridge seemingly disparate ideas.
It’s a lovely and generous piece so I’m obviously biased, but I do think it captures the spirit and content of the book at least as well as anything that has appeared previously.
One more thing. Falk notes my fondness for the popular Adagio from your man Wolfgang’s 23rd piano concerto. For what it’s worth, I think the movement really takes off towards the end — from about 4 minutes 10 seconds in the recording by Horowitz with Giulini and co. — where an elaboration of the main theme is met by a counter voice in the piano left hand and then the oboe, all the way to the understated but the absolutely massive, simple, final phrases.
There is also a review at Leonardo by Charles Forceville, who writes:
The book is dazzling as a kaleidoscope... If you’d ask me, who needs to read this book? I’d say, ‘Well, nobody ….’ But if you’d ask me, who wants to read it? I’d say: ‘Surely, everybody!’
This again is a nice piece. A clarification: Peter Godfrey-Smith wrote that the bones of the jaw evolved to be like a thumb for the face, but it is I who am suggesting that the ossicles are like a car jack for the ear.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
There is still time to pledge to the Kickstarter for An Audiobook of Noises! Match funding should take us to the all-or-nothing target, but any additional pledges are most welcome. Funds in excess of the target, if any, will be used for rights to music to include with the audiobook and to get it out to more listeners.