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    The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair
    The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair
    The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair
    Audiobook2 hours

    The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair

    Written by Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley

    Narrated by Jeff McCarthy

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Russell Martin, author of Beethoven's Hair, and his wife, Lydia Nibley, tell the story of how a lock of Ludwig von Beethoven's hair, clipped from the composer's head on his deathbed in Germany in 1827, ended up in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943 and was later sold at auction in London in 1994. Learn about this incredible journey through history and the mysteries revealed about Beethoven's deafness and death. Photographs, correspondence, reserach, and forensics further inform this fascinating story.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateNov 15, 2013
    ISBN9781490608310
    The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair

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    Reviews for The Mysteries of Beethoven's Hair

    3.5/5

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    • 4/5
      A young student removes a lock of hair from Beethoven's corpse and preserves it. It passed from generation to generation. The hair is eventually used to find the cause of Beethoven's death. Writing teachers can have students refer to "Notes from the Author" to give students advice on writing a book. It also explains ways to conduct research. History teachers can use this a reference for the treatment of Jews in Denmark. They can also create a timeline of how the hair passed from generation to generation. Science teachers can use this to discuss conditions of lead poisoning, as well as using it for a lead in to forensic science. Music teachers can use it as a reference about Beethoven's life, and students can see how events in his life influenced his compositions. The book goes back and forth between discussing Beethoven's life and how the relic traveled into the hands of scientists. The style is easy to follow. The books has many pictures, including pictures of Beethoven and some of the owners of the lock of hair.
    • 4/5
      A lock of hair was cut from Beethoven's corpse by a young student. It was preserved in a locket and handed down from father to son to daughter. The book traces the journey of this locket as it travels from Germany to Denmark where it was given to a Doctor aiding Jews fleeing Hitler. the daughter of that doctor eventually had to sell it and it wound up in the hands of two Americans. Both of whom held Beethoven in great esteem. The hair was tested and found to have massive amounts of lead which could account for Beethoven's many ailments even including his hearing loss. It's a fascinating journey and brings Beethoven's life together with modern history up to the present.
    • 1/5
      This is a book that couldn’t be written until recently. The science wasn’t available to answer the questions it asks. The mysteries surrounding Ludwig von Beethoven’s life and death are thoroughly researched and some of the answers have become available only after generations have passed. Why was Beethoven sickly most of his life? Did he die of natural causes? How was it possible to save a lock of his hair for almost 150 years? Can today’s science discover the cause of his deafness and death? The story begins, as many mysteries do, with the simple act of a young boy. As was the custom in his day, he clips a lock of Beethoven’s hair while paying his respects immediately after the great man’s death. What happens to the lock of hair and to the family who has it is an absorbing tale with several plot twists and turns. The story is interwoven with an introduction to Beethoven’s life and his music. Along the way, more questions are asked. It isn’t until two American Beethoven enthusiasts purchase the lock of hair, and make it available for forensic testing, that some of the mysteries are solved. This edition was an adaptation of the adult book Beethoven’s Hair by the same author. The juvenile version, like the adult version, alternates chapters about Beethoven’s life and ill-health with chapters on the history of the relic lock of hair. Both adequately, if not in-depth, discuss the forensic science used to discover the cause of his illness and death. The juvenile version includes black and white photographs to elaborate on the story and the science. It is, overall, a simplified example of the already simply presented adult book. It seems that the author struggled with whether to present the material as a mystery novel or as a science book. The conflict generated a voice that is neither authoritative nor entertaining. Although the popular subject of forensics would attract some readers, the book would more likely only interest the small group of young readers who have some familiarity with Beethoven. It does have an index and a good table of contents but, having read both books, my recommendation is to purchase the adult version and forgo the younger edition. There would be a larger audience for the original work. Grades 5-9