Paul Johnson is the bestselling author of numerous books, including Darwin: Portrait of a Genius, Socrates: A Man for Our Times, Napoleon: A Penguin Life, and Churchill. He lives in London.
Praise for Mozart by Paul Johnson: Historian Johnson lauds everyone's favorite composer so as to pique the interest of every reader. . . . Johnson starts debunking myths on the first page . . . [and] they all crumble under his commonsense presentation of evidence. An altogether excellent primer on possibly the most complete musician who ever lived. --Booklist (starred review) Most satisfying . . . A highly accessible initial foray into an astonishing, and inexhaustible, subject. --Cleveland Plain Dealer Impassioned . . . Johnson captures the depth of Mozart's achievement with a scholarly fan's . . . enthusiasm. . . . A compact and knowledgeable portrait of genius. --Kirkus Reviews Johnson packs a great deal of information into these pages . . . and his grasp of Mozart's musical output is astounding, his description of Mozart's works comprehensive and enlightening. . . . This is a solid, and often fresh, introduction to the life and work of the composer. --Publishers Weekly The perfect stocking stuffer . . . A portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that will give pleasure to and increase the understanding of old Mozart hands as well as those reading for the first time about the man . . . Like his latest subject, Johnson never strikes a false note. --The American Spectator Excellent . . . A delightful, concise read. It's fun--like listening to Mozart is. . . . To learn about the life of such a remarkable musician is a treat and a privilege. Paul Johnson has made Mozart's story accessible and rewarding. --Washington Independent Review of Books This short, pithy, intelligent book will appeal to music lovers and general readers. --Hudson Valley News