Set against the bustling New York music scene, this kaleidoscopic, atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of God of the Woods explores the myriad ways that music can shape a person’s life.
“Sweet, wistful, artfully arranged: like the best mix tape anyone ever made for you. . . . [Moore is] a writer capable of capturing a character or scene with one or two luminous details.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Lyrical and powerful . . . These beautifully rendered characters are melodies that echo in your head, chords that reverberate in your heart, and long after you’ve turned the last page, you can still hear the audience calling for an encore.”—Bret Anthony Johnston, author of Corpus Christi
The Words of Every Song is an original debut novel in the form of fourteen linked episodes, each centered on a person involved with the music industry in some fashion. From the arrogantly hip twenty-six-year-old A&R man whose deep unhappiness leads him to make impulsive career choices to the rising young singer-songwriter in love with Kurt Cobain; from the established, arena-filling rock star on the verge of a midlife crisis to the type-A female executive with a heavy social calendar and an ex-girlfriend she can’t stop thinking about—each character comes to vibrant life as they navigate New York City and the relentless demands of the music industry.
Inspired by Liz Moore’s own experiences in the music world and set in the sleek offices, high-tech recording studios, and grungy downtown clubs of New York, The Words of Every Song offers an authenticity that rings true in its depiction of the music industry and its denizens.
“Sweet, wistful, artfully arranged: like the best mix tape anyone ever made for you. . . . [Moore is] a writer capable of capturing a character or scene with one or two luminous details.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Lyrical and powerful . . . These beautifully rendered characters are melodies that echo in your head, chords that reverberate in your heart, and long after you’ve turned the last page, you can still hear the audience calling for an encore.”—Bret Anthony Johnston, author of Corpus Christi
The Words of Every Song is an original debut novel in the form of fourteen linked episodes, each centered on a person involved with the music industry in some fashion. From the arrogantly hip twenty-six-year-old A&R man whose deep unhappiness leads him to make impulsive career choices to the rising young singer-songwriter in love with Kurt Cobain; from the established, arena-filling rock star on the verge of a midlife crisis to the type-A female executive with a heavy social calendar and an ex-girlfriend she can’t stop thinking about—each character comes to vibrant life as they navigate New York City and the relentless demands of the music industry.
Inspired by Liz Moore’s own experiences in the music world and set in the sleek offices, high-tech recording studios, and grungy downtown clubs of New York, The Words of Every Song offers an authenticity that rings true in its depiction of the music industry and its denizens.
Author
Liz Moore
Liz Moore is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Long Bright River, which was a Good Morning America Book Club Pick and one of Barack Obama’s favorite books of the year, as well as the acclaimed novels Heft and The Unseen World. A winner of the 2014-2015 Rome Prize in Literature, she lives in Philadelphia.
Learn More about Liz Moore
