Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Novel
    The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Novel
    The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Novel

    Written by Mitch Albom

    Narrated by Mitch Albom, Paul Stanley, George Guidall and

    4.5/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    From the beloved author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven comes his most critically acclaimed novel yet—a stunningly original tale of love: love between a man and a woman, between an artist and his mentor, and between a musician and his God-given talent.

    Narrated by the voice of Music itself, the story follows Frankie Presto, a war orphan born in a burning church, through his extraordinary journey around the world. Raised by a blind guitar teacher in Spain and gifted with a talent to change people’s lives—using six mysterious blue strings—Frankie navigates the musical landscape of the twentieth century, from the 1950s jazz scene to the Grand Ole Opry to Elvis mania and Woodstock, all the while searching for his childhood love.

    As he becomes a famous star, he loses his way, until tragedy steals his ability to play the guitar that had so defined him. Overwhelmed by his loss, Frankie disappears for decades, reemerging late in life for one spectacular yet mystifying farewell.

    Part love story, part magical mystery, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is Mitch Albom at his finest, a Forrest Gump-like epic about one man’s journey to discover what truly matters and the power of talent to change our lives.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateNov 10, 2015
    ISBN9780062420022
    Author

    Mitch Albom

    Mitch Albom is the author of numerous books of fiction and nonfiction, which have collectively sold more than forty million copies in forty-seven languages worldwide. He has written seven number-one New York Times bestsellers – including Tuesdays with Morrie, the bestselling memoir of all time, which topped the list for four straight years – award-winning TV films, stage plays, screenplays, a nationally syndicated newspaper column, and a musical. Through his work at the Detroit Free Press, he was inducted into both the National Sports Media Association and Michigan Sports halls of fame and is the recipient of the 2010 Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement. After bestselling memoir Finding Chika and “Human Touch,” the weekly serial written and published online in real-time to raise funds for pandemic relief, his latest work is a return to fiction with The Stranger in the Lifeboat (Harper, November 2021). He founded and oversees SAY Detroit, a consortium of nine different charitable operations in his hometown, including a nonprofit dessert shop and food product line to fund programs for Detroit’s most underserved citizens. He also operates an orphanage in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, which he visits monthly. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan. Learn more at www.mitchalbom.com, www.saydetroit.org, and www.havefaithaiti.org.

    More audiobooks from Mitch Albom

    Related to The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

    Related audiobooks

    General Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Ranky Tanky

      Jan 10, 2019

      Ranky Tanky
      11 min read

    • Article

      Brilliant corners

      Oct 11, 2022

      Brilliant corners
      13 min read

    • Article

      Richard Morrison

      Nov 29, 2022

      Since Christmas is traditionally a time for telling ghost stories, I have been thinking about the extent to which ghosts dominate the classical music world. I don’t mean the sort of flitting-through-closed-doors ghosts that are said to haunt old hall

      3 min read

    • Article

      Charles Hazlewood

      Aug 16, 2019

      Charles Hazlewood
      4 min read

    • Article

      One Man And His Prog

      Jul 1, 2022

      One Man And His Prog
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Language Of The Soul

      Jul 3, 2019

      The Language Of The Soul
      6 min read

    • Article

      From Our Community

      Jul 7, 2021

      Sitting on the steps of the Sydney Opera House at the Crowded House Reunion concert. Our Vietnamese family amongst an a cappella choir of 6000 others singing “Fall at Your Feet,” thinking to myself, There are few moments in my life more Australian th

      5 min read

    • Article

      Lisa Gerrard

      Sep 9, 2022

      Lisa Gerrard
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

      Jun 9, 2023

      Our ancestors lived to the background noise of horses’ hooves and waggon wheels, hammers and scythes, windmills and water mills. Then came steam trains, factory whistles, klaxons, deafening cloth mills, steel works. More melodic were the coaching pos

      9 min read

    • Article

      High Notes

      Jan 2, 2022

      High Notes
      1 min read

    • Article

      Such Sweet Sorrow

      Apr 1, 2022

      NOW THAT NOTHING is much fun any more, what better moment for a proper revival of the “English malady”? No, not sodomy, flagellation, or any of those traditional pastimes, I mean the inclination to melancholy which for centuries was the thing that fo

      5 min read

    • Article

      Music To My Ears

      May 16, 2023

      Music To My Ears
      4 min read

    • Article

      Remembering John Renbourn

      Aug 28, 2019

      After touring in the south west of England in the early 1960s, John Renbourn first came to prominence when he formed a duo with Bert Jansch, riding the wave of the great English folk revival, but blazing a trail for what became known as ‘folk baroque

