[Book Review] Johann Sebastian Bach by Rick Marschall

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I've never been one for classical music, but this series of books being put out by Thomas Nelson publishers intrigued me as they seek to show the Christianity of many famous figures throughout history. As a homeschool dad, I thought that maybe this book would also be useful in homeschooling in the future. Biographies are important in learning about our past and people who have shaped history. However, as I started reading this book, I had a real hard time getting into it. The author seems more intent on setting the background of Bach, rather than talking about Bach himself. The author obviously has a love for Bach's music, but takes a long time getting to talking about Bach himself. We do find out about Bach growing up in the church, growing up around music, and what his family life was like eventually, but it still seems a side note in the larger story. I do like how his Christianity is played up into his music, as Bach did see his music as evangelistic. The book is small, less than 200 pages, and could be read in a sitting, if one so desires, but it will not be an easy read. It could be the author's style or just the way he organized the content. If you like biographies and want a short one on a musical composer, feel free to read it. It could be useful as a resource, but it wasn't enjoyable.

This book was provided free by Thomas Nelson as part of their Booksneeze blogging review program.