Fortyoneyearold edgar drake seems an unlikely protagonist for a bildungsroman. The piano tuner participates in a tradition of literary works that try to fathom colonized cultures vastly different from the authors own. It immerses the reader in a distant world with startling immediacy and ardor. Nov, 2015 daniel mason received his bachelors degree in biology from harvard in 1998 and spent a year studying malaria on the thaimyanmar border, where much of the piano tuner was written. It was first published in 2002 when mason was 26 and was his first novel. A far country was shortlisted for the james tait black memorial prize and the northern california book award. He wrote his first novel, the piano tuner, while still a medical student. In 1886, a piano tuner called edgar drake, living a quiet life in london with his regular work and his subdued, affectionate wife, is summoned by the war office to travel to burma. He studied medicine at the university of california, san francisco. Sep 12, 2018 and in another, he is a fiction writer who, nearly two decades ago, published, at 26, while still in medical school, his first novel, the piano tuner, which describes the journey of a man. The piano tuner by daniel mason 2003, paperback for sale. If this book is not expressing everything, what am i doing. Edgar drake, a piano tuner living in victorian london, is commissioned by the army to travel to burma to fix the piano of surgeonmajor carroll.
May 5, 2020 nine tales of human endurance, accomplishment, and epiphany told with style and brio. The piano tuner and the far country, hes extraordinarily. In briefing edgar drake about anthony carroll, colonel killian tells him, there are men who get lost in the rhetoric of our imperial destiny, that we conquer not to gain land and wealth but to spread culture and civilization p. A registry of my passage upon the earth, will be published in 2020. I have been a daniel mason fan since the piano tuner. Historical fiction is a guilty pleasure for many readers. An extraordinary first novel that tells the story of a british piano tuner sent deep into burma in the nineteenth century. Daniel mason, a 26yearold american, began writing this, his first novel, while studying. Daniel mason s debut novel, the piano tuner, is the mesmerizing story of edgar drake, commissioned by the british war office in 1886 to travel to hostile burma to. On a misty london afternoon in 1886, piano tuner edgar drake receives a strange request from the war office. He is currently a medical student at the university of california, san francisco. Godshalks brilliant historical novel about the east indies, kalimantaan, this is the tale of a british man who leaves home to encounter aspects of empire in the colonies.
The piano tuner was the basis for a 2004 opera of the same name composed by nigel osborne to a libretto by amanda holden and is also due to be released as a film in 2018, directed by charlie stratton. His fourth book, a registry of my passage upon the earth, will be published in may, 2020. In mildmannered london, 188687, piano tuner edgar drake is persuaded by the british war office to travel to mandalay and beyond, during the third of a succession of angloburmese wars, to fulfill a strange request from an army surgeonmajor serving in burma. The piano tuner is a book that is rich in details about burma. With this promising debut, mason now joins the ranks of jonathan safran foer and nick mcdonnell in the under30 set of. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on the piano tuner by daniel mason.
The piano tuner, by daniel mason, is a mysterious and mesmerizing tale of adventure set in the jungles of 19thcentury burma at the height of the shan rebellion. When it comes to novels, if you like exotically set tales, this may be the right fit for you. Fortyoneyearold edgar drake seems an unlikely protagonist for a. Sent to southeast asia by the british war office, edgars been tasked with tuning a rare piano while the shan revolt and other conflicts rage. San jose mercury news a smart, entertaining adventure. Mildmannered piano tuner edgar drake seems like an odd hero to lead us through a story about 19thcentury burma. In october 1886, edgar drake receives a strange request from the british war office. They reach home and close the door and he doesnt drop her hand. The piano tuner i thought the concept was great but the writer is immature in his craft.
A few strongly coloured, curious images hang in the mind from this intriguing and alluring first novel. In his first story collection, he shows how quickly and completely he can immerse readers in. Edgar drake is the main character in this novel and he works as a piano tuner. The piano tuner is the first full length novel of fiction from daniel mason. Jan 11, 2003 the piano tuner by daniel mason picador. The piano belongs to surgeonmajor anthony carroll, an enigmatic british officer. Drakes subsequent journey across europe, the red sea and. Daniel masons debut novel, the piano tuner, is the mesmerizing story of edgar drake, commissioned by the british war office in 1886 to travel to hostile burma to repair a rare erard grand piano vital to the crowns strategic interests. This is not how it is in the books, he thinks, or in the theater, and he feels the need to speak of mission, of duty, of love. His writing has been translated into 28 languages, adapted for opera and stage and shortlisted for the james tait black memorial prize and the northern california book award.
On assignment for the british war office, edgar drake, an unassuming, introverted tuner of pianos, is sent to india to work on a valuable instrument. Incidentally that was the first piano tuning book i ever had, edition 1946 and although quite old and batter i still keep it. A telegraph operator finds an unexpected companion in the middle of the amazon. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the piano tuner. Daniel mason audio books, best sellers, author bio. The beauty of daniel mason s new novel, the winter soldier, persists even through scenes of unspeakable agony. Forsters a passage to india, joseph conrads heart of darkness, or george orwells shooting an elephant.
The piano tuner is a novel of journeys and the shifting grounds of perception, but at heart it is a story of the human urge to be absorbed fully into life, to cease to be a bystander, to be thrust into the essential dreamscape of human strivings. Letters, military documents, official reports, stories told on a ship or a train or the back of a horse or in a bamboo. Michiko kakutani, the new york times in 1886 a shy, middleaged piano tuner named edgar drake receives an unusual commission from. Daniel masons debut novel, the piano tuner, is the mesmerizing story of edgar drake, commissioned by the british war office in 1886 to travel to hostile burma to. Buy a cheap copy of the piano tuner book by daniel mason. In the late 1800s an english piano tuner, edgar drake, is called upon by his country to travel to burma during a time of upheaval to tune the piano of an eccentric military surgeon. Mar 12, 2020 the piano tuner is a novel of journeys and the shifting grounds of perception, but at heart it is a story of the human urge to be absorbed fully into life, to cease to be a bystander, to be thrust into the essential dreamscape of human strivings. The piano tuner by daniel mason books the guardian.