      7 min read

    • Article

      Casa Come Me

      Jul 23, 2021

      Casa Come Me
      6 min read

    • Article

      The End EMILY HAINES

      Sep 11, 2017

      The End EMILY HAINES
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

    4.5/5

    138 ratings42 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      A creative story of love and loss perfectly told through the spirit of music. Amazing.
    • 5/5
      I read this book when it came out but listening to the audio made me love it even more
    • 5/5
      Mitch Albom has done it again. Amazing read from the opening sentence to the very last page.
    • 5/5
      This book is magical. That is all I can say.
    • 5/5
      Any lover of music will absolutely love this book, or honestly any lover of a good story that touches the heart. Loved this book!
    • 5/5
      Excellent!!! The narration was phenomenal, the cadence and inflection just as I imagined it when I read the book 3 times over. Highly recommended!!!
    • 5/5
      Excellent! Maybe best audiobook I’ve ever listened to. Great story as well!
    • 5/5
      Breathtakingly beautiful. A tragic yet happy story reflecting many aspects of the human condition, tragedy, happiness, sadness. Loved it.
    • 5/5
      Because the narrator of most of the story is Music, you enjoy a uniquely creative, fresh perspective with rich musical insight. I was moved to tears more than once as it reminded me of my son and his unexplained musical aptitude. Love how Albom makes a fictional story so believable while weaving in magical elements. Fans of any music genre, from classical to country, will get a kick out of all the real-life legends Albom ties into the journey of Frankie Presto (Forrest Gump style). Be sure to read the acknowledgements where you find out about the author's behind-the-scenes relationships with each of the music icons, and discover which quotes and stories are actually true.
    • 5/5
      This book is the life story of a fictional character, Frankie Presto, as told by the Spirit of Music. Frankie is a talented musician who interacts with many of the notable names in music. As the title suggests, contains elements of magic. I found the story very creative. It depicts the power of music to influence our lives. Recommended to readers who enjoy music or music history.
    • 5/5
      If I could give a ten to this book I would! The story is so original, beautiful, moving, with great moments of humor, and much food for thought. It is brilliantly narrated by the author and a whole cast of people.
    • 5/5
      Such an amazing book! Full of incredible life events and emotions.
    • 4/5
      The book was as good as all of his other books! The imagination and talent that Mitch Albom has to write is amazing. I could not stop reading it. And when I realized that it was music telling the story that intrigued me more.
    • 5/5
      I couldnt stop devouring the words of this book until the end. Such a masterpiece. I hope you publish another book. Thank you Mitch Albom for this book ?
    • 5/5
      A masterfully woven story…even the smallest details considered. Beautiful with twists and turns. Your life will be better after reading this!
    • 5/5
      WOW!! I wish I could give this book 10 stars, 20 for that matter - something that would help convey just how incredible, wonderful, and amazing this story truly is. It has it all and the words are written with such fluidity, they seem to melt off the page straight into your heart. This is definitely a book any book lover should read for themselves.To say Frankie had a rough start in life would be putting it mildly - every time he had even the smallest sense of stability, he was uprooted and forced to start a new. But even so, by the tender age of 4 his talent was obvious, at age nine he was sent to America with only a few meager possessions and his trusty guitar. It would be with this guitar and his amazing talent he would touch the lives of so many people. The "magic" strings that turn blue when he's touched a life - he has no control over. Sometimes he feels it is more a curse than a blessing and it doesn't keep him from dealing with his own demons. We are given a front row seat to Frankie's personal journey - you can almost feel his longing as he aches to be with his one true love, Aurora. He had fame and fortune, but that's not what he wanted, not what would give him peace within his heart and soul. The strength of their love would be tested again and again and it's not until he chooses to walk away into obscurity does he realize "Music" will lead him to the peace he seeks. The story moves through the 20th century - from the Vietnam War to Hurricane Katrina..along the way he meets musicians that will go on to become megastars in their own right - Hank Williams, Paul Stanley and Elvis to name a few. His music is incredible, but the effect he has on people is miraculous. (the reader too)Marketed as fiction, it certainly reads more like literature - masterfully written. There are no slow places, lags in narration, or boring dialogue.It's hard to explain how it all comes together to form one of the most fantastic stories I've read in years. I'll go so far as to say this is my new favorite book...hands down. It touches something inside you, almost like Frankie's music touched so many. It's engaging, interesting and unlike anything, you will find on bookshelves today. Mitch Albom has a way with words...the ability to connect the reader to his characters in deep, meaningful ways that will stay with you long after the last page is turned. If you are a reader - Read This Book. This is one of those rare stories that will be read, re-read, and talked about for years. Grab a blanket, some tissue, and your favorite drink - cuddle up with Frankie Presto... it will be the most enjoyable reading session you've experienced in years.Happy Reading,RJ
    • 2/5
      I say skip the book and go straight for the music. I just couldn't buy in to the idea of Music as storyteller or narrator, reliable or unreliable. Some of the chapters, especially of Frankie's early life in Spain were interesting but the musical terms used for comparisons and life-saving strings became almost hokey for me and easily anticipated. The musical history of various legends is easily appreciated by music lovers as well. Maybe I just have too many bad memories of childhood piano lessons to appreciate the Testare De Corde (testing the strings) Albom is shooting for with this Novel. Follow the playlist and you have some great music to listen to.Provided by publisher
    • 5/5
      beautiful. could not stop listening. Thank again Mitch Albom, for Wonderful story
    • 4/5
      I’ve enjoyed other Mitch Albom books in the past, but this one wasn’t on my short list until two coworkers recommended it. One coworker highly recommended the audiobook version and I’m so glad that I followed her advice. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever heard. It’s read by a full cast of talented actors including Mitch Albom himself.

