How someone with his hurdles had the fortitude to persevere and do what he needed to be free--secretly attain literacy, escape slavery and gain an international following--speaks to his genius. Yes, he had his grandiose moments, but wouldn't one require that, to achieve what he did? His scathing indictment of the United States' version of Christianity is completely apropos today, as is the gut-wrenching poem, "A Parody", at the end of the book.
If you are a serious musician, well-versed in all of the intricacies of Mozart's compositions, this book might really strike a chord (ha!) with you. I expected a little more biography, which is there, but sketchily, in my view. There was quite a bit of supposition about why he wrote what he wrote and what he was feeling due to the goings-on around him, but of course we don't know the reality of any of that. The writer is a poet and it did, at times, feel a bit like a poetry book with a lot more flowery talk than the straight scoop. Not my jam. (Sorry, I couldn't help it.)
Special Ed teacher Torey Hayden taught the kids that no other teacher would take, and had a history of success despite her (or maybe because of) her outside-the-box style of classroom management. One day she was notified that she would be adding to her classroom a six year old who had committed a heinous crime, until a space was available at the state hospital. This story tells the tale of her introduction to Sheila, the challenge(s) in reaching her, and the breakthrough that occurred due to her relentless pursuit of a connection. I couldn't put it down. There is a sequel, and I got it for Christmas--gotta go read!
