Search - The Soloist

I just read this book today - and it's a remarkably smooth, comfortable read. While I didn't feel like I couldn't put it down when I had other things to do, I also felt drawn, and almost compelled to finish it the same day I picked it up. Perhaps it's because the pages fly by so unnoticably that you're 150 pages into it, and you figure you should be able to finish the last 134 too!

Anyway, like I mentioned, Salzman creates a comfortable, easy-going text, although I wasn't overly comfortable with the main character. I couldn't tell whether I liked him or not, but that didn't seem to matter. Having been a child prodigy, and remaining a 36-year-old virgin puts him outside the realm of most of our experiences, but I felt almost a sense of pity for him, that allowed me to remain involved in the book. The more I read though, the less pity I felt, and the more interested I became. I could see what was happening to him, and I did sympathize for him during the jury deliberations - questions of moral justice are difficult to come to terms with.

Exquisite novel about the interesting story of a musician\'s life

This book by Mark Salzman is about a season in the life of a grown-up child music prodigy. Reinhart is an obsessive controlled cellist who struggles with his gift. His psychological state prevents him from achieving what he believes he needs to be successful. However, Mr. Salzman has written a very sensitive, believable character who is given some challenging life circumstances that propel him to seek his own truth about who he really is. I loved this book and would recommend it highly.
I searched the book because I watched a movie called The Soloist with Robert Downey Jr. and it was about a cellist also. However I remain confused because the only things in common between the movie and this book are the title and the musical instrument of the protagonist. Well, maybe there are deeper similarities but no circumstances are alike.
Would anyone like to comment about this?