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How Sondheim Can Change Your Life
Discover the powerful and universal lessons from the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, the genius behind such musical theater masterworks as Company, West Side Story, and Into the Woods.
Stephen Sondheim died on November 26, 2021, but for countless fans around the world, he is “still here” to quote one of his lyrics. With acclaimed revivals of several of his landmark shows occurring around the world and introducing new generations to the man who transformed American musical theater, Sondheim’s legacy has only grown. What is it about such classic showtunes as “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy, “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music, and “Children Will Listen” from Into the Woods, and more that speak to us so effortlessly?
With in-depth and accessible insight, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life makes the case that the greatness of Sondheim’s brilliance—beyond the clever lyrics and adventurous music—rests in his ability to tell universal stories that relate to us all. From Louise’s desire for freedom as Gypsy Rose Lee to Sweeney Todd’s thirst for revenge, and beyond, we as an audience can easily relate to Sondheim’s characters. His works understand us as much as we understand them.
Following the arc of Sondheim’s remarkable career, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life is rich with stories about various productions and iconic performers, deep readings of his music and lyrics, and insights into his creative process. But more than that, it reveals the ways that Sondheim’s works can enrich the lives of all of us on the other side of the footlights.
Stephen Sondheim died on November 26, 2021, but for countless fans around the world, he is “still here” to quote one of his lyrics. With acclaimed revivals of several of his landmark shows occurring around the world and introducing new generations to the man who transformed American musical theater, Sondheim’s legacy has only grown. What is it about such classic showtunes as “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy, “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music, and “Children Will Listen” from Into the Woods, and more that speak to us so effortlessly?
With in-depth and accessible insight, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life makes the case that the greatness of Sondheim’s brilliance—beyond the clever lyrics and adventurous music—rests in his ability to tell universal stories that relate to us all. From Louise’s desire for freedom as Gypsy Rose Lee to Sweeney Todd’s thirst for revenge, and beyond, we as an audience can easily relate to Sondheim’s characters. His works understand us as much as we understand them.
Following the arc of Sondheim’s remarkable career, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life is rich with stories about various productions and iconic performers, deep readings of his music and lyrics, and insights into his creative process. But more than that, it reveals the ways that Sondheim’s works can enrich the lives of all of us on the other side of the footlights.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
December 7, 2024
“Musical theater is often branded, and mocked, as a form of trivial escapism, and, doubtless, some instances of the genre are. But not Sondheim. Never Sondheim. Because through his works we do not so much escape life as confront it. His words and his music feel not like a denial of reality, but rather its unsparing exposure.”
The blurb says that this book “is rich with stories about various productions and iconic performers, deep readings of his music and lyrics, and insights into his creative process”. I wish that it had more stories about productions, performers and process, and less of the deep readings. The author is a professor who knows his subject, but his analysis could strip away the joy in seeing a Sondheim musical. I love Sondheim. He is magic. But I’m glad that I already saw most of the 13 shows analyzed in this book, without the author whispering in my ear. He left out some of the more well known works like West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, because they don’t provide life lessons.
However, if you want life lessons and an analysis of lyrics (and don’t want to come up with one on your own), you will probably enjoy this book more than I did. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The blurb says that this book “is rich with stories about various productions and iconic performers, deep readings of his music and lyrics, and insights into his creative process”. I wish that it had more stories about productions, performers and process, and less of the deep readings. The author is a professor who knows his subject, but his analysis could strip away the joy in seeing a Sondheim musical. I love Sondheim. He is magic. But I’m glad that I already saw most of the 13 shows analyzed in this book, without the author whispering in my ear. He left out some of the more well known works like West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, because they don’t provide life lessons.
However, if you want life lessons and an analysis of lyrics (and don’t want to come up with one on your own), you will probably enjoy this book more than I did. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
December 20, 2024
Music has been a cornerstone of my life for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories involve tinkering with the antique upright piano in our living room. My mom, who had played as a child, encouraged me to explore the instrument, while my dad had his own collection of guitars tucked away, remnants of his younger days playing music. Despite their early connections to music, both of my parents had long since set their instruments aside by the time I came along, leaving them as relics of their pasts.
But for me, those instruments were anything but forgotten. I was captivated when I pressed a piano key and heard the hammer strike the string. That initial curiosity evolved into a lifelong passion. I went on to master the piano, majoring in music in college, and eventually earned advanced degrees in music composition. Even now, my obsession with the craft remains as strong as ever. Music didn’t just shape my life—it transformed it entirely.