      Here's a basic summary of the book:

      This is the epic story of Frankie Presto—the greatest guitar player who ever lived—and the six lives he changed with his six magical blue strings.

      It’s easy to get lost into this story and forget everything that’s happening around you. This story offers more than a fictitious character’s musical career. It’s the ups and downs in his life and his relationships that add depth to the story. Frankie Presto’s fame was believable — I wanted him to be a real person.

      I love it when authors use a unique narrator and find different ways to format their story. In this case, music was the narrator and it began with Frankie’s death. This one start at the end, then jump to the beginning circling back around to the end.

      I’ve always loved music and I played an instrument for eight years, so I can read music and understand the terminology. I enjoyed his musical journey and how his life intertwined with famous musicians. I didn't know all of the music references, but it was fun when he mentioned artists that I know such as Little Richard, Lyle Lovett, Duke Ellington, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, and Paul Stanley. Frankie’s music career made me wish I still played an instrument and had his talent.

      If you’re thinking about reading this book, I highly recommend the audiobook version. Get ready for a magical journey.

    • 5/5
      Narrated by The Spirit of Music, this is the tale of the world's greatest guitarist--who disappears at the height of his career. The tale is told in a series of recollections of major performers and others in the music industry, some fictional, some real. Mitch Alborn received a lot of permissions(and must have called in a few favors) to accomplish this. The result is indeed magic.
    • 5/5
      In a book narrated by music, Frankie Presto’s amazing life is examined. An orphan, baby Frankie was found in a river by an unmarried man he came to believe was his father. Frankie was blessed with musical ability and this ability led him and his guitar from Franco’s Spain to the US where he worked with musicians like Duke Ellington, Elvis and other pop stars. Like all Mitch Albom books you feel better about the world after you’ve read the book.
    • 2/5
      The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, Mitch AlbomI won this book from Goodreads and was looking forward to reading it. I try to like most of the books I read and truly made an effort with this one. Since I also obtained an audio version which seemed exceptionally interesting because of the awesome array of well-known narrators, some who were performers, I decided to listen to it first. After finally getting through the audio, I could not bear to plow through the written version. I have enjoyed several of Mitch Albom’s books in the past, but this one was not one of them. I kept wondering where the tale was leading. Where and what was the inspirational message? The book begins with the birth of Frankie Presto and marches on until his legendary death. The story is about what seems to have been a child prodigy, from all accounts of his musical ability. He grew into a phenomenal musician whose amazing talent and special gift was that he inspired others to play and improve their own skills. His unusual and valuable guitar had magic strings that turn blue. As the book progresses, the mystery of the blue strings is solved. When the book begins the narrator is identified as Music. Music has come to claim what is due, to take the gift of music from the deceased who no longer needs it so it can be passed on to another who does, another who lives. The gift is passed on to Francesco Presto when he is born. Music continues to narrate the story, joined by the voices of the non-fiction characters that have come to eulogize Frankie Presto upon hearing of his death. They speak of him as if he has truly had an influence on their lives and their world of music.Francisco Presto was born in Spain, in 1936, during the Civil War. At his birth, his mother, Carmencita, sings him a song about tears, and his tears soon begin to drive the novice nun who rescued him for his mother, and her neighbors, to distraction. Although she feels forced to abandon him, in order to survive, she watches over him from afar, for the rest of his life. This child will survive and grow up with an amazing ability to sing, dance and play his guitar. So, to summarize, he was born in a church that was being attacked during a war, then he was rescued by a nun and subsequently thrown into the water by the same nun, Josepha, abandoned and left to die, but then he was saved by a hairless dog and raised by a stranger, Baffa Rubio, who worked in a sardine factory. He was then taught by a blind musician, El Maestro, who drugs him and sends him off to America at the behest of his quasi father, Baffa, now in prison. El Maestro, the blind musician is then robbed and murdered by Alberto, after putting Frankie, drugged, on board a ship. For his whole life, Frankie had one true friend and lover named Aurora. As children, they met in a