Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Godowsky, Hofmann, Lhévinne, Paderewski and 24 Other Legendary Performers by James Francis Cooke, 5/5

Persevere through the tediously didactic introductory chapters and you will be rewarded by a generous series of short biographies and fascinating interviews with the most renowned pianists of the 19th-century. Some still claim fame today, and some have been lost to time, but all provide their unique perspective on a variety of musical topics, while providing a glimpse into the rarified world of piano virtuosi.

Why I read it: a thrift store find.