When I came across the title of Richard Schoch’s book, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, I was immediately intrigued. By his passing in late 2021, the legendary Broadway composer had witnessed a remarkable resurgence in the popularity of his works, with critics and audiences lauding his musicals as masterpieces of the art form. Having enjoyed many of Sondheim’s creations myself, I could see precisely what Schoch was getting at. Sondheim’s musicals are rich with life lessons and thoughtful reflections, making the idea of a book delving into those themes all the more compelling.
In How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, Richard Schoch delves into the legendary composer’s body of work, unpacking the themes behind his music and lyrics while weaving in behind-the-scenes anecdotes that reveal the inspiration and meticulous craft behind each musical. Each chapter focuses on a different production, offering a closer look at Sondheim's creative process. What struck me most was the sheer intentionality with which he approached his art. Every note and lyric served the story for Sondheim, and he wasn’t precious about any of it. He was open to altering lines, composing entirely new sections, and embracing debates with collaborators, all in the name of improving the work.
Sondheim’s career wasn’t without its challenges. While many of his shows are now considered masterpieces, he experienced his share of failures. Merrily We Roll Along, for example, closed after just 16 performances and was met with critical and commercial rejection. Yet, as Schoch highlights, even Sondheim’s perceived missteps were often ahead of their time, with Merrily later reevaluated and celebrated in a successful revival just this year.
Schoch argues that each of Sondheim’s musicals is unified by a central theme, offering the audience a life lesson woven into the production’s heart. Reading this book compelled me to pause, revisit the music discussed, and uncover new layers of meaning in familiar works. It deepened my appreciation for Sondheim and reminded me of the transformative power of art.
At a time when art and its creators are too often dismissed, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life is a passionate defense of artistic expression and its vital role in shaping and enriching our lives. It’s a powerful reminder of why new art should be created and shared with audiences eager to connect with it.
But for me, those instruments were anything but forgotten. I was captivated when I pressed a piano key and heard the hammer strike the string. That initial curiosity evolved into a lifelong passion. I went on to master the piano, majoring in music in college, and eventually earned advanced degrees in music composition. Even now, my obsession with the craft remains as strong as ever. Music didn’t just shape my life—it transformed it entirely.
When I came across the title of Richard Schoch’s book, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, I was immediately intrigued. By his passing in late 2021, the legendary Broadway composer had witnessed a remarkable resurgence in the popularity of his works, with critics and audiences lauding his musicals as masterpieces of the art form. Having enjoyed many of Sondheim’s creations myself, I could see precisely what Schoch was getting at. Sondheim’s musicals are rich with life lessons and thoughtful reflections, making the idea of a book delving into those themes all the more compelling.
In How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, Richard Schoch delves into the legendary composer’s body of work, unpacking the themes behind his music and lyrics while weaving in behind-the-scenes anecdotes that reveal the inspiration and meticulous craft behind each musical. Each chapter focuses on a different production, offering a closer look at Sondheim's creative process. What struck me most was the sheer intentionality with which he approached his art. Every note and lyric served the story for Sondheim, and he wasn’t precious about any of it. He was open to altering lines, composing entirely new sections, and embracing debates with collaborators, all in the name of improving the work.
Sondheim’s career wasn’t without its challenges. While many of his shows are now considered masterpieces, he experienced his share of failures. Merrily We Roll Along, for example, closed after just 16 performances and was met with critical and commercial rejection. Yet, as Schoch highlights, even Sondheim’s perceived missteps were often ahead of their time, with Merrily later reevaluated and celebrated in a successful revival just this year.
Schoch argues that each of Sondheim’s musicals is unified by a central theme, offering the audience a life lesson woven into the production’s heart. Reading this book compelled me to pause, revisit the music discussed, and uncover new layers of meaning in familiar works. It deepened my appreciation for Sondheim and reminded me of the transformative power of art.
At a time when art and its creators are too often dismissed, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life is a passionate defense of artistic expression and its vital role in shaping and enriching our lives. It’s a powerful reminder of why new art should be created and shared with audiences eager to connect with it.
November 17, 2025
I enjoyed this book and all its analyses and anecdotes (EXCEPT for the Into The Woods section!!! 🙄). I think a more appropriate title would be How Sondheim Changed MY Life, however. The author has a very personal connection with many of these shows. I don’t have to agree 100% with him to appreciate and value his insight and his love for the master Stephen Sondheim’s work. I share it on many levels.