tree, and she reappears from time to time at significant times of his life. The live together and Aurora becomes pregnant. While Frankie is off on an ill-begotten binge, Aurora is mugged and loses their baby. She disappears, once again. Frankie has an unhappy marriage, his career declines. Aurora reappears at a low point in his life and they marry and eventually raise an abandoned child named Kai. She also becomes an accomplished guitarist. The author covered the entire entertainment industry by including the names of many well known composers, movie producers and performers throughout the book. Mentioned were Bach, Andreas Segovia, the Beattles, Wynton Marsalis, Arrowsmith, Janis Joplin, Fats Domino, Duke Ellington, Burt Bacharach, the Everly Brothers, the Drifters, Beethoven, Francisco Tarraga, The Who, Chet Atkins, The Rolling Stones, Tony Bennett, Elvis Presley and so many more that I could go on and on, but perhaps that is where the fault in the book lies. It simply tried too hard to cover too many basses. Drug addiction, Hurricane Katrina, Woodstock and then the Viet Nam War was even entered into the narrative as Frankie became an entertainer of the troops! I found the love story of Frankie and Aurora lacking in credibility. Yes, Aurora, the love of his life was a saint who seemed to always magically appear when needed, and yes, the nun, Josepha was his guardian angel, but then what? What was the ultimate message of this book? Do we live until we do all the things our heart tells us to do? Is it the good we do that determines how much time we have on earth? With the last magic string was his life no longer deemed useful? Was music Frankie’s mistress or master? Was he Moses rescued from the water and assigned the thankless task of saving others? The reason why the strings turned blue left me completely unmoved.I wondered, also, if it was the author’s intention to include and promote every liberal piece of philosophy he could think of, in his book. One got the sense that Frankie preached against war, smoking, drugs, alcohol, guns, violence and a host of other things, while he abused most of these things in his own life, at one time or another. I also wondered if the reference to music, as in “I Am Music,” by the character in the book that represented “music”, was meant to bring Barry Manilow to mind. He was the man who composed the song with the lyrics, “I am Music and I write the songs”.I found the repetitive sayings annoying rather than thought provoking. Frankie in a love sick way kept repeating “Aurora, that means dawning”, (until it doesn’t), and also “will you stay”, to which she replies yes and no alternatively, until she finally does and so does he; she asks him the same question a number of times. Music keeps saying “I am music” and “everyone in life joins a band, ad nauseum, to refer to the different groups that form and reform engaging Frankie throughout his life. The audiobook is read well by the author, Mitch Albom, and famous guitarists and singers: Paul Stanley of Kiss, John Pizzarelli who also played guitar for Paul McCartney, George Guidall an actor and narrator of audio books, Mike Hodge of the Screen Actor’s Guild, Robin Miles, an actress, director, and audiobook narrator, Christian Baskous, an actor and audiobook narrator, Tony Chiroldes, a bilingual actor and voice-over performer, Kevin O’neill, a writer, director, and music video producer, and Adriana Sananes, a linguist who once studied dancing is a narrator and an actress. Albom himself is a songwriter, musician, journalist and author. He wears many hats and is very talented. In this book, he allowed the participants in the narrative to imagine their own memories of Frankie Presto as if he was a real performer who had a real life-changing effect on them and their worlds. For me, the story was simply too hokey and too contrived, not like his other books which transcended the fantasy world of this book and which were more of his own ideas. This story soon became overly sentimental and simplistic, like a child’s fairy tale.
    • 5/5
      I won this from Goodreads first reads, and was thrilled.I enjoy music as much as the next guy, well rock music and oldies at least. I do prefer to use my ear pods for listening to books over listening to music, though. I can't read music and don't play any instruments. Could not tell you the difference between allegro and adagio. In other words, I'm not exactly what you'd call musical. Thus when it hit me that Music is the narrator of this book, I was a little worried. Then I immediately thought of Death as the narrator in The Book Thief, which I loved, so I thought "Keep an open mind. This could be very special."Or a little magical, as it turned out. Just a smidge; just enough.While Music tells us about Frankie becoming orphaned as a baby during the Spanish Civil War and his musical training as a boy, other chapters are told by famous people who knew Frankie, Burt Bacharach and Tony Bennett to name two, those who learned of Frankie's death and are eulogizing him. We learn how he was as talented or moreso than Elvis during the time of