Stories of Music offers the reader (listener? Viewer?) An emotionally satisfying journey through the world of music, as Holly E. Tripp weaves the stories of more than 40 authors and artists, from 11 countries, telling in their own words and means. how music has impacted their lives. I found it to be a very moving book.

Having grown up in a family of musicians, Tripp was fascinated by her great-grandmother’s stories, especially the one where she had “jam sessions” over a phone line. Tripp was given a guitar by his own parents when he was 16 years old and he has been writing and playing music ever since. But it was after the sudden death of her brother that she realized the impact music has on emotions, and healing, as the songs that kept coming to her somehow brought him closer to her and helped her deal with his death.

When she started this book, Tripp says she made a call for submissions from authors and artists, thinking she would be lucky if she got 100. Instead, more than 1,000 made it to her inbox, and she carefully chose those that she felt represented the people. . universally, and rather, the impact that music has on people to offer fun, hope, healing and impact in their lives. The result is an interactive multimedia book containing stories, poems, photos, music, and videos that readers can listen to and view on their mobile devices.

I love how the anthology is presented. The first poem (which I heard the poet read aloud) tells of the music woven through generations in an ancient home. The stories then advance through time, with stories from artists from childhood to adulthood, about how music has impacted their lives. My favorite photograph is at the end of the book, of a pair of old hands clutching a sheet music. “Music,” says Tripp, “… transcends religion, race, language, and even time.”

There are fun stories of music and children; a powerful poem about the civil rights marches; and a story about how music is helping an artist’s home country, Bosnia, to recover after the war. There are the shocking stories of bringing Mozart’s music to prison and using rock music to help heal depression. And there is the story of traveling musicians, from the dawn of time to a group that currently participates in the Massachusetts walking tour every year. Another story (with music included) of a cellist, linking generations through “Le Cygne” by Saint-Saëns, is beautiful to read and listen to. It’s almost impossible to pick a favorite, but I was deeply moved by the story of an interview with Glen Campbell shortly after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011.

Stories of Music is a wonderful book, which I found hard to put down. There were times when it made me cry at the poignant examples of how music touched, and many times saved, lives. It also made me smile, as one artist describes how children in Haiti enthusiastically play music after lunch, even more excited about music than food.

Tripp has done a wonderful job bringing music to life and proving that music does indeed speak a universal language. No matter what country or origin, religion or political belief, the artists in this book have one thing in common: music impacts their lives and they use it to communicate their hearts.

I would recommend this book to anyone, musician or non-musician. Tripp plans to publish a second volume and I can’t wait to read it.