February 22, 2025
This was such a joy to read, because I'm realizing the only thing better than reading OR seeing theater is reading about theater—specifically the works of Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim is arguably one of the great geniuses of our time in that he constructed works of musical theatre that weren't just entertaining—though they are—but also show a mirror to their audiences. That is the question that this book seeks to answer: what can we learn from the musicals of Stephen Sondheim?
The author dedicates a chapter to eleven of Sondheim's better-known works. Some observations border on tired (I don't think I need another examination of The Baker's Wife, though this might be my favorite) while others feel eerily fresh and relevant (examinations of how we tell history and the dangers in its erasure are at the core of Pacific Overtures and Assassins). I won't spoil it here, but his conclusion is one I needed to hear, and a reminder that books, theater, and other art forms are how we're going to get through our present state. As long as we have them.
The author dedicates a chapter to eleven of Sondheim's better-known works. Some observations border on tired (I don't think I need another examination of The Baker's Wife, though this might be my favorite) while others feel eerily fresh and relevant (examinations of how we tell history and the dangers in its erasure are at the core of Pacific Overtures and Assassins). I won't spoil it here, but his conclusion is one I needed to hear, and a reminder that books, theater, and other art forms are how we're going to get through our present state. As long as we have them.
August 5, 2025
You know I love my Sondheim.
This book does a deep dive into each of Sondheim's shows (leaving out some of the earlier ones), and conducts some wonderful textual analysis, putting into words both things I've felt myself but didn't know how to describe, and new perspectives on the works I hadn't considered.
The premise of the book is looking at what Sondheim's works can teach us about our own lives - this was touched on, however it was more of an analysis of the works themselves (which I definitely didn't mind because I'm a Sondheim analysis tragic).
I also loved the little tidbits about some of the original productions - did you know the "We loooooooooove you" in the opening of Company was held for 15 seconds because the cast needed time to get down from the platform set, and it's stayed in the score ever since? Amazing.
This book does a deep dive into each of Sondheim's shows (leaving out some of the earlier ones), and conducts some wonderful textual analysis, putting into words both things I've felt myself but didn't know how to describe, and new perspectives on the works I hadn't considered.
The premise of the book is looking at what Sondheim's works can teach us about our own lives - this was touched on, however it was more of an analysis of the works themselves (which I definitely didn't mind because I'm a Sondheim analysis tragic).
I also loved the little tidbits about some of the original productions - did you know the "We loooooooooove you" in the opening of Company was held for 15 seconds because the cast needed time to get down from the platform set, and it's stayed in the score ever since? Amazing.
March 30, 2025
“Sondheim is musicals for adults.” I really enjoyed this book. Actually, I’d love to have it on my shelf at home, to enjoy after I see a Sondheim musical.
It goes through 11 Sondheim Shows talking about the magic of a character, a scene, a song. I have seen 9 of these 11 shows. And most of them in the past 10 years. I loved revisiting these shows. Thinking about how the show impacted me when I saw it and maybe how my relationship with the show is now.
It goes through 11 Sondheim Shows talking about the magic of a character, a scene, a song. I have seen 9 of these 11 shows. And most of them in the past 10 years. I loved revisiting these shows. Thinking about how the show impacted me when I saw it and maybe how my relationship with the show is now.
September 19, 2024
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
This is a book less about Sondheim, and more about how you can learn things from his various musicals. I read a book like this before, title The Mad Morality, about what you can learn from Mad Magazine.
While The Mad Morality was biblically based, even if in a 1960's liberal sort of way, this book is not. This is more based on post-modern morality, and doesn't really have much of a kick.
Out of them all, the one I found most interesting, possibly because I did not share the author's views, was the chapter on the play, Assassins. Perhaps it's because we've recently had two assassination attempts on a presidential candidate, that it seems a little too easy to blame the usual socio-economic factors on everything. I always found the play more than a little ahistorical, shaping history to fit Sondheim's views, but this one carries it even further.
To be honest, I think it shows how the entire genre (medium?) has been captured by the Left, and as result is becoming less and less relevant as an art form to the masses. Too bad.
This is a book less about Sondheim, and more about how you can learn things from his various musicals. I read a book like this before, title The Mad Morality, about what you can learn from Mad Magazine.
While The Mad Morality was biblically based, even if in a 1960's liberal sort of way, this book is not. This is more based on post-modern morality, and doesn't really have much of a kick.
Out of them all, the one I found most interesting, possibly because I did not share the author's views, was the chapter on the play, Assassins. Perhaps it's because we've recently had two assassination attempts on a presidential candidate, that it seems a little too easy to blame the usual socio-economic factors on everything. I always found the play more than a little ahistorical, shaping history to fit Sondheim's views, but this one carries it even further.
