If you love music and you haven’t discovered Alex Ross, you’re in for a treat. Ross is the music critic at The New Yorker and the author of 2 wonderful books on music.
The Rest Is Noise is a wonderful exploration of the important composers of the 20th century. The 2nd, Listen To This, is a collection of his writing for The New Yorker.
Throughout both, Ross conveys the sublime wonder of serious music in a way that brings the reader along, no matter their level of knowledge and experience. He doesn’t limit himself to classical music. In Listen To This, he explores Bob Dylan and Bjork with the same thoughtfulness and sensitivity that he shows for Mozart, Berg and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Ross shows that understanding a little about what goes on behind the music only enhances the experience. He is a wonderful guide.