CONCERT BLACK: Michael O'Donnell at Blue House Books
Schedule
Sat Jun 13 2026 at 11:00 am to 03:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
5915 6th Ave A, Kenosha, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53140 | Kenosha, WI
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From the acclaimed author of "Above the Fire" comes "Concert Black", a hauntingly elegant novel that unspools a tale of music, obsession, and the fragile architecture of legacy.A novel of ambition and artistry, "Concert Black" is a symphony of human complexity: piercing, poised, and unforgettable. Join Michael O'Donnell at Blue House Books on Saturday, June 13th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Michael will be chatting with readers and signing books, so stop by anytime during the event to meet this Chicago author!
Following the meet and greet, Michael O'Donnell will be discussing "Concert Black" in Norma's Nook, which will include a reading and Q&A with the audience!
This event is free, but registration is required for the Author Presentation from 2 to 3 p.m. Get all the details and RSVP here: https://withfriends.co/event/27613128
ABOUT CONCERT BLACK:
Ellen Wroe, a celebrated biographer known for her piercing insight, sets her sights on Cecil Woodbridge, the legendary conductor whose name reverberates through concert halls and conservatories. But Woodbridge, imperious and elusive, rebuffs her approach and conspires to thwart her efforts. Undeterred, Wroe embarks on a relentless pursuit, trailing the maestro across continents—through the archives of his correspondence, into the confidences of his colleagues, and deeper still into the long shadow of his past.
Maestro, cellist, king of the baton—Woodbridge is a man enshrined in myth and bristling with contradictions. Beneath the grandeur lies a hidden lattice of ambition, betrayal, and sorrow. As Wroe attempts to chart his ascent, she uncovers not only the cost of genius but the wreckage it often leaves behind.
With lyrical precision and atmospheric sweep, "Concert Black" echoes the psychological depth of Ian McEwan’s "Atonement" and the philosophical resonance of Julian Barnes’s "The Noise of Time". From the frostbitten avenues of postwar London to the symphonic stages of Boston and Chicago, biographer and subject circle each other in an elegiac dance—until they collide in a reckoning neither can escape.
A novel of ambition and artistry, "Concert Black" is a symphony of human complexity: piercing, poised, and unforgettable.
ABOUT MICHAEL O’DONNELL:
Michael O’Donnell is the author of the bestselling novel "Above the Fire". In 2023, Apple Books named him a debut writer to watch. His work has appeared in "The New York Times", "The Atlantic Monthly", "The Wall Street Journal", "The Economist", and other publications. A longtime member of the National Book Critics Circle, he lives with his family in the Chicago area.
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Where is it happening?
5915 6th Ave A, Kenosha, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53140Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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