The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto (2015) | Mitch Albom

This was beautiful. If in another universe I was an author, this would be the book that I would have liked to have written.

 It tells the story of Francisco "Frankie" Presto, from his birth to his death. All the while, brushing shoulders with well-known people of music. It's kind of a historical retelling, including a collection of sort of interviews about how different people met Frankie.

 Here's one beautiful moment in the book.

 "Papa"
"Yes, Kai?"
"My fingers hurt."
"Music is pain."
"Really?"
"It's something my teacher told me."
"What are these things?"
"Those are calluses."
"Why am i getting them?"
"Because you're learning. The more you play, the harder they will get."
"Yesterday they were bleeding."
"Yesterday you tried a lot of songs."
"I was terrible."
"No, you weren't."
"I'll be better today."
"You will."
"Can I get as good as you?"
"Maybe better. Are your nails cut short?"
"Yes.. What's this chord?"
"That's a G."
"I like it. It's easy."
"Play your scales."
"The do-re-mis?"
"That's right"
"Papa?"
"Yes, Kai?"
"Did you always want to play guitar?"
"Maybe not, Maybe, at first, I just wanted to make my father happy."

 Kai smiled. Her teeth had come in straight.

 "Me, too."
"Back to your scales."
"These calluses are ugly."
"They will go away."
"And they'll stop hurting?"
"Soon."
"So music isn't pain?"

 Frankie looked at his daughter, holding her first guitar. He felt a welling in his heart.
"Not always, no," he said.

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