Elvis, we learn of his diverse singing and amazing abilities with those guitar strings, a unique talent who had it all--voice, talent, and looks--up to getting high at Woodstock. I loved the continuous name dropping of musicians met along the way of Frankie's search for his childhood sweetheart, to all the music meccas of the U.S.: Detroit, Nashville, New Orleans, and of course Woodstock. All while the lyrics of well-known love songs sing out Frankie's feelings for his beloved Aurora. It started feeling very much like Forrest Gump after a while--the time period, Frankie's loneliness and perseverence, just a tad magical, very musical--and I can picture this being turned into that same type of movie. I felt this even before I noticed my book jacket mentions Gump as well. Well, in the end this was very, very special. Music is just one of many talents we are infused with, some people more than others. We all know that Music, though, can absorb your memories, with a single tune taking you back years to where you were and what you were doing the first time you heard it. Music can and has changed the world. It is alive in us from birth, and when we die Music takes it back, to pass on to his next disciple. Really a beautiful thing from this very talented author, who inevitably tugs at the strings of my heart. 4.5 stars.
    • 5/5
      I'm treading carefully with my review here, because I don't want to give even the hint of a spoiler. And this is such a unique book, that there are spoilers at every turn. So I'll start with this: I absolutely loved this book!Clearly, it's not a spoiler to say that there is a strong connection between the characters, the plot, and music. The overall story has a kind of mystical feel, which perfectly fits the content. After all, music itself is mystical in its ability to transform or enhance our moods. Music brings us together as a group, while at the same time remaining a uniquely personal experience. This is also how the book feels; a shared experience that will touch each of us in a personal way. Mitch Albom is a natural storyteller. His writing style is something you experience, rather than read. His words drew me in, took me to unexpected places, brought me to tears, and made me giggle. I rarely read books over again (there are simply too many on my wishlist!), but this is one I will return to in the future.
    • 5/5
      “The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto” is the story of a young boy taken in and raised by a blind music teacher after he is orphaned in the Spanish American War. When he is nine, Frankie, with his battered guitar and six magical strings, is smuggled out of Spain on a tramp freighter. In London, he meets legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt who is on his way to America to play with Duke Ellington. Frankie travels with Django and soon the boy’s talent earns him international acclaim.Seduced by the glitterati, he becomes a pop star, ignoring the guitar and the talent that first brought him fame. Through the years, he meets some of the greatest musical talents of the twentieth century including Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Wynton Marsalis, Carole King, Burt Bacharach, and Tony Bennett. Each reminisces as another bit of Frankie’s life story is shared. At the height of his popularity, Frankie vanishes and a legend grows around him. He has realized that his musical gift is also his burden for his music holds the power to change lives and, as the Spirit of Music narrates the tale, the lives set right are revealed as one by one the magical strings turns blue.An eloquent and touching tale, this intricately-woven tapestry of fact, fantasy, and fiction, will keep readers mesmerized. This is one book readers will find hard to put down and even harder to forget.Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Uniquely written with the narration by "Music" this is a sweet book of a talented guitarist life. The ups and downs, the love and tragedy, it was really enjoyable. I loved the descriptions told from a musical background and the weaving of real life artists into the story. A great read.
    • 5/5
      Such a great story that takes you through the ups and downs of a guitarist and his adventures.
    • 5/5
      Brilliant!! Thank you for sharing your gift to the world, mr. Albom.
    • 4/5
      Cleverly written. Narrated by "Music", who gifted an infant Frankie Fresto with more than his fair share of musical talent when he grabbed for it at his birth. The book follows Frankie through his life as Music and a series of guests at his funeral relate his experiences, which include brushes with a number of musical figures such as Elvis Presley. It was clever the way Albom tied all of this together to create a sort of "Forrest Gump" like tale of an often troubled man's journey through life and across several continents. I most enjoyed the story of the relationship he had with his wife and daughter, though he did not always treat them well. Our book group found it fairly discussable.
    • 5/5
      I read it and then listened to it. Loved it both times.