by John Hersey
First published 1991
In 1699, the legendary luthier Antonio Stradivari crafts a magnificent violin, naming it Antonietta after his secret love. Over the centuries, this bewitching instrument winds through the hands of iconic composers like Mozart, Berlioz, and Stravinsky, shaping the very course of classical music. But Antonietta's journey culminates on Martha's Vineyard, where a wealthy but tone-deaf financier buys the violin to boost his cultural cachet, unaware of its storied past. Hersey's sweeping novel is a captivating ode to the timeless power of music.
Genres: art, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, music
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, lyrical
Tropes: historical-romance, sweeping-saga
324 pages · Paperback · Knopf