The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Profound Novel from the Author of Tuesdays With Morrie
Product ID: 34997705
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From the beloved author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven comes his most critically acclaimed novel yet—a stunningly original tale of magical realism and love: love between a man and a woman, between an artist and his mentor, and between a musician and his God-given talent. Narrated by the voice of Music itself, the story follows Frankie Presto, a war orphan born in a burning church, through his extraordinary journey around the world. Raised by a blind guitar teacher in Spain and gifted with a talent to change people’s lives—using six mysterious blue strings—Frankie navigates the musical landscape of the twentieth century in a journey of musical fiction, from the 1950s jazz scene to the Grand Ole Opry to Elvis mania and Woodstock, all the while searching for his childhood love. As he becomes a famous star, he loses his way, until tragedy steals his ability to play the guitar that had so defined him. Overwhelmed by his loss, Frankie disappears for decades, reemerging late in life for one spectacular yet mystifying farewell. Part love story, part magical mystery, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is Mitch Albom at his finest, a Forrest Gump-like epic about one man’s journey to discover what truly matters and the power of music to change our lives. Review: Pure Magic! - Mitch Albom has become a go-to author for me. Although this book is listed as “Christian Fantasy” on desertcart, it’s also categorized as “Christian Historical Fiction.” I’ve been an avid fan of music all my life, dumping an insane amount of $$$ into MP3’s, albums, cassettes, and even eight-tracks (yes, I’m old enough to remember them) over the years. The premises of the novel—the story of a genius guitarist in possession of six blue “magic” guitar strings—naturally appealed to me. I’ll start off by saying the story is exceptional. And because it’s Albom, it’s unique with a capital “U.” The Christian element, however, is minimal, and I did find that a bit disappointing. BUT… bear with me on that thought until the end. We follow the life of Frankie Presto from his birth in a church—soon to be consumed by flames¬—through his death, marked as “strange” by many observers. The book starts at Frankie’s memorial service, with the POV character and others reflecting on his life. And who exactly is the POV character? Ready for this—it’s Music. Albom’s work is always “different,” but this one elevated his creativity to a new plane. I was enthralled as Music told Frankie’s tale—from his beginning as an orphan, to his mentorship under a blind guitar teacher (who becomes so much more), through his meteoric rise to fame and the intrusion of those six magic blue strings. There is an eventual downfall, followed by a reinvention for a final near-mystical performance as Frankie’s life (and the strings) come full circle. I’m kind of at a loss how to describe this book. It’s part mystery, part love story, and part family/character drama, with a healthy dose of history and mystical elements intertwined. One of the highlights for me, was the people who look back on Frankie’s life through interview chapters and retrospection. These include (among others) Burt Bacharach, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Lyle Lovett, Paul Stanley of Kiss, and Tony Bennett, to name a few. In the acknowledgements, Albom relays how each of the musicians he uses in the story, allowed him to weave fictional encounters with Frankie Presto into their lives and careers. It’s all cleverly done. From the days of Elvis Mania to Woodstock, and so much more, Frankie’s life and the lives of others intersect like threads on a loom. Multiple surprises happen along the way—bomb drops that start via small explosions, then morph into larger denotations. Much like a musical composition that moves through frenzied moments into softer pauses and sweeping crescendos, Albom takes his reader on a journey fraught with emotion. It isn’t until the very end that I found myself contemplating the Christian elements. They won’t hit you over the head as you read, but when all is said and done, you’ll realize this is a story about God’s hand in our lives. About forgiveness and trust. The purity of true love. And those blue strings? Pure magic! Fans of music will not want to miss this one. Whether pop culture, classical, or twined with historical elements, music has been a driving, creative force throughout time. Step into this book and let Albom sweep you into a symphony that will linger long after the final curtain drops. Review: Definitely a book that should be heard rather than read. - I don't often listen to audiobooks - mostly because I tend to doze off, and then I lose my place. Or I get distracted and stop listening for a moment, and lose my place. Well, some books are just meant to be heard rather than read, and The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is definitely one of them. Read by the author but featuring a few famous names as themselves and other people (including Roger McGuinn, Ingrid Michaelson, John Pizzarelli, and Paul Stanley), it's a brilliant tale that meanders through the history of modern music. In this novel narrated by music, who introduces us to Frankie at the time of his death, Frankie Presto is a Spanish war orphan who is abandoned in a river. He goes on to become a musician comparable in fame to Elvis, the best guitarist who