Struggling for Perfection: The Story of Glenn Gould

By Vladimir Konieczny

Junior Non-Fiction

Reviewed by Kirsty from the Manitou branch

    This book is a junior biography of the great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. It provides a thorough overview of his life and its notable events.  A good portion of this book focuses on Gould's early years as a boy in Depression-era Toronto.  It speak to relatable events this gifted musician experienced, including a difficulty fitting in at school, developing a social conscience beyond that of his family of origin, and his deep love for his mother.  The book also delves into aspects of Gould's life which are, arguably, more unique to a child prodigy, including his propensity toward hypervigilance to his health, specifically, the safety of his hands, which only became more extreme as he aged.  

    I enjoyed the mix of historical photos and illustrations interspersed with the text.  I found the added historical tidbits fascinating, particularly the story of how J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations were commissioned and the details surrounding Gould's controversial time spent in the Soviet Union during the Cold War.  Although an older book in SCRL's collection, this book remains an excellent resource for a late elementary school book study of a famous Canadian artist.

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