Helene Grimaud, Wild Harmonies

Wild Harmonies

Helene Grimaud

Riverhead, September 2006, $24.95

ISBN: 1594489270

WILD HARMONIES is an insightful delightful "Un" autobiography that breaks the rules of chronological order most books in that genre follow. Instead, the renowned French pianist is all over the place, yet contains enough discipline so that the reader can follow her story. Most interesting is the combining of a love for music with a love for wolves. The music started as an unmanageable and unpredictable child in France, while the love of wolves began as an adult in Florida when she met her neighbor's she-wolf. As she did, with the piano Helene Grimaud became an obsessed fanatic who has opened up a wolverine conservatory in Upstate New York.

Readers will appreciate the sidebar reflections as Ms. Grimaud relates her life with music freeing her from a dull un-life, though she has always refused to perform anyway but her style. The isobar lateral entries on the history of wolves in Europe and America add to the feel of a deep zealous uncompromising autobiography that is not for everyone, from an author who would say so what, as long as Ms. Grimaud believes she has remained true to her essence. Not an easy memoir to read, but well written and worth the time to comprehend the odd passionate combination of a "Life of Music and Wolves".