Customer Reviews

How Can We Keep from Singing: Music and the Passionate Life

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Reading this book is like eating popcorn. Once you get started, it's impossible to stop. On every page you will find surprising insights into nothing less than the meaning and purpose of life. Goldsmith tells us that passion is more important than money and then explains why. She says that not only is it OK to pursue our creative inclinations, but it is actually necessary for our spiritual health. And she is talking directly to us, the 'not famous'. This book is just filled with optimism and wit. Guess what: the world actually needs us! She uses intimate details of her personal life in the way of illustration, and we can see that her life is not that different from ours. There's good and bad, success and failure, lessons learned, friendships, love, creativity and passion. This is an important book in a world where most of us feel alienated.

For anyone who enjoys singing,--in glee clubs, choirs, at parties, or in the shower, this book will delight with its look behind and before the scenes of singing. There are passages of encouragement as well as more professional information on vocal techniques, especially for use in choral work. Intriguing glimpses of prominent conductors and concert settings are meshed with candid and warm observations about fellow musicians and about the author's personal life. I thought it was well-written and fun to read.

I've sung chorally since early in grade school, quit during the graduate years and growing a family, and when "catastrophe" hit (job, marriage, home loss- simultaneously; like the author), I also found a deep grounding in knowing that there was "rehearsal on Monday nights".

I'd not previously drawn parallels between singing and life. I just didn't recognize the metaphors.

But I've learned from this author's ability to do so, and I am grateful for her insights. I feel enriched in that way.

I've spent a bunch of time in spiritual literature. meditation, and in prayer; I've dedicated time to singing (yes- auditioned choruses; semi-paid choir gigs) but the parallels never crytallized.

They do for me in this book. I'm thankful for her awakening me to ways of relating singing to aspects of my daily life, enhancing my memories, and enriching my future in singing. And in looking for the parallels in life.

It is fun- to have my life's most significantly enjoyable times tied to how I was/am actually living; and see the relationships!

Before I go, in my view, the professional/commercial reviews of this book on Amazon and elsewhere were patronizing; assuming that the goal was a "professional" career and an apologetic for its failure.

Couldn't be further from the truth. There was not much, if any, recognition of the idea that this might have been a labor of genuine love and portrayal of amateur singing!

Or that any of the professional reviewers managed to find out the latin root of "amateur".

Goldsmith writes with eloquence and grace, translating the lessons from her life's passion -- music -- to life itself. Though surely every singer and musician will identify, her book is for all of us who have a passion, from amateur athletics to gardening, sculpting to woodworking. Poignant, funny, vibrant and affirming, Goldsmith's words are worth savoring.

I sing in the Minnesota Chorale with Joan, and she read part of her book to us tonight. To hear her speak with that much passion was an inspiration to us all - there were tears and thunderous applause. I just bought the book and so can't truly speak for the contents - but I can speak plenty about the woman who wrote the book, and that is recommendation in itself. I can't wait to get reading!

This is a very good book, definitely worth reading. The writer manages to inspire readers to take passionate risks and never feel its to late to live one's dream. I recommend that anybody in the "seeking" mood check this book out!

My typical reaction in situations when I didn't succeed, when I made mistakes, was to run away. I would stop doing the activity (change jobs, refuse to play softball again, etc.) Thus, I used to hide and pretend that I knew what I was doing in choir rehersal. But I came to realize that I couldn't sing out if I was afraid of making a mistake. And the best way to do that is to not hide my mistakes, but to try to learn from them, asking questions. That the point about rehersing is to practice - and that making mistakes is part of that (and part of life). Joan Oliver Goldsmith has been there, and has learned to learn from her mistakes. Reading her book helped me learn from mine.

Perhaps I'm being too cruel. This was a "Nice" book. Ms Goldsmith has thoughtfuly considered the activity which gives her the most joy in life: emotionally, philisophically and even technically (from a layman's point-of-view). I felt as if I was reading her diary...that the diary had been written with me peering over her shoulder. I was very uncomfortable with that--as if she was waiting for my acknowlegement or approval.
The subtitle speaks of 'Music and the Passionate Life', but Ms Goldsmith's writing implies that she's seeking little more than comfort in life. Ho-hum.
Exploration of human experience or gooey sentiment? I prefer mine dry, I suppose. Make me laugh, make me cry, just don't expect for me to sit still when you rattle on....