To Make a Short Story Long: Reflections, Ripostes, and Remarks from Life in Music, Books, Broadcasting

Do you enjoy a good story? Mark Evans does. He's best known as a composer, conductor, pianist, and writer, with a life in music, books, and broadcasting. But he's also been called a raconteur and a storyteller; in this book, you'll see why."To Make a Short Story Long" is an anthology of reflections, ripostes, and remarks on a wide variety of subjects, both light and serious, including articles, columns, and anecdotes about his favorite topics, words and music, but also the arts, education, books, and motion pictures,. He addresses the art of the interview (having both asked and answered questions), the need for big words in an age when people are texting in abbreviations, and the importance of good books in an age of tweets and tablets. You will meet unsung musical heroes, literary curmudgeons, and inspiring teachers. A reluctant cultural warrior, Mark Evans is unafraid of controversy, speaking out against today's war on merit. Advocating great music, he praises singers who can sing and targets those who can't, rockers and rappers hastening the demise of our musical heritage. He offers a special insight into the movie colony where he spent his childhood, the Hollywood the world imagines, and the real Tinseltown that is "far more tinsel than town."Join him on a journey into the private worlds of everyone from movie stuntmen, mystery writers, and magicians to professional ballroom dancers. As for smiles and surprises, there are many, and answers to questions you might never dream of asking: Why did a President of the United States threaten to punch a music critic in the nose? What do dogs really think about music? The ideas, stories, and unexpected information here will give you reason to pause, smile, think, and turn the page. As to why he chooses to make a short story long instead of the other way around, there's an explanation inside from someone who always says, "Mark! My Words."