In each Three to Read essay, the writer suggests three books that share a connective thread of interest. Brian Shea begins the series for us.

Every once in a while, a meme based on an old tweet will circulate. The author of the original post cannot believe that some people do not have a constant internal monologue running in their heads. Whenever this meme gets shared, battle lines, as they are, get drawn over people on opposite sides of this reality.

Not only do I wonder how people can exist without a constant stream of thoughts running through their heads, but I will one-up things here. I don't know how people survive without constant musical accompaniment inside their heads.

I have a terminal condition of earworm. Sometimes, it is a song I have recently heard. Sometimes, it's a song I have made up. Sometimes, it's something I can't really remember the name of, but I know every drum beat and chord change.

Pretty wild for someone who isn't very musical. But when I thought of a theme to wrap my Three to Read contribution around, I had to choose music.

I have read these three books over the past 2-3 years. Each uses music in a very different way, but they all show how songs can define and change our lives.

I knew I wanted to use this essay to showcase Baltimore author Matthew Norman's 2023 novel Charm City Rocks. I found Norman several years ago and eagerly await his (usually) yearly releases. We are of the same era and have some commonalities - as Smalltimore connections are want to do - but I also just love the characters he writes.

Charm City Rocks focuses on a divorced music instructor who finds a way to connect with a female musician he has always had a crush on. I love how Norman shows how music can create connections in the here and now but also keep old memories alive. If you want a story where things generally work out, albeit after many humorous detours, grab this one (and his other books).

The main character of Charm City Rocks is defined by his relationship to music, but Dave Grohl is truly defined by his music. I tend to stay away from celebrity memoirs, but someone recommended The Storyteller, so I picked it up a couple of summers ago. One of my best reading decisions ever.

If you don't know Grohl's story, he left school to turn to rock music in his teens and ended up as the drummer in Nirvana. From there, he founded the Foo Fighters and has maintained rock relevance for nearly 40 years.

But that only scratches the surface. Sure, he has some stories of debauched partying, but he also is one of the most fascinating, insightful people around. You can literally hear the excitement in his writing. I don't do audiobooks (my mind wanders too much), but I may go back one day and listen to this just for his style.

Grohl survived because of music, but April, the protagonist of The People We Keep, needs music to survive. Allison Larkin's 2021 novel blew me away. The story of a young woman who overcomes a horrible family situation hinges on April's ability to support herself by playing music. That is the only real constant in her tumultuous life.

With Charm City Rocks, you know everyone will be fine in the end. You don't quite know that with The People We Keep, which makes the raw energy and emotion so satisfying.

Even if you don't constantly have a song running through your head (“Gardening at Night” by R.E.M. is my current soundtrack), you will feel the connection the people in these books have to music. That will hopefully add an extra layer to these fantastic stories.

Charm City Rocks, by Matthew Norman
The Storyteller, by Dave Grohl
The People We Keep, by Allison Larkin

Brian Shea (he/him) has worked in a variety of communications roles for more than 30 years. Outside of his career, he acted in his first play in 2009 and devotes much of his free time to the performing arts. A co-founder of Baltimore-based Highwire Improv, he performs with multiple ensembles and also teaches and coaches with the Lancaster Improv Players. He previously served as Board President at Hanover Little Theatre and has volunteered on multiple other non-profit boards. He can be found at brianjshea on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube and at brianshea.org on the web.

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Brian Shea, the Authors, Publishers, Musicians/Composers, and/or Andrew T. Smith