To be honest, I think it shows how the entire genre (medium?) has been captured by the Left, and as result is becoming less and less relevant as an art form to the masses. Too bad.
August 13, 2025
Qué especial este libro para mi. Todavía tengo lagrimitas en los ojos.
Richard Schoch habla sobre Sondheim de una forma muy similar a la que yo pienso y siento sobre todo lo que a Sondheim respecta. Me gustó mucho leer su punto de vista y siento que aprendí un montón de todo lo que tenía para decir.
Por momentos la explicación de la trama se me hacía medio extensa pero estoy muy feliz de haber leído este libro, lo disfruté muchísimo.
Richard Schoch habla sobre Sondheim de una forma muy similar a la que yo pienso y siento sobre todo lo que a Sondheim respecta. Me gustó mucho leer su punto de vista y siento que aprendí un montón de todo lo que tenía para decir.
Por momentos la explicación de la trama se me hacía medio extensa pero estoy muy feliz de haber leído este libro, lo disfruté muchísimo.
September 9, 2025
I suspect I'm too much of a casual fan to be this book's target audience: I like Sondheim but I haven't seen all of the musicals mentioned (and haven't even heard of one). So if you are an ardent fan, this is probably a 4 star read.
But nonetheless I did enjoy this look at what certain songs and productions say about life, littered with both showbiz anecdotes and the author's personal reflections.
But nonetheless I did enjoy this look at what certain songs and productions say about life, littered with both showbiz anecdotes and the author's personal reflections.
November 25, 2024
Ahh this book was complete bliss for me!!
I adore musical theatre, and I love books that take a deep dive into analysis of various musicals.
I absolutely loved this book, and loved how in depth Schoch goes into specific songs within Sondheim's musicals.
My only negative, is that I wish the book was longer! I wanted more!! (About 40% of the book is notes)
This would make a great gift for any musical theatre fan!!
I adore musical theatre, and I love books that take a deep dive into analysis of various musicals.
I absolutely loved this book, and loved how in depth Schoch goes into specific songs within Sondheim's musicals.
My only negative, is that I wish the book was longer! I wanted more!! (About 40% of the book is notes)
This would make a great gift for any musical theatre fan!!
December 10, 2024
Step by step through each Sondheim written show by a professor who explores the sociological seeds of the various characters and the implications through the lyrics of his songs.
February 19, 2025
ultimately not like a very intense look at sondheim’s work but enjoyed it nonetheless bc sondheim <3
April 9, 2025
After many years away from serious music, I find myself in the midst of performing a role in a production of Into the Woods. I stumbled onto
this book and very much enjoyed it.
The author blends literary analysis, love for theater, and deep knowledge of Sondheim’s work. It’s a thought-provoking and moving read.
this book and very much enjoyed it.
The author blends literary analysis, love for theater, and deep knowledge of Sondheim’s work. It’s a thought-provoking and moving read.
April 19, 2025
Just when you thought you knew a lot about Sondheim….
Richard Schoch provides aficionados with some new lenses to look at many seminal, groundbreaking, and much-talked about musicals. This book is not for the Sondheim lighthearted, but his enthusiasts will enjoy revisiting their favorite Broadway composer through his authentic, personal lenses.
Richard Schoch provides aficionados with some new lenses to look at many seminal, groundbreaking, and much-talked about musicals. This book is not for the Sondheim lighthearted, but his enthusiasts will enjoy revisiting their favorite Broadway composer through his authentic, personal lenses.
August 12, 2025
Really enjoyed this! A fun book to dip in and out of.
October 24, 2025
i love stephen sondheim
January 12, 2025
As a lover of Musical Theatre and Sondheim, I really enjoyed this book analyzing his shows. There are some that I haven't seen that now I'd really like to see! What a creative genius Sonheim was. 🩷🩷🩷
February 15, 2025
Theater goers should enjoy this book. Sondheim’s shows all plumbs the depths of the human condition, which is the books premise. However, I wasn’t entirely convinced by some of the arguments. Still some good gossipy stuff about some of the shows and overall very enjoyable.
March 15, 2025
This book is catnip for any Sondheim superfan like myself, and offers an academic study of the psychological motivations and behaviours of characters from 12 of the composer’s works. Author Richard Schoch draws out life lessons from Sondheim’s characters, relating them not only to himself and his own experiences, but to human behaviour at large. There are interesting Broadway titbits scattered throughout and the backstories behind many of the shows’ development is interesting to know, though invariably parts of the book run dry and the lessons feel a little shoehorned into a desire to make them fit.
