“Highly entertaining … Hilarious … A must-read.” Classical Music magazine
“A revalationary exposure of the conductor’s darkest hours, with an utterly philoprogenitive Castanea of musical chestnuts, delightfully spread over the Maestro’s early growth. Painfully perceptive but not too serious—read, inwardly digest, but don’t drop the baton yet.” Sir Neville Marriner
“This is a must for any would-be conductor—of an orchestra, electricity or a bus. Brilliant because it’s both serious and funny.” Sir Ronald Harwood
Readers’ comments and Amazon reviews
“Very funny … there are very, very few books that have genuinely made me laugh out loud more than once.” Alastair Bamford
“Wonderful fun for anyone who has ever sat in an orchestra, been to a concert, or who has a sense of humour.” Meriel A
“Not many books make me properly laugh out loud but this one did, and a laugh does you good, so read it for the good of your health. It might even get you a nice bit of elbow room on the Tube. I was reading it on an Underground journey where one section in particular made me snort loudly with laughter. A proper snort, like a hog.” Jane P
“A highly entertaining read with many laugh out loud moments.” Tom Hardy
“The narrative sparkles with wit and colour … I was either howling with delight or chuckling in sympathy.” Laura P