Book cover of Quartet

Book description

*WINNER OF THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY STORYTELLING AWARD*
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2023*

The lives, loves, adventures and trailblazing musical careers of four extraordinary women from a stunning debut biographer.

'Fabulous.' Sunday Times 'A rare gift.' Financial Times 'Passionate ... Vivid ... Timely.' Telegraph 'Readable…


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Why read it?

1 author picked Quartet as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

As the title suggests, this group biography is not so much a patchwork as an expertly conducted harmony. Broad transports us to the turn of the 20th century, and into the lives of four musical impresarios: Ethel Smyth, Rebecca Clarke, Dorothy Howell and Doreen Carwithen. All four entered the music world at a time when women were not openly welcomed as professionals. Broad’s description of their diverse characters, trials and triumphs is at once richly told and deeply satisfying. We get to know Ethel, the strong-willed, trailblazing bisexual composer of operas, who went everywhere with her half-St Bernard dog and…

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On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

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