"A fascinating collection of conversations. . . . The unpretentious and engaging dialogues between passionate artists--the bewitching writer in whose novels music plays a prominent part and the indefatigable, amiable conductor--make the pages fly." --
The New York Times "Highly entertaining. . . . A book that opens a new side of [Murakami's] authorial persona." --
San Francisco Chronicle "
Absolutely on Music is an unprecedented treasure. . . . Talking about music is like dancing about architecture, it's often said, but what joy to watch these two friends dance." --
The Guardian "Enthralling. . . . What comes through in these conversations is the devotion both men feel for music; the degree to which every detail of a work matters to them." --
The Seattle Times "Fascinating. . . . [Murakami's] preparation and curiosity draw out Mr. Ozawa wonderfully." --
The Wall Street Journal "An enviable word picture of the artistic life of two men at the top of their professional games. . . . [
Absolutely on Music] offers so much that bears re-reading and considering." --
The Washington Times "Irresistibly seductive." --
Evening Standard "Refreshingly honest and enthusiastic, a mental sampler from both the writer and the musician." --
The Buffalo News "The book shines as a deep exploration into how a conductor does his job and how performer personalities, logistical factors, and mundane bureaucracies can change an orchestra's sound." --
The New Republic "Intriguing insights about the nature of music. . . . In some ways, these conversations are
High Fidelity for classical music fans." --
Publishers Weekly "A strange and delightful book. . . . [Murakami] describes music with rich and suggestive metaphors and images that capture something essential about the spirit of the music." --
The Christian Science Monitor
