Books and beyond

Wondrous Strange: The Life and Art of Glenn Gould by Kevin Bazzana

Famed classical pianist Glenn Gould would have made an interesting subject for a biography even if he wasn’t well-known. World-famous from his teens, Gould was arguably the most sought-after pianist of his generation, when he abruptly decided to retire from performing at the age of 32, choosing instead to devote himself to a life of recording. Notorious for his eccentricities, Gould was a world-class hypochondriac who was fond of singing along with his piano (to the delight or chagrin of his listening audience, depending on whom you asked). A great lover of the Canadian far north, Gould was a prolific writer, interviewer and technology enthusiast. Dead by the age of 50, Gould continues to inspire fascination, and this well-written book gives a sympathetic, but unsentimental overview of the man still called one of the greatest pianists of the last one hundred years.