Ravel: A Novel

Ravel: A Novel

<div><I>Ravel</I> is a beguiling and original evocation of the last ten years in the life of the musical genius Ravel, written by novelist Jean Echenoz.<BR><BR>The book opens in 1928 as Maurice Ravel—dandy, eccentric, curmudgeon—crosses the Atlantic abroad the luxury liner the <I>SS France</I> to begin his triumphant grand tour of the United States. A “master magician of the French novel” (<I>The Washington Post</I>), Echenoz captures the folly of the era as well as its genius, including Ravel’s personal life—sartorially and socially splendid—as well as his most successful compositions from 1927 to 1937.<br><BR>Illuminated by flashes of Echenoz’s characteristically sly humor, <I>Ravel</I> is a delightfully quirky portrait of a famous musician coping with the ups and downs of his illustrious career. It is also a beautifully written novel that’s a deeply touching farewell to a dignified and lonely man going reluctantly into the night.<BR></div>