May 1, 2025
This is a rewarding tour through eleven of Sondheim’s musicals, from Gypsy (1959) through Passion (1994), with bonus prologue and epilogue discussing Anyone Can Whistle (1964) and the posthumous Here We Are (2023). Each chapter follows a similar structure: introduction to the show’s premise and creative origins, digging deeper into one or two themes, drawing a personal connection to the author’s life, and pivoting to universal lessons.
It’s not a bad approach, although some chapters feel more successful than others. Sometimes we hear a lot about the circumstances of a show, such as Sondheim’s last-minute composition of “Send in the Clowns” or the cool reception to Assassins due to hostilities with the Middle East in both 1990 and 2001.
I found the author’s personal reflections underwhelming — it’s not presented as a memoir, and readers probably wouldn’t be interested in one because we’re here for Sondheim, but the result is that we don’t get enough autobiography to get a sense of who this guy is, which makes it hard for the personal sections to land. There’s no skeleton for the meat to hang on. Yet this man (whoever he is) is the single perspective that the whole book is funneled through. I wonder whether it should have opened up to quotes from other wise Sondheim fans, or even allocated each chapter to a different writer who really had something special to say about a particular show. But then you’d lose the unity of the project, and the premise that Sondheim’s work as a whole can provide a body of wisdom that can all be applied to a single person’s life — Schoch’s, or by implication mine or yours.
What we do get is something similar to Nathaniel Philbrick’s Why Read Moby-Dick?, which I also read recently — an appealing entry point or appetizer for engaging with the work of an American master. It motivates me to explore the shows I’m not familiar with, such as Pacific Overtures and Passion. On the show I know the best, Into the Woods, he offers a surprising interpretation that I don’t really agree with, but that probably says more about him and about me than about Sondheim. Which is the point of the book.
[Also, I was disappointed with the audiobook narration by Shaun Taylor-Corbett — mostly fine, but on multiple occasions he seemed to misunderstand the structure of phrase or sentence.]
It’s not a bad approach, although some chapters feel more successful than others. Sometimes we hear a lot about the circumstances of a show, such as Sondheim’s last-minute composition of “Send in the Clowns” or the cool reception to Assassins due to hostilities with the Middle East in both 1990 and 2001.
I found the author’s personal reflections underwhelming — it’s not presented as a memoir, and readers probably wouldn’t be interested in one because we’re here for Sondheim, but the result is that we don’t get enough autobiography to get a sense of who this guy is, which makes it hard for the personal sections to land. There’s no skeleton for the meat to hang on. Yet this man (whoever he is) is the single perspective that the whole book is funneled through. I wonder whether it should have opened up to quotes from other wise Sondheim fans, or even allocated each chapter to a different writer who really had something special to say about a particular show. But then you’d lose the unity of the project, and the premise that Sondheim’s work as a whole can provide a body of wisdom that can all be applied to a single person’s life — Schoch’s, or by implication mine or yours.
What we do get is something similar to Nathaniel Philbrick’s Why Read Moby-Dick?, which I also read recently — an appealing entry point or appetizer for engaging with the work of an American master. It motivates me to explore the shows I’m not familiar with, such as Pacific Overtures and Passion. On the show I know the best, Into the Woods, he offers a surprising interpretation that I don’t really agree with, but that probably says more about him and about me than about Sondheim. Which is the point of the book.
[Also, I was disappointed with the audiobook narration by Shaun Taylor-Corbett — mostly fine, but on multiple occasions he seemed to misunderstand the structure of phrase or sentence.]
June 25, 2025
🎧🛁 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 🛁🎧
How Sondheim Can Change Your Life by Richard Schoch
Narrated by Shaun Taylor-Corbett
“The truth that being an artist is a natural state of being. It’s bred deep in our bones, like an instinct, or a reflex, open to us from the start.”
Synopsis: Theatre historian Richard Schoch explores how the works of Stephen Sondheim offer not just musical excellence, but a guide for living. Through iconic lyrics and underappreciated gems, Schoch unpacks the lessons worked into Sondheim’s musicals—revealing how his work speaks to love, regret, aging, artistry, and the eternal desire to connect.
I absolutely adored this piece of theatrical nonfiction paying tribute to one of the absolute greats, Stephen Sondheim. As a lover and performer of many of Sondheim’s bigger works— I just wrapped a community theatre run of Merrily that kicked my ass in the best way —I expected to connect most with the musicals I already knew. But what surprised me? Falling headfirst into the lesser-known shows.
