Hidden Nugget of the Week: "The Words of Every Song" by Liz Moore

I'm one of those people who says they like to read, but when it comes to actually doing the footwork, I have been a bit lazy lately. One of the last full books I've read was singer/ songwriter Liz Moore's 2007 debut novel about handling success and failure in the music industry. The book contains 14 chapters, each summarizing the life of a different character, as they intertwine in various ways throughout the book. Every aspect of the music industry is represented, from the rock star who tries to be a good father to his young daughters, to the college pot head trying to get his demos exposed. Each story is carefully constructed with some characters more important, and frankly more interesting, than the others. For me the most touching of all the stories is the one featuring Tony, the middle aged sound man who walked out on his wife and realizes he wants her back, and Cynthia, the lesbian secretary whose ex-girlfriend is now America's hottest pop star. Moore's writing is a narrative poetry that avoids long elaborate paragraphs, and sticks to the essential plot points that are surprisingly poignant, given the author's abruptness. There are sometimes when Moore covers ten years of a character's life in two sentences, but you accept this because the payoff is always worth it. For those who know music well, the novel works on a whole different level, but everyone can appreciate this moving piece of literature. Moore's storytelling ability is truly a hidden gem in the world of fiction.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Everyone, especially those who like good short novels.
THEORY: Although all of the characters are fictional, the character of rising pop singer Lenore Lamont bears a striking resemblance to Leona Lewis, who was on the rise as this book was written.