In Mitch Albom’s epic new novel, the voice of Music narrates the tale of its most beloved disciple, Frankie Presto, a Spanish war orphan raised by a blind music teacher. At nine years old, Frankie is sent to America. His only possession is an old guitar and six magical strings.
But Frankie’s talent is touched by the gods, and it weaves him through the musical landscape of the twentieth century, from classical to jazz to rock and roll. Along the way, Frankie influences many artists: he translates for Django Reinhardt, advises Little Richard, backs up Elvis Presley, and counsels Hank Williams.
Frankie elevates to a rock star himself, yet his gift becomes his burden, as he realizes that he can actually affect people’s futures: the guitar strings turn blue whenever a life is altered. Overwhelmed by life, loss, and this power, he disappears for years, only to reemerge in a spectacular and mysterious farewell.
With its Forrest Gump-like journey through the music world, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is a classic in the making. A lifelong musician himself, Mitch Albom delivers an unforgettable story. “Everyone joins a band in this life,” he observes, be it music, family, friends, or lovers. And those connections change the world.
Performed by Mitch Albom, Roger McGuinn, Ingrid Michaelson, John Pizzarelli, Paul Stanley, George Guidall, Mike Hodge, Robin Miles, Christian Baskous, Tony Chiroldes, Kevin O’Neill, Adriana Sananes, Ken Brown, and Sarab Kamoo
Life’s not fair This book is best summed up by what my Father has taught me: LIFE’S NOT FAIR. This book is a hard read from all the sadness that Frankie endures from the moment he takes his first breath to his last. This is what makes this book so incredible. It’s real life. Life is hard. Sometimes because of our choices and sometimes life is just hard. Mitch Albom is the greatest story teller I have ever read. He continues to write life inspiring books about love, relationships, life, and death. THIS BOOK…
EXCELLENT! BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN! Mitch Albom does it again! This book is a sweet symphony of musically written, creatively crafted genius! I couldn’t put it down! There’s a reason why he’s one of my all time favorite, best selling authors. He’s a master storyteller as he weaves a tale of intrigue, switching from present to past—going from first person to third person voices—and capturing our devoted attention. His expertise with the written word is nothing short of fantastic, especially in this book, where Music…
A literary masterpiece. I ’ve read around 2-3 books a week since I was 10 years old, which, If I did my math right, means I’ve read between 7-8000 books in my life. I’ve had a few favorites but until yesterday I could not identify my favorite of all time.