Now I’m obsessed with the idea of Pacific Overtures (it’s giving “I hate theatre Twitter, what do you mean it’s a Japanese playwright’s version of an American musical about American influence on Japan?”), and the chapter on Follies absolutely gutted me—in the best way. That’s where one of my favorite quotes in the book comes from:
“Pay heed, high school drama students. That is, the kind of person who admits, and so can forgive, each misstep and each mistake… And who knows that you can’t get through the whole show by yourself, even if you are unlucky enough to be the great Benjamin Stone.”
This book is such a reminder that Sondheim was a prolific creator who found beauty in the smallest, strangest corners—whether in a decaying cabaret theatre or in the minds of presidential assassins. Schoch’s writing reminded me that being an artist is a fundamental part of being human:
“Every five-year-old is a tiny untutored Picasso. (Or should I say, a small Seurat?) The only question is whether we nurture, or neglect, what is already there—the artist within.”
I’m so grateful to my bestie for putting this one on my radar. Whether you’re a lifelong Sondheim devotee or just starting to explore the canon, this book is a beautiful love letter to musical theatre and the ways it shapes who we are.📚🛁✨🎶
October 20, 2024
To start, I'd like to extend a big thank you to the author, Richard Schoch, the publisher, Atria Books, and Goodreads for the privilege of winning a physical copy of this book, How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, in a giveaway. I will post my review to Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well upon full release.
This is an insightful nonfiction memoir/history/music analysis book focusing on Stephen Sondheim and his works. Schoch digs into the deeper layers of Sondheim's work to show how he envisions the meanings of lyrics, characters, and other aspects of the beloved musicals like Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Company. Schoch makes the argument through several examples that Sondheim changed the world around him in a way very few are able. Through the universality of Sondheim's characters, that often seem to reflect our own inner passions and desires, we lose ourselves in the realism and acceptance of our human nature. In so many of his songs, the characters reflect on themselves and how they have to move forward, showing that personal growth is a major part of changing your outcomes. Schoch mentions multiple times how Sondheim's lyrics provide little snippets of life lessons about deep subjects in more entertaining topics. He also looks into the deeper genius of how Sondheim structured and composed his works, which I thought was a really interesting touch that reminded me how important context is to creativity.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a theater fan, musical fan, or Sondheim fan in particular. Even though there's an academic feel to his approach, Schoch never comes off as condescending or instructive as to how to view certain aspects of Sondheim's work. I really appreciated all of the background info on so many of the plays that I hadn't known before. You'll definitely walk away from this book with a deeper understanding of Sondheim and how to fully examine work that you enjoy. Good pieces require multiple viewings to unfold all of the nuances of understanding, and I think this book itself needs a really deep dive to enjoy fully.
This is an insightful nonfiction memoir/history/music analysis book focusing on Stephen Sondheim and his works. Schoch digs into the deeper layers of Sondheim's work to show how he envisions the meanings of lyrics, characters, and other aspects of the beloved musicals like Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Company. Schoch makes the argument through several examples that Sondheim changed the world around him in a way very few are able. Through the universality of Sondheim's characters, that often seem to reflect our own inner passions and desires, we lose ourselves in the realism and acceptance of our human nature. In so many of his songs, the characters reflect on themselves and how they have to move forward, showing that personal growth is a major part of changing your outcomes. Schoch mentions multiple times how Sondheim's lyrics provide little snippets of life lessons about deep subjects in more entertaining topics. He also looks into the deeper genius of how Sondheim structured and composed his works, which I thought was a really interesting touch that reminded me how important context is to creativity.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a theater fan, musical fan, or Sondheim fan in particular. Even though there's an academic feel to his approach, Schoch never comes off as condescending or instructive as to how to view certain aspects of Sondheim's work. I really appreciated all of the background info on so many of the plays that I hadn't known before. You'll definitely walk away from this book with a deeper understanding of Sondheim and how to fully examine work that you enjoy. Good pieces require multiple viewings to unfold all of the nuances of understanding, and I think this book itself needs a really deep dive to enjoy fully.