He is the author of the piano tuner and a far country. His short stories and essays have appeared in harpers, zoetrope. His abilities as a storyteller and a writer of the most gorgeous prose leave you wanting more. He was raised in palo alto, california, and received a ba in biology from harvard university, later graduating from the ucsf school of medicine. The first half of the book details his trip, and while mason s descriptions of the steamships and trains of europe and. From the bestselling, awardwinning author of the winter soldier and the piano tuner, a collection of interlaced tales of men and women as they face the mysteries and magic of the world on a fateful flight, a balloonist makes a discovery that changes her life forever. The piano tuner s offerings of engaging history, drama and largescale thematic rumination seem even more impressive when one considers that mason is only 26, and that he wrote the novel while a fulltime medical student. With a physicians precision and an artists eye, author daniel mason the piano tuner captures the emotional and physical upheaval wrought by war. What features does daniel mason s novel share with such predecessors as e. The piano tuner is a historical novel by daniel mason, set in british india and burma. I know little of military matters, said edgar drake. The piano tuner said nothing, and the colonel shifted slightly in his seat. Now this time for seeing how the story enhances the setting.
The year is 1886, and england is at the height of its colonial power. Daniel mason is a physician and author of the piano tuner 2002, a far country 2007, the winter soldier 2018, and a registry of my passage upon the earth 2020. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Sep 04, 2018 the beauty of daniel masons new novel, the winter soldier, persists even through scenes of unspeakable agony. The piano tuner has been translated into 28 languages and adapted for opera and stage. Right from the start, his new novel, the winter soldier, thrums with tension, whisking the reader into the fray. I would consider reading his next book as i think he has some talent but i would skip this one. Daniel mason s book, far from being a species of chastisement, is an absolute pleasure, in so far as the two things. Theres so much hamhanded stuff out there that when an. An instant bestseller, daniel mason s the piano tuner has been published in twentyseven countries. The piano tuner by daniel mason and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
His work has been translated into 28 languages, awarded the northern california book award for fiction, and shortlisted for the simpson joyce carol oates prize and james tait black memorial prize. Daniel mason has harnessed the harsh clarity of winter to frame his urgent, cinematically beautiful third novel, the winter soldier, which, like its predecessors the piano tuner, a far country, fully qualifies as epic ill go very gently now on plot summary, but not on admiration. Time marches on, taking with it alliances and allegiances both political and personal. Exquisitely told, this classic is a richly sensuous story of adventure, discovery, and how we confront our most deeply held fears and desires. The piano tuner by daniel mason is highly recommended. One misty london afternoon in 1886, piano tuner edgar drake receives an unusual request from the war office. Jan 17, 2003 daniel mason received his bachelors degree in biology at harvard in 1998 and spent a year studying malaria on the thailandmyanmar border, where much of his debut, the piano tuner, was written. Jan 18, 2003 the piano tuner by daniel mason 368pp, picador. Buy the piano tuner by mason, daniel from amazons fiction books store. At the center of the story is the a most unlikely hero, edgar drake, a gentlemannered london pianotuner who specializes in.
Happy with his wife of eighteen years and his reputation as one of the finest piano tuners in latenineteenth. One day in 1886, on a misty afternoon in london, the tuner gets a request that is more than. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Daniel mason, a 26yearold american, began writing this, his first novel, while studying malaria as a medical student on the thaimyanmar. A novel by daniel mason when edgar drake is summoned to the british war office and asked to tune an eccentric majors 1840 erard grand piano in the jungles of burma, he is both confused and intrigued. Like a clean piece of paper, like uncarved ivory, all is white when the story begins. Daniel mason is the author of the piano tuner 2002, and a far country 2007. To request a grand piano to be sent to the most remote of our forts is quite another. Michiko kakutani, the new york times in 1886 a shy, middleaged piano tuner named edgar drake receives an. Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our pro connect email alert. A registry of my passage upon the earth by daniel mason. San francisco chronicle this wondrous work of fiction.
Daniel mason is the author of the novels the piano tuner 2002, a far country 2007, and the winter soldier 2018. The book piano tuning and allied arts by william braid white. I was immersed in the grandeur of imperial vienna and the frozen battlefields of the eastern front, and in this beautiful tale of love and war, and of our. Daniel mason is the author of the piano tuner 2002, a far country 2007, and the winter soldier 2018. So it is that novelist also bay area physician and professor of psychiatry daniel mason has harnessed the harsh clarity of winter to frame his urgent, cinematically beautiful third novel, the winter soldier, which, like its predecessors the piano tuner, a far country, fully qualifies as epic. Edgar drake, the hero of daniel mason s remarkable debut novel, is commissioned by the british war office in late 1886 to leave london for a crucial assignment in the distant burmese province of mae lwin. Mason is one of our best historical novelists, creating panoramas of rich detail, propulsive plot, and artful character development in novels such as the piano tuner 2002 and the winter soldier 2018. Drake, that to impress a local noble with recitation and rhyme is one thing. Its amazingly informative to delve into a book a second time with a completely different focus than the first. Daniel masons book, far from being a species of chastisement, is an absolute pleasure, in so far as the two things can be separated.