Book Review: The Song Before it is Sung, by Justin Cartwright

The Song Before it is Sung is a historical fiction, based in the early part of this century, London. The story revolves around Conrad Senior, an Oxford alumnus who has not done much with his life post-graduation. While at Oxford he became quite close with his philosophy professor, whose death leaves Conrad with his life's ultimate task. His professor, Elya Mendel left Conrad boxes and boxes of papers and letters between a group of his friends in the time before the second World War, one of them being Count Axel Von Gottberg, a anti-Hitler German who was hanged in association with the failed Valkyrie mission. The papers and letters transport Conrad into another time, another life. The reasons are unclear as to why his professor left him in charge of reconstructing this friendship gone wrong, but as Conrad does put the pieces together true tragedy, friendship, and heroism takes shape. As Conrad plunges into this other world, his own world begins to crumble as his wife leaves him, his health begins to plummet, and he gets wrapped up with an alcoholic drug user named Emily.

As I am wont to do, I didn't want this book to end. I've found my favorite book genre. Historical Fiction. I will say it's hard to separate what was made up and what was real history. Cartwright is a highly readable author with a gift of storytelling. I plan on reading more of his stuff soon.