October 15, 2024
This is such an original take on Sondheim’s work, now that it is unfortunately complete. The author puts into words something that I’ve always felt without realizing it: how Sondheim wrote music for all stages of your life, and that your interpretation of his shows changes as you grow older (Who’s that woman is more poignant now than when I heard it for the first time, in my 20s). This is not a history, musical analysis or even anecdotes, although it includes it all. It is the way the author reads the lessons and messages that Sondheim left for his audience, and how we can apply them to our personal lives to make them better. It is not preachy or grandstanding, and there is not one single way to read it. Chronologically, play by play, the author examines sometimes the full show, others just one part or character. I was shocked to realize that I had been reading a big Follies number all wrong (or not, maybe my take is the “right” one, since the author strongly suggests that there is not one way to look at anything). I’ve been a fan of musicals ever since I can remember. My favorite shows have changed over time, but Sondheim has been the one constant. I loved how Schoch really grasps that and communicates it clearly to the audience. This book won’t be for everyone though, since you need to know or at least like Sondheim to enjoy it. Readers who are new to his music and wish to get to know it, may not find this to be the best introduction, as it is maybe too detailed. I know some of his lyrics by heart and the ones that I was not familiar with I looked up online and I guess I have new favorite shows to discover. You gotta have a gimmick and Schoch certainly entertained me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Atria Books.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Atria Books.
July 20, 2024
Someone wise once told me that great art can be defined by the fact that you can continue to gain insights each time we encounter it. If that’s the case, then Stephen Sondheim can be considered one of the greatest artists who ever lived. I have listened to, studied, sung, taught, and watched Sondheim since I was in college at the height of his theatrical output (the first Sondheim musical I ever saw was Follies, on Broadway when I was a freshman in college). I thought I had delved pretty deeply into Sondheim, but Richard Schoch’s deep dive into Sondheim’s works opened up new worlds for me. I learned, for example, that the grand aria “My Friends” from Sweeney Todd was sung in 3/4 but to an accompaniment in 7/8, making an eerie mismatch. Nor did I fully internalize all of the times Sondheim used non=traditional constructions: Merrily We Roll Along is told from present to past; Sunday in the Park with George’s second act takes place 100 years later and is an entirely different story. Even Into the Woods, arguably Sondheim’s most performed musical, has much more to learn than at first meets the eye.
I also appreciated Schoch’s personal reflections on his Sondheim journey as well. One of the best thing about Sondheim is his ability to tap into universal emotion. As it did with Schoch’s, it did with me.
I loved loved loved this book, a worthy entry into the Sondheim universe. Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for offering me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I also appreciated Schoch’s personal reflections on his Sondheim journey as well. One of the best thing about Sondheim is his ability to tap into universal emotion. As it did with Schoch’s, it did with me.
I loved loved loved this book, a worthy entry into the Sondheim universe. Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for offering me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 20, 2025
HOW SONDHEIM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE does exactly what the title promises. Using thirteen of Stephen Sondheim‘s plays as its premise. Richard Schoch digs into them to explore the lessons in each of them with which most readers can identify and use.
It is doesn’t present plot summaries. Most important is what the characters think of themselves and each other. He then invites us to examine ourselves for how we relate to them.
Schoch writes: “Unlike a jigsaw puzzle, he doesn’t put the pieces of life back together again; he takes them apart. What Sondheim offers us is not life with all its riddles happily solved, but life deconstructed and laid bare, in all its confusion and disarray.” In the process, his plays involve us rather than just being something to entertain us.
He explains how music chosen deliberately for particular purposes. For example, in Follies there is “a sudden key change when Sally sings of Buddy. Or maybe it’s how the dry woodwind accompaniment… challenges the ecstatic lyric.”
At the beginning of A Little Night Music, there is a quintet on a the stage. Why?
Sweeney Todd’s “My Friends” offers simultaneously different beats, three and seven.
I have seen hundreds of plays. After reading the treasure that is HOW SONDHEIM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, I will be absorbing them from a much richer perspective.
It is doesn’t present plot summaries. Most important is what the characters think of themselves and each other. He then invites us to examine ourselves for how we relate to them.
Schoch writes: “Unlike a jigsaw puzzle, he doesn’t put the pieces of life back together again; he takes them apart. What Sondheim offers us is not life with all its riddles happily solved, but life deconstructed and laid bare, in all its confusion and disarray.” In the process, his plays involve us rather than just being something to entertain us.
He explains how music chosen deliberately for particular purposes. For example, in Follies there is “a sudden key change when Sally sings of Buddy. Or maybe it’s how the dry woodwind accompaniment… challenges the ecstatic lyric.”
At the beginning of A Little Night Music, there is a quintet on a the stage. Why?
Sweeney Todd’s “My Friends” offers simultaneously different beats, three and seven.
I have seen hundreds of plays. After reading the treasure that is HOW SONDHEIM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, I will be absorbing them from a much richer perspective.
