6 great books to read this autumn
Ahh, autumn. Back to school time, the promise of cooler days ahead, and the hint of gold and red in the leaves. Even those of us who have been out of school for decades feel the pull to return to more structured schedules and deeper intellectual and musical learning.
If you, like I, are eager to move past the summer beach reads we likely consumed in August, these suggestions are for you. I selected these six books for musicians who are seeking reading material outside of the bestseller lists. They’re “deep dish” books that resonate with the reader long after the last page is read. Hopefully one or more of them will speak to you as strongly as they did to me.
Literary Fiction
If you’re looking to spend some delicious hours in the company of writers who write about music from the inside out with grace and poetry, these two books are for you. Through finely drawn characters and solid research, both books offer entry into history, beauty, and deep humanity.
Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thein
What it’s about
Two successive generations, one Cultural Revolution. This story weaves together two young women, a fractured family history in Maoist China, and brings to life all the ways musicians were forced to protect their artistic and private selves. This story is both intimate and grand and is a celebration of the human spirit.
Favorite quote
“The only life that matters is in your mind. The only truth is the one that lives invisibly, that waits even after you close the book. Silence, too, is a kind of music. Silence will last.”
Why I like it
Very few writers write about the experience of making music with as much poetry as Madeleine Thein. This story is one of beauty, humor, and love balanced against the horrors of Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Every sentence in this superb book springs to life.
The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason
What it’s about
The year is 1886. London piano tuner Edward Drake is contacted by the British government and given an assignment to tune a piano in the jungles of Burma. As he travels deeper and deeper into the jungle, he’s drawn into the political intrigue of rival kingdoms and the Surgeon-Major Anthony Carroll, an enigmatic British officer who owns the rare Ehard grand he has been sent to tune.
Favorite quote
“Don’t you know, he asked, that in every piano there lies a song, hidden?”
Why I like it
Vibrant writing. Nuanced characters. The beauty of Burma and the horrors of war. This is a story saturated with color, life, history, and the power of music.
Career Development
Plan a career tune-up this autumn? These two books may be helpful. Both authors have not only created successful musical careers for themselves, they also coach other musicians to find their own way in the music industry. Through their books they offer readers solid, lived advice.
The Savvy Musician 2.0 by David Cutler
What it’s about
Want to be inspired to amplify your impact, and grow your income? Cutler’s book is a must-have guide. Written for musicians by a musician, Cutler offer guidance on how to build careers, lead organizations, found ventures, strengthen viability, and make a difference. These pages burst with flexible, actionable success strategies that address a comprehensive collection of issues for professionals of all stripes.
Favorite quote
“Savvy musicians understand that finding a lifestyle that works is more important than fulfilling traditional benchmarks of accomplishment. The ideal solution for one person might be the worst scenario for someone else. So stop worrying about how the world views you and which accolades will be boast-worthy at your 25-year reunion. Instead, discover a path that complements your unique dreams, skills, and goals. In other words…think like an entrepreneur.”
Why I like it
I was an enormous fan of the first edition of Cutler’s book, as well as his invaluable website by the same name. This is practical, musician-to-musician advice—both from Cutler and from the many working professionals he interviewed and included in this edition.
The Musician’s Journey: Crafting your career vision and plan 2nd edition by Dr. Jill Timmons
What it’s about
How does a freelance musician create a viable career in an industry with few salaried options? For Jill Timmons, the answer lies in a career vision and plan that grows from a solid understanding of both the self and the music marketplace. With step-by-step guidance and inspiring true-life client stories, Timmons offers readers a clear path to creating a bespoke musical career.
Favorite quote
“As you begin the process of designing your plan of action, it is important to first find out who is interested in what you have to offer and who resonates with your vision. You will also need to design a schematic of that vision that will inspire and instruct. As you begin to craft your strategic plan, it will be essential to communicate what it is you do, and how your overarching vision contributes to the market place. In that market place what is the need you are addressing? How does your work enhance the lives of others?”
Why I like it
Longtime readers of No Dead Guys know that Jill Timmons was my mentor. The advice she offers here is what she gave me—advice that allowed me to craft a sustainable career for myself as a pianist and a writer. Her advice is rooted deeply in the practical need to pay the bills yet never loses sight of the heights of artistry, beauty, and creative expression.
Timeless Reads
In the many reading list posts I’ve published in the past I never thought I’d include books by ancient Greek and Roman authors. But some books need to be read by everyone. Why? Because while circumstances, governments, and names change, people don’t. And we need the timeless perspectives of these authors to remind us to take the long view when daily chaos feels overwhelming.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, translated by Gregory Hays
What it’s about
Marcus Aurelius was Roman Emperor from AD 161 - 180. During that time, he recorded private notes to himself for his own guidance and self-improvement. These personal writings explore Stoic philosophy as well as thoughts on society, interpersonal relationships, Nature, and death.
Favorite quotes
“In a sense, people are our proper occupation. Our job is to do them good and put up with them.”
“Choose not to be harmed—and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed—and you haven’t been.”
“Don’t gussy up your thoughts.”
Why I like it
This is timeless advice, grown from a deep understanding of human nature. If there was one book I’d recommend that every high school student should read, it’s this book. It teaches us to live peaceably and meaningfully with ourselves and others.
The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
What it’s about
This epic Greek poem tells the stories of the mythical Trojan War—stories that have been told and retold in books, plays, and movies throughout history. This translation by Emily Wilson brings it to life with “the clamor of arms, the bellowing boasts of victors, the fury and grief of loss.” It also sings of the “sublime magnitude of the world—the fierce beauty of nature and the gods’ grand schemes.” What emerges is a timeless portrait of the best and worst of humanity.
Favorite quotes
“If we can remember anything of the past, it is through words and stories: the laments of women, and the tales of poets. Words enable the sharing of grief, when there is no other comfort to be found.”
“I hate like Hades’ gates the man who hides one thought inside his heart and says another.”
Why I like it
The Iliad reminds me that people don’t change. The wars, senseless violence, and boastful posturing of proud men—all of these things confront us through news headlines today. This epic poem reminds us, however, that regardless of the inscrutability of the gods and the destructive tendencies of human beings, beauty and connection and tenderness also exists. It reminds me to stop expecting better of humanity and start expecting more of myself.
Photo by Christ Lawton, courtesy of UpSplash