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Finding the Raga

An Improvisation on Indian Music
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( 162 ratings, 30 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Finding the Raga by Amit Chaudhuri is a captivating exploration of the author's journey into Indian classical music. Through this memoir, Chaudhuri delves into how he discovers and interprets the world of the raga, blending his personal experiences with reflections on culture and identity. It's a lyrical and introspective narrative that bridges worlds of music and self-discovery.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're captivated by the exploration of Indian classical music and its intersection with personal and cultural identity. The author offers a reflective journey into his own musical awakening, blending personal memoir with deep insights into the nuances of raga. This narrative may appeal to those interested in the fusion of music, culture, and autobiographical storytelling.

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A revelatory and very personal exploration of Indian classical music from 'one of his generation's best writers' (Guardian). Winner of the 2022 James Tait Black Biography Award.

A revelatory and very personal exploration of Indian classical music from 'one of his generation's best writers' (Guardian).

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'Supple, intricate and uncompromising, full of delicate observation and insight, Amit Chaudhuri's Finding the Raga immerses us in the rigorous beauty and cosmology of Indian classical music. It is also a loving memoir about relationships and places, dedication and vocation.' - Geoff Dyer

By turns essay, memoir and cultural study, Finding the Raga is Amit Chaudhuri's singular account of his discovery of, and enduring passion for, North Indian music: an ancient, evolving tradition whose principles and practices will alter the reader's notion of what music might - and can - be.

Tracing the music's development, Finding the Raga dwells on its most distinctive and mysterious characteristics: its extraordinary approach to time, language and silence; its embrace of confoundment, and its ethos of evocation over representation. The result is a strange gift of a book, for musicians and music lovers, and for any creative mind in search of diverse and transforming inspiration.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571219117

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 April 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 228g

Pages: 272

About the Author

Amit Chaudhuri is the award-winning author of seven novels, including Friend of My Youth, as well as three books of essays, two of poems, and a collection of short stories. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He is a recorded performer in the Indian classical vocal tradition, a composer of experimental works, and was once a guitarist and songwriter in the American folk music style. Chaudhuri has performed at the Vortex, the London Jazz Festival, and Queen Elizabeth Hall and has given lecture-performances on his music at Columbia and Duke University.

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