May 1, 2025
As a lover of almost all things Sondheim, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even when the author wrote about the musicals with which I’m less familiar (I have seen them all at least once), I still enjoyed his analysis of the knotty, ambivalent, often irreconcilable themes found in Sondheim’s work. I still remember seeing the revival of “A Little Night Music” with Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch a decade and a half ago and just being completely undone by Peters’ simple yet profound interpretation of “Send in the Clowns.” I think I had found myself at a crossroads that seemed difficult to untangle, one for which there was no easy answer. But what a catharsis seeing that show as Desiree’s honest vulnerability was met with rejection. I won’t bore you with the details of that doomed relationship, but “ALNM” made me realize that I didn’t want to be in that relationship anymore. Yes, I realize that my decision was the opposite of Desiree’s, but I think that just speaks to the complexity of Sondheim.
I also enjoyed the brief glimpses the book gave us of the author’s life and how Sondheim’s work made him reflect more deeply on his choices and their consequences. I don’t know if revealing those details was difficult for him , but it made his book richer and infinitely more human.
Highly recommended!!
Sent from my iPhone
September 14, 2025
As a lifelong fan of Broadway musicals, the way that Schoch related Sondheim's Broadway to our pursuit of personal development was a joy. If you think you might not be interested in the subject matter, a look at the chapter titles--including how to survive your past, how to grow up, how (not) to deal with injustice, just to name a few--might change your mind. How could we not want to aim for those goals in our journey through life?
"What Sondheim offers us is not life with all its riddles happily solved, but life deconstructed and laid bare, in all its confusion and disarray."
"...through his works we do not so much escape life as confront it. His words and his music feel not like a denial of reality but rather its unsparing exposure."If we never catch sight of all that is beautiful in us, then neither will anyone else. If we never claim what is lovable about us, then nobody else ever can."
"The fierce egotism of our youth is forgivable, and, in its moment, even justified. The problem starts when we keep fixating on ourselves, for that fixation always comes at the expense of somebody else. To grow up rightly means that at some point we will recognize a mission to pass on whatever we know of the truth."
"If we never catch sight of all that is beautiful in us, then neither will anyone else. If we never claim what is lovable about us, then nobody else ever can."
"What Sondheim offers us is not life with all its riddles happily solved, but life deconstructed and laid bare, in all its confusion and disarray."
"...through his works we do not so much escape life as confront it. His words and his music feel not like a denial of reality but rather its unsparing exposure."If we never catch sight of all that is beautiful in us, then neither will anyone else. If we never claim what is lovable about us, then nobody else ever can."
"The fierce egotism of our youth is forgivable, and, in its moment, even justified. The problem starts when we keep fixating on ourselves, for that fixation always comes at the expense of somebody else. To grow up rightly means that at some point we will recognize a mission to pass on whatever we know of the truth."
"If we never catch sight of all that is beautiful in us, then neither will anyone else. If we never claim what is lovable about us, then nobody else ever can."
August 22, 2024
I love Stephen Sondheim. I love the man, I love his music, I love his lyrics. He's a very clever and delightful guy who has brought joy into my life. But change my life? That seems a bit over the top. But I figured, why not indulge myself and check out why some other fan thinks he could change anyone's life. And I am here to tell you that I am SO glad I did. See, what I missed, after all these years of listening to all the soundtracks, of watching the filmed performances, the concerts-- what I'd missed is not that the man is clever but that he is Wise. It took Richard Schoch to quietly and brilliantly take me through two hundred some pages of discussion to show me what I had missed-- and Schoch is right: if you pay attention, if you think, the wisdom of Sondheim was right there all along-- not just clever lyrics and unequaled rhymes but the wisdom to reflect on one's own life and perceptions, the wisdom to allow ourselves to seek and explore different paths, the wisdom to reason out life's questions and attempt an answer. I will be forever grateful to Schoch for showing me there was so much more Mr. Sondheim was trying to share. And I will tell you one more thing-- this is a book I know I will re-read again and again and again.
October 23, 2024
I was very kindly given an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley and Ebury / Penguin Random House.
Truly a must-read for any fan of Stephen Sondheim, no matter how gentle or die-hard you might be. Reading Schoch's intimately detailed book replicates what it must be like to take one of his classes, exploring a selection of Sondheim's oeuvre - beginning with Gypsy and ending with the unfinished Here We Are - and planting a philosophical eye upon the subjects and stories of each musical. The 'life lessons' that can be learned from each don't necessarily become important as you read. It's more of a jumping off point for the author to analyse the shows themselves, throwing in an anecdote here and there