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46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This should be required reading !!!!!, November 3, 2001
I purchased this book last year from amazon .uk.I have read it three times ,and each time I discover something new.In today's world it is difficult to find a well rounded person,especially if that person is a TENOR,with egos big as all outdoors.Egos that seemingly need to be constantly fed.He is a wonder.Talented in various ways,his writings are as artful as his singing.Add to that the ability to compose,write poetry,give of himself to worthy causes,constantly studying to be "accepted"and recognized as a legitimate opera singer,committed to his family,well read,and above all,meeting the challenge of sightlessness.Achieving success,breaking records consistently,he recognizes what he perceives to be his failings.He writes about those perceptions in an honest,straightforward manner,offering no excuses.In a humble way,he tells the tale.The story flows,as water in a stream the time passes,and you suddenly realize you have been so engrossed in this life story,it is long past your bedtime.The Music of Silence is more than a good read.I put the book down relucantly,feeling like I had stepped out of Bocelli's life,back into my own.Very few writers have enough self confidence to expose their innermost feelings for all the world to see.How ironic it is that Bocelli,who cannot see with his eyes,does so with his heart.He has met the challenges in his life,and continues to do so.In the best sense of the word,he is a reminder that we can do the same.Bravo,Andrea,and everyone else who reads this book and accepts their own challenges. !!!!!!!
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40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Andrea Bocelli's book is inspirational and frank..., October 17, 2001
Note: I purchased this Harper Collins book, but my review is based on the reading of the Virgin Publication (same text & translator). This book will not teach you anything about opera or even music for that matter. We get something much better; a frank and introspective story of a life (so far), one full of all those things which make each one of us ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. The story of a man who never let go of his dreams, even when time and many other obstacles lay in his path. It shows how important a wise and loving family and caring friends can be in the big scheme of things. In this case, the life of a man whose voice has captivated millions of fans, myself included.
It is a rare glimpse into a man's conscience, not just in it's bright and shiny refined state of maturity, but in the beginnings when we all strive to determine who we are and make our own way. Andrea shares openly incidents in his life where retrospect reveals mistakes and misguided notions. He comes out the other end of self-discovery with a philosophy and attitude towards life to be admired. He shows that one cannot merely "wish" for something to be so. Effort and action need to accompany any goals in life, and is courageous in his quest. The seed of an idea to become a singer grew through the years, instead of fading. It is a book of hope, which should inspire even the most jaded of souls, who have given up their dreams merely because the passage of time has dimmed their flame. On page 115, he writes: "every man distinguishes himself by his unique qualities, but all men resemble each other in their defects, which are universal." Reading this book, you will come to know the boy and the man from Tuscany whose life is infinitely unique, just as we all are. Just as we all resemble each other. If you admire this man for his voice, or just want to read an amazing, inspiring story, written by a man not afraid to reveal his mistakes or insecurities, alongside his most proud moments, I recommend this book. Then you can go learn more about opera!
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Gladsome, Modest Memoir!, December 20, 2001
By A Customer
This is the memoir music-lovers have waited for. This liquid golden-voiced Italian tenor from Tuscany, tells of his blindness & how music soothed him; of his struggles as a boy to live a normal life; his studies to become a lawyer & how he found his world-class voice. Andrea Bocelli is a refreshingly simple, humble fellow imbued with love, humor & a sense of the Grand Adventure. Andrea Bocelli wrote this memoir himself on a special Braille computer, without a ghostwriter & Stanislav Pugliese translated it into English. This is the angel who sang for Mayor Juiliani during a Memorial for those who perished in the September 11 attacks & I only wish there had been a CD of his favorite songs attached to this memoir.
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