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Body & Soul

By: Frank Conroy
Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
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Publisher's summary

As a boy, Claude Rawlings looks up through the grated window of his basement apartment to watch the world go by. Poor, lonely, supported by a taxi-driver mother whose eccentricities spin more and more out of control, he faces the terrible task of growing up on the margins of life, destined to be a spectator of that great world always hurrying out of reach. But there is an out-of-tune piano in the small apartment, and in unlocking the secrets of its keys, as if by magic, Claude discovers himself. He is a musical prodigy.

Body & Soul is the story of a young man whose life is transformed by a gift. The gift is not without price - the work is relentless, the teachers exacting - but the reward is a journey that takes him to the drawing rooms of the rich and powerful, private schools, a gilt-edged marriage, and Carnegie Hall. Claude moves through this life as if he were playing a difficult composition, swept up in its drama and tension, surprised by its grace notes. Music, here, becomes a character in its own right, equaled in strength only by the music of Frank Conroy's own unmistakable and true voice.

©1993 Frank Conroy (P)2019 Tantor
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Critic reviews

“Beautifully written, and hypnotically readable...the best story I know of in a long, long time.” (Vanity Fair)

What listeners say about Body & Soul

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Wonderful

Really enjoyed this look at 1940’s post war New York and a delightful coming of age story. Well done.

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Terrific!

Great story telling. As a musician, I was impressed with how accurate the musical details were.

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Excellent story and great narration!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and didn’t want it to end. The narration was superb!

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Unexpectedly wonderful!

The book was fascinating even knowing nothing about music . The narrator’s pacing enhanced the story.

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4 people found this helpful

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Mesmerizing!

This is the most compelling book I’ve read in ages. Masterful, both in grand arcs and intimate detail.

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Musician’s coming of age and beyond.

I really enjoyed listening to this! I will listen to this again! The character development was exceptional!

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One of my favorites—

I read this book many years ago and found it profound and moving. The audio version is no less so. It’s a really great creation.

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Incredible story & narration!

Took a chance on this one and it paid off. One of my favorites. The character development is done so well, great story and moves at a good pace. I wish it had been longer!

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Sublime Gem

Beautiful story. Rich and vivid. Great pacing by the narrator. No music knowledge is required.

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A Masterpiece

This book is a masterpiece. I had read it about 20 years ago, and I wanted to experience it again here on Audible. I was not disappointed. The story is very captivating, and the narration is very, very good quality and does justice to the work. It takes some patience to get through, but it is very fulfilling emotionally and one feels very sympathetic with the all the characters in the story. I highly recommend this book.

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