Favorite Jazz Novel

[xricci]

A plea and a challenge: Which novel that you have read contains the best writing about jazz? Please share your opinion with the AAJ "London Calling" readers. If you wish, cite evidence in defence of your nomination. I will include the best communications in a future "London Calling". --John Eyles

[xricci]

John reviews But Beautiful, Twelve Bar Blues, On Green Dolphin Street, Love You Madly and Quintet of the Year at
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/articles/lond1002.htm.

[msvb60]

Probably not what you're looking for but the book that was sort of the push into Jazz for me was Jack Kerrouac's "On The Road." I read it 3 years ago and have read it 3 times since. There is a small bit about going to a Jazz club and just the discription made me curious about Jazz.

Two thumbs up! :cool:

[clifton]

Definitely the Peter Straub suspense novel "Koko". Straub is obviously a huge jazz fan and although he writes horror and suspense fiction, his work features frequent and hip references to the music and the musicians. But at the end of the novel "Koko", Straub writes about Duke Ellington's recording "Koko" and then about Charlie Parker's "Koko". The result, at the end of a pretty good thriller, is some of the finest jazz criticism I've ever read. Besides, Straub's a damn good writer, and I strongly recommend "Koko", as well as "Ghost Story", "Mr. X", "The Throat", and his two collaborations with Stephen King, "The Talisman" and "Black House", even for those who don't like jazz.