“I had already done some work on the rhapsody.

Whiteman somehow persuaded him it was a deadline worth meeting George started writing two days later. Gershwin on the other end of the line, puffing a black cigar, bristling at the short turnaround for an event he’d already declined. Whiteman’s desperation, having heard Vincent Lopez was planning a similar concert, and might do it first. To compose and practice a new piece within five weeks would be impossible. He thinks I’m writing what, now?” He already had a musical comedy opening in three weeks’ time. Ira called his brother’s attention to an article entitled “What Is American Music?” In the piece, Paul Whiteman, the popular “King of Jazz,” announced a February 12th concert featuring a George Gershwin jazz concerto and an Irving Berlin tone poem, neither of which yet existed. Just before midnight on January 3, 1924, Ira Gershwin sat on a barstool at the Ambassador Billiard Parlor, reading the New York Tribune’s amusements section while his brother George shot pool with Buddy DeSylva. The Ambassador Billiard Parlor, the Aeolian Hall, Our Metropolitan Madness Relevant, haunting, and inspiring, this is one of the best books of 2019.And for one brief moment you will let her/ Sarah Pinsker’s A Song for a New Day makes it seem effortless-but in focusing on the taxing nature of the creative process under duress, she also reminds the reader of how difficult 'effortless' can be. There aren’t many books that can accurately convey the dynamics of a local DIY music scene and tap into a decades-long tradition of speculative fiction. Pinsker’s novel feels very relevant in 2019, she’s also grappling with some classically science fictional themes.

There’s something very zeitgeist-y about what Pinsker does here. It’s a fascinating paradox: elements of this world are utterly terrifying, but Pinsker balances that neatly with elements to show its appeal. To call this novel completely dystopian wouldn’t be entirely accurate, though: there’s a passing reference to states having established a basic income, for instance. By setting this novel in a society where DIY can literally be against the law, Pinsker ups the suspense considerably.

Sarah pinsker song for a new day