Finished: The Soloist

Title: The Soloist
Author: Mark Salzman
Genre: Fiction.

What did I like about it? I was attracted to pick up this book first because the cover showed a cello and a cat (the cat did not appear in the book until the very end, to my dismay); I subsequently decided to borrow it from the library after realizing the author was the very same who had written a memoir I read during my favorite English class in high school (the memoir, Iron and Silk, documented Salzman's time living in China, during which he tells an entertaining story about tuning a piano to a Michael Jackson tape).

The novel (semi-autobiographic, I wonder?) was written by a musician, and for a musician, as it seems. I loved reading Salzman describe his life as a charmed, prodigious young cellist playing in concert halls throughout Europe (a life I cannot deny I have dreamed of).  Salzman is clearly a fan of the music of J.S. Bach, one of the greatest composers of all time and certainly one of my favorite; his descriptions of Bach's compositions and their musical perfection resonated (no pun intended) deeply within me.

The majority of the book chronicles the protagonist, Reinhart Sundheimer, as a juror on a murder trial; whodathunk that would make an engaging, can't-put-down book?  But Salzman did it -- more inner monologue than dialogue, he articulates his character seamlessly and believably.

What didn't I like about it? The ending was a little bit contrived; it rang like a deus ex machina from classical Greek theatre.

Would I recommend it? Without a doubt I would recommend it to any classical musician; especially Baroque-inspired string players (or music aficionados).  A non-musician, or someone without interest in music, may find a great deal of the book uninteresting.  Since Sundheimer spent the first eighteen years of his life playing professional cello, and shortly thereafter began giving private cello lessons at the college level, his life is consumed by music, and he relates all of his life experiences to musical experiences.  I cannot say whether or not I would understand or appreciate the artfulness of his musical allusions were I not a classical musician.
I would definitely recommend it over the other book with the same title, and about the same instrument (but by a different author).

Rating: Three-and-a-half, out of four.