The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

"Everyone joins a band in this life.  You are born into your first one.  Your mother plays the lead.  She shares the stage with your father and siblings......As life goes on you will join other bands, some through friendship, some through romance, some through neighborhoods, schools, an army.....But, in each band you join you will play a distinct part, and it will affect you as much as you affect it."

Mitch Albom has written this wonderfully sweet love story into his new novel, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, in such a creative, fun, musical style. Since he made his writing debut with Tuesdays With Morrie, which was such a popular book, I think this is his next best publication.  This is a sweet story of the love between a parent and a child and between a man and a woman.  It is also about the strength of love between between a man and his musical talent and a musician and his adoring public.

This story is narrated by "Music".  It is told in wonderful prose using all the terms used to create music as the elements that compose a persons life story.  Frankie Presto begins life in Spain as a lost child, spending time in an orphanage and being rescued by a factory owner, Baffa Rubio.  When his adoptive father wants him to have the very best in life he takes him to an old, broken guitarist. Now blind and drinking to forget his sorrows, Francisco Tarrega, who Frankie will only know as "El Maestro", the once famous guitarist teaches Frankie everything he knows.

The book is written starting at the end of Frankie's life, as people are gathering to pay their respects to the rock star, Frankie Presto, at his funeral.  The story is told in flashbacks alternating with the main plot by Music, "I am Music.  I am here for the soul of Frankie Presto.  Not all of it.  Just the rather large part he took from me when he came into the world.  However well used, I am a loan, not a possession.  You give me back upon departure."

Interwoven are interludes by all the famous musicians who crossed paths with Frankie during his career.  Such greats as Burt Bacharach, Lyle Lovett, Wynton Marsalis and Tony Bennett.  Each has a chance as they are coming into the funeral pallor to talk about their relationship and connection with Frankie.

And of course we cannot forget the love of his life, Aurora.  They met as children and their on and off again relationship spans their entire lives.  They are members of a band that can never really break up.  Their band comes together and pulls apart and then regroups in different configurations all through the book.  It is the musical composition that flows throughout the book.  In the book love stories are described as a symphonies, with an Allegro beginning, quick and spirited, an Adagio section, a Minuet/Scherzo part and the Rondo, which is the repeating theme.

Once you pick up this novel to read you will not want to put it down till the music ends.