Austin is the live music capital of the world, and as such, is full of musicians. It is also full of those who have turned their passion into a career that might not be on the stage, but is just as inspired by music.
Ann McCutchan is the former music critic for the Austin American Statesman and a current professor of creative writing at the University of North Texas. She's also the author of two non-fiction books delving into the creative process of music. This year, she has two new books, both once again focused on music, but each with a twist.
The first is River Music: An Atchafalaya Story. A biography of Louisiana musician Earl Robicheaux, McCutchan uses Robicheaux as a guide through the Atchafalaya River Basin, making the book a profile of both person and place. In Robicheaux's struggles to perfect his art, fight cancer, and rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, the story of the land and all the creatures living within it is also told. McCutchan gives a voice to each, blending genres with great skill.
In Circular Breathing: Meditations from a Musical Life, McCutchan uses those same skills to explore her own life in a collection of personal essays. Defining her own personal relationship with music while at the same time asking universal questions, she remembers her childhood in Florida, and reveals how she dealt with not being able to have children herself. From her parents' death to her marriage, nothing is off limits. And ultimately, it is words and music which McCutchan finds are no cure for sorrow, but certainly offer a comforting consolation.
Tonight at 7 pm, McCutchan will be at BookPeople to talk about each of her new books, and sign copies which have been purchased from the store. For those who love music, an event that blends its sweet melodies with a range of subjects to create a symphony of intriguing literature.
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