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Overture

Unmoored by childhood tragedy, a musical prodigy comes to terms with a life well lived in the new novel from Pulitzer Prize-winner Barbara Kingsolver. Read by Laurel Lefkow.

A novel of love, longing and community from Pulitzer and Women's Prize-winning author Barbara Kingsolver.

Overture: When an ex calls out of the blue, farmer鈥檚 wife and piano teacher Livia Bohusz must confront childhood tragedy, the agonies of first love and the brutal incident that ended her music career.

"A partita will never be all happy rondos, or all andantes in a minor key. You鈥檒l usually have a prelude, a thrilling allemande, maybe a slow, sexy sarabande - the contrast is the point. The parts are all different, and the artist鈥檚 work is to make them all add up to a something that feels whole.鈥�

Read by Laurel Lefkow
Abridged by Rosemary Goring
Produced by Eilidh McCreadie

Barbara Kingsolver is the author of books DEMON COPPERHEAD, THE POISONWOOD BIBLE and ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE as well as essays, journalism and poetry. She grew up in rural Kentucky, travelled the world and lived for nearly two decades in Tucson, Arizona, before moving back to southern Appalachia. Since 2004, she and her husband have raised their family and farmed in southwestern Virginia, in the mountains she considers her home territory.

Release date:

14 minutes

On radio

Monday 22:45

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Broadcast

  • Monday 22:45