An profoundly moving account of one man's struggle to recover from the loss of his greatest passion in life - and a hymn to music.

A deft and heartfelt exploration of music, silence, adolescence, English pop and the emotional consequences of serious illness, and above all a discussion of something modern culture has very nearly lost touch with - the idea, and the desirability, of taste. -- D. J. Taylor In a story told with warmth, wit, candour and dry, self-deprecating humour and without a whiff of self-pity... Coleman is insightful and convincing in his musings on music's emotional impact, funny in his recollections of the pains of growing up and sharp in his analysis of the thorny issue of musical 'taste' Time Out A smart, witty and gentle memoir of music and adolescence and beyond Sunday Herald Fascinating book... It's beautifully written, moving and, coming from 1970s, Yes-loving prog-rocker, surprisingly moving. -- John Walsh Independent Really a story about listening and love. Brilliant. Guardian

Nick Coleman was born in Buckinghamshire in 1960 but grew up in the Fens. Following a brief spell as a stringer at NME in the mid-1980s, he was Music Editor of Time Out magazine for seven years. This was followed by a dozen years as Arts and Features Editors at the Independent and Independent on Sunday. He has also written for The Times, the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph, New Statesman, US Vogue, Intelligent Life, GQ and The Wire - mostly about music but also books, sport and travel. He lives in Hackney with his wife and two children.