Every Note Played
Mar 2018 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
4.7star
7 reviews
Ebook
320
Pages
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Eligible
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About this ebook
“Unsparing in her depiction of the disease’s harrowing effects, neuroscientist Genova also celebrates humanity.” —People
“Sometimes it’s easier to tell truth in fiction…And she tells it with heart and hope.” —NPR
“Her juxtaposition of scientific detail with compassionate, heartfelt storytelling is unparalleled.” —Bookreporter
“Every Note Played will grip and gut you.” —The Boston Globe
From neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice comes a powerful exploration of regret, forgiveness, freedom, and what it means to be alive.
An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago.
Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.
He knows his left arm will go next.
Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall and hung a mirror there instead. But she still hasn’t moved on. Karina is paralyzed by excuses and fear, stuck in an unfulfilling life as a piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman, blaming Richard and their failed marriage for all of it.
When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. As Richard’s muscles, voice, and breath fade, both he and Karina try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.
Poignant and powerful, Every Note Played is a masterful exploration of redemption and what it means to find peace inside of forgiveness.
“Sometimes it’s easier to tell truth in fiction…And she tells it with heart and hope.” —NPR
“Her juxtaposition of scientific detail with compassionate, heartfelt storytelling is unparalleled.” —Bookreporter
“Every Note Played will grip and gut you.” —The Boston Globe
From neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice comes a powerful exploration of regret, forgiveness, freedom, and what it means to be alive.
An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago.
Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.
He knows his left arm will go next.
Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall and hung a mirror there instead. But she still hasn’t moved on. Karina is paralyzed by excuses and fear, stuck in an unfulfilling life as a piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman, blaming Richard and their failed marriage for all of it.
When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. As Richard’s muscles, voice, and breath fade, both he and Karina try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.
Poignant and powerful, Every Note Played is a masterful exploration of redemption and what it means to find peace inside of forgiveness.
Ratings and reviews
4.7
7 reviews
Peg Glover
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March 20, 2018
Every Note Played is a meticulously crafted unputdownable novel. This is a story about love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and the devastating effects of ALS. I loved every page of this brilliant book. Every Note Played is about a concert pianist, Richard, who suffers from ALS. The reader will experience as I did, along with Richard, the horrendous overwhelming grief, and sadness, that comes from losing control of each and every part of your body. It’s also a story about Karina, Richard’s ex-wife and the extraordinary sacrifice that she makes on a daily basis, for the man who emotionally crushed her. And, lastly, it’s a story about love, true, unconditional love, and what that really means. I’ve read every one of Lisa Genova’s books and have loved them all. Every Note Played is a five-star quality book. Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist and has the extraordinary ability to break down the facts about complex disorders into bite-size, fascinating, and comprehensible pieces. I had a fair knowledge about ALS before reading this book; but after reading, Every Note Played, I have a whole new understanding of exactly what happens physically, mentally and emotionally to a person who is stricken with this hideous disease. The story itself is heart-wrenching as well as heartwarming. The characters are fully developed, realistic and life-like. I found this book, unforgettable and impossible to put down. If you haven’t discovered Lisa Genova yet, you are in for a treat. She is a magnificent writer, and one, that once you start reading her books, you’ll want to go back and read every single book she has written. Lisa Genova is one of my favorite authors. I plan on reading everything she writes. Thank you, Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy. I absolutely loved it!
3 people found this review helpful
About the author
Acclaimed as the Oliver Sacks of fiction and the Michael Crichton of brain science, Lisa Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Remember. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, and Kristen Stewart. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She travels worldwide speaking about the neurological diseases she writes about and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today, PBS NewsHour, CNN, and NPR. Her TED talk, What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer's, has been viewed over 2 million times.
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