Well hello,
What’s this? The New Cue serving up on a Wednesday again, like the olden days? Yes, we’re here with a special midweek edition for all our subscribers who also love to read…wait, that’s got to be all of you! Good news, then, as this is a TNC devoted to one of our favourite writers, John Harris, and his beautiful memoir, Maybe I’m Amazed: A Story of Love and Connection in Ten Songs.
Maybe I’m Amazed is the tale of how John and his autistic son James found a common space to communicate through music. It is a simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting journey through parental love and music, and ultimately a life-affirming education for all. It is very strongly recommended.
We’ve got a couple of signed copies for two subscribers - details below the paywall. We’ll be cranking up the TNC Book Club edition occasionally on Wednesdays again, but first John digs into our questionnaire below. I’ve been playing Maybe I’m Amazed obsessively since starting the book (as has my own Beatles-mad son), so let us earworm you too.
Enjoy the edition, see you on Friday,
Ted and Niall
TNC Book Club: John Harris
Pitch us the book
Maybe I’m Amazed is the story of my autistic son James, and how he completely transformed my relationship with music. It’s about joy in difficult circumstances, and fighting to get your child what they need – while they prove to be the only three year-old in the world who is obsessed with Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople, and insist on listening to The Beatles’ I Am The Walrus 37 times a day (no exaggeration). The book also explores the hidden history of musical brilliance and neurodivergence – why so many talented musicians are often introverted, obsessive and detail-focused, something that also applies to many of their fans. It’s really a celebration of human difference, and why we need it.
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