ever lived. Traveling to America in the bottom of a boat at the age of nine, his only possession is a guitar with six magic strings, and his only friend is a hairless dog who refuses to leave his side. When I first bought the ebook, I flipped through the first few pages and had to force myself to stop reading (since it wasn't that book's turn yet, and I try to stick to my list). The use of personified Music as narrator is really interesting stylistically, and I was fascinated with the musical terms that are used to describe the tempo of a day, the crescendo of an emotion and the pause of a rest. It gives the book a magical tone that meshes well with the magical realism of the unlikely coincidences that frame Frankie's life. Beginning at Frankie's funeral, I loved the intervals in which the people who knew him most intimately share the ways in which he affected their lives. Albom actually connected with the famous people whose lives he has inserted this fictional character into, and a lot of them contributed their own words to those sections to make them more authentic. It gives an added layer of richness to the story, and also gives a sense of the community of musicians that came together and played together and created the music that we know today. Towards the end, however, I felt that the story began to drag a little. As Frankie's career rises and then begins to fall, the denouement became depressing. However, right at the very end, Albom brings in an interesting device that ties everything together. It was neatly done, although I think that it could have been done a bit sooner. I don't want to give much away, but I was surprised by the ending, and my own predictions proved to be wrong - it was very clever. This is a brilliant audiobook, and the many voices who tell the story of Frankie Presto give it a richness and a variety that makes it a thrilling story to listen to. A book about music, narrated by music, is absolutely a book that should be heard rather than read, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Book Thief, All The Light We Cannot See, and the music of the 1950s-1980s.
| Best Sellers Rank | #21,251 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #79 in Religious Historical Fiction (Books) #161 in Magical Realism #1,075 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 11,517 Reviews |
M**R
Pure Magic!
Mitch Albom has become a go-to author for me. Although this book is listed as “Christian Fantasy” on Amazon, it’s also categorized as “Christian Historical Fiction.” I’ve been an avid fan of music all my life, dumping an insane amount of $$$ into MP3’s, albums, cassettes, and even eight-tracks (yes, I’m old enough to remember them) over the years. The premises of the novel—the story of a genius guitarist in possession of six blue “magic” guitar strings—naturally appealed to me. I’ll start off by saying the story is exceptional. And because it’s Albom, it’s unique with a capital “U.” The Christian element, however, is minimal, and I did find that a bit disappointing. BUT… bear with me on that thought until the end. We follow the life of Frankie Presto from his birth in a church—soon to be consumed by flames¬—through his death, marked as “strange” by many observers. The book starts at Frankie’s memorial service, with the POV character and others reflecting on his life. And who exactly is the POV character? Ready for this—it’s Music. Albom’s work is always “different,” but this one elevated his creativity to a new plane. I was enthralled as Music told Frankie’s tale—from his beginning as an orphan, to his mentorship under a blind guitar teacher (who becomes so much more), through his meteoric rise to fame and the intrusion of those six magic blue strings. There is an eventual downfall, followed by a reinvention for a final near-mystical performance as Frankie’s life (and the strings) come full circle. I’m kind of at a loss how to describe this book. It’s part mystery, part love story, and part family/character drama, with a healthy dose of history and mystical elements intertwined. One of the highlights for me, was the people who look back on Frankie’s life through interview chapters and retrospection. These include (among others) Burt Bacharach, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Lyle Lovett, Paul Stanley of Kiss, and Tony Bennett, to name a few. In the acknowledgements, Albom relays how each of the musicians he uses in the story, allowed him to weave fictional encounters with Frankie Presto into their lives and careers. It’s all cleverly done. From the days of Elvis Mania to Woodstock, and so much more, Frankie’s life and the lives of others intersect like threads on a loom. Multiple surprises happen along the way—bomb drops that start via small explosions, then morph into larger denotations. Much like a musical composition that moves through frenzied moments into softer pauses and sweeping crescendos, Albom takes his reader on a journey fraught with emotion. It isn’t until the very end that I found myself contemplating the Christian elements. They won’t hit you over the head as you read, but when all is said and done, you’ll realize this is a story about God’s hand in our lives. About forgiveness and trust. The purity of true love. And those blue strings? Pure magic! Fans of music will not want to miss this one. Whether pop culture, classical, or twined with historical elements, music has been a driving, creative force throughout time. Step into this book and let Albom sweep you into a symphony that will linger long after the final curtain drops.
