Review of Heart and Harmony: Poetic Reflections on Legendary Singers

[Jaadugar Yadu]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Heart and Harmony: Poetic Reflections on Legendary Singers" by Archie Luper.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Heart and Harmony, by Archie Luper, is an ambitious book, and one could easily argue that it is as dissonant as it is consonant. Still, with the profound empathy of a poet and the zeal of a music aficionado, Luper composes the harmony with ink, delicate and vast. The book is a sensual experience of synaesthesia combining vision and hearing as two lovers. Luper does not just narrate the music; he embodies it.

This is not just a book about singers; it is a journey through the territories of the feelings of singers themselves. Luper doesn't merely narrate; he emulates the great musicians, living their lives, becoming them as they climb the heights and sink to the depths. Every poem is like a composition, and Luper is the maestro who coordinates the song of the emotions. The lines of the verses have a very musical sound, so that even their rhythm resembles the beat of a song, and vivid images are depicted. In this sense, it appears that the author has captured the spirit of a live performance and frozen it within the written word.

The information about Luper is not only narrated in poetic terms but constructed in poetic ways. He goes deep into the souls of such celebrities, revealing the desire and fear that were driving them throughout their careers. It brings a psychological aspect to the poems, and the once easily recognizable characters become mysterious riddles with sublime melancholy. It was very good at editing. Honestly, there was no part that I disliked. However, this does not mean that the book is completely free from flaws. The interplay of the scientific/critical approach to the music and the lyricism is always precarious, and there are times when the writing becomes overly intellectualized. However, such occurrences are a bit limited, and all in all, the book has a profound impact.

In this context, it can be said that language can break barriers and unite people to the level of the human soul. It is a book that cries out to be reread because its significance is concealed until the second or third time that one sits down to read it. For those willing to sign up for this lyrically dense odyssey, the payoff is equally deep and multilayered. Heart and Harmony will be rated 5 out of 5 stars from me.

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Heart and Harmony: Poetic Reflections on Legendary Singers
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