"A fascinating collection of conversations. . . . The unpretentious and engaging dialogues between passionate artists–the bewitching writer in whose novels music plays a prominent part and the indefatigable, amiable conductor–make the pages fly." –
The New York Times "Highly entertaining. . . . A book that opens a new side of [Murakami's] authorial persona." –
San Francisco Chronicle "
Absolutely on Music is an unprecedented treasure. . . . Talking about music is like dancing about architecture, it's often said, but what joy to watch these two friends dance." –
The Guardian "Enthralling. . . . What comes through in these conversations is the devotion both men feel for music; the degree to which every detail of a work matters to them." –
The Seattle Times "Fascinating. . . . [Murakami's] preparation and curiosity draw out Mr. Ozawa wonderfully." –
The Wall Street Journal "An enviable word picture of the artistic life of two men at the top of their professional games. . . . [
Absolutely on Music] offers so much that bears re-reading and considering." –
The Washington Times "Irresistibly seductive." –
Evening Standard "Refreshingly honest and enthusiastic, a mental sampler from both the writer and the musician." –
The Buffalo News "The book shines as a deep exploration into how a conductor does his job and how performer personalities, logistical factors, and mundane bureaucracies can change an orchestra's sound." –
The New Republic "Intriguing insights about the nature of music. . . . In some ways, these conversations are
High Fidelity for classical music fans." –
Publishers Weekly "A strange and delightful book. . . . [Murakami] describes music with rich and suggestive metaphors and images that capture something essential about the spirit of the music." –
The Christian Science Monitor