K**K
Definitely a book that should be heard rather than read.
I don't often listen to audiobooks - mostly because I tend to doze off, and then I lose my place. Or I get distracted and stop listening for a moment, and lose my place. Well, some books are just meant to be heard rather than read, and The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is definitely one of them. Read by the author but featuring a few famous names as themselves and other people (including Roger McGuinn, Ingrid Michaelson, John Pizzarelli, and Paul Stanley), it's a brilliant tale that meanders through the history of modern music. In this novel narrated by music, who introduces us to Frankie at the time of his death, Frankie Presto is a Spanish war orphan who is abandoned in a river. He goes on to become a musician comparable in fame to Elvis, the best guitarist who ever lived. Traveling to America in the bottom of a boat at the age of nine, his only possession is a guitar with six magic strings, and his only friend is a hairless dog who refuses to leave his side. When I first bought the ebook, I flipped through the first few pages and had to force myself to stop reading (since it wasn't that book's turn yet, and I try to stick to my list). The use of personified Music as narrator is really interesting stylistically, and I was fascinated with the musical terms that are used to describe the tempo of a day, the crescendo of an emotion and the pause of a rest. It gives the book a magical tone that meshes well with the magical realism of the unlikely coincidences that frame Frankie's life. Beginning at Frankie's funeral, I loved the intervals in which the people who knew him most intimately share the ways in which he affected their lives. Albom actually connected with the famous people whose lives he has inserted this fictional character into, and a lot of them contributed their own words to those sections to make them more authentic. It gives an added layer of richness to the story, and also gives a sense of the community of musicians that came together and played together and created the music that we know today. Towards the end, however, I felt that the story began to drag a little. As Frankie's career rises and then begins to fall, the denouement became depressing. However, right at the very end, Albom brings in an interesting device that ties everything together. It was neatly done, although I think that it could have been done a bit sooner. I don't want to give much away, but I was surprised by the ending, and my own predictions proved to be wrong - it was very clever. This is a brilliant audiobook, and the many voices who tell the story of Frankie Presto give it a richness and a variety that makes it a thrilling story to listen to. A book about music, narrated by music, is absolutely a book that should be heard rather than read, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Book Thief, All The Light We Cannot See, and the music of the 1950s-1980s.
J**S
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
The Magic Strings of Frankie Pres to is an extremely unique story. I was very confused in the beginning about who the narrator was. I almost put the book aside. Don't let the unusual beginning discourage you from reading this book. It is a great story, very real to be fiction. It's warm and loving, gentle and moving.
E**N
Another Wonderful read from Mitch Alcom!
Great read just like all his books! His books are so well written and I usually read one in a day or two which I like. Life can get busy and I may not get back to a book for weeks. I think I have a good majority of his writings and have yet to be disappointed.
L**A
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 becomes the magical storytelling narrator. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is an incredible story that is so factually detailed in nature, you could swear it is true. It is not just a book for music lovers, it's a love story, a mystery, a story of forgiveness, and a book about discovering who you are. It will pull at your heart strings as you relive all your musical memories as if you've stepped into the pages of one of the most amazing eras of musical history! "When a special someone lifts the curtain, you feel that chosen talent stirring inside you, a bursting passion to sing, paint, dance, bang on drums. And you are never the same." —Mitch Albom, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto "When you listen, you learn. Remember that. In music and in life." —Mitch Albom, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto "What would you give to remember everything? I have this power. I absorb your memories; when you hear me, you relive them. A first dance. A wedding. The song that played when you got the big news. No other talent gives your life a soundtrack. I am Music. I mark time." —Mitch Albom, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
M**E
A poignant novel of a great guitarist who touches lives in almost magical ways
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom is a poignant novel of a great guitarist who touches lives in almost magical ways. The story begins in Spain, 1936. Frankie Presto, orphaned at birth, is raised by the man who rescues him, then later by a blind musician who, in addition to teaching Frankie the guitar, teaches him about life. When Frankie is nine, his life changes drastically when he is sent to America in the bottom of a ship. The only thing he is able to take with him is an old guitar and six precious strings. The Voice of Music narrates the story, interspersed by such great musicians as Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams, Tony Bennett, and many more. Even Elvis makes an appearance. Frankie becomes a world-renowned musician, playing from classical to jazz to rock and roll. His magnificent talent touches numerous lives along the way. The story covers many years, beginning with World War II to present day. Its enriching wisdom makes this book a classic with thoughts such as: “Music is in the connection of human souls speaking a language that needs no words.” I’ve read and reviewed other excellent books by Mitch Albom, but this book is in a class by itself. Musicians, especially guitarists, will love this book. Actually, anyone who loves music will cherish this story. I highly recommend The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto.
S**E
Gripping
One of the most absolute beautiful books i have ever read, brought me to tears multiple times. Truly wholesome book
M**H
A Wonderful Read.
What a wonderful story. This is a book you'll want to add to your library. It is well written, thought provoking and has many little life lessons that you need to pay attention to. This is the first time I've ever read anything by Mitch Albom. After reading this book, I decided to add his works to my library. This isn't just one of those stories that stays with you, it is also one of those books that writers who aim to write well should read Albom's works because he is a great writer, and there are very few modern day writers that write very well. What I loved about this book is how every single character and moment intertwined with his life from beginning to end. It is a reminder that every little thing that happens in our lives happens for a reason. It is part of our greater design to helping us become the person we are meant to be. I highly recommend this book. It is inspiring. Also, there is an album entitled "The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto" that you can listen to as you read the book. It features a few of the songs mentioned in the book.
C**E
Just wonderful.
Oh, how I loved this book. from the very first page I was hooked. This has it all. Music, mystery and a classic love story, will keep you absorbed. The magic strings of Frankie Presto is told by Music, not the grim reaper as he informs us in the first chapter. The love story of Frankie and aurora is at the heart of the story. But not only that.it is the music which is described so well. I loved the way artists from the past and present are involved in Frankie's story, including Elvis, Tony Bennett and Hank Williams,to name just a few. I have loved everyone of Mitch Alboms books and am happy to say I was not disappointed with this one. I read it in a few days while I was on holiday. It is one of those stories that you want to start reading again as soon as you've finished it.
C**S
Pulls on your heartstrings, but makes your soul sing.
Brilliantly written, makes you fall in love with music all over again, and the souls behind the music.
V**O
Albom’s best book ever
One of the best books I’ve ever read.... Deep, intense, passionate, like music.
M**E
Best book ever
Definitely one of the best books I have ever read. It's not even a book...it is an experience, a gift, an absolute pleasure. What made this even better is it was recommended to by my daughter. Read this. You won't regret it.
V**T
wonderful
This is one of my favorites books! It's beautifully written and it even motivated me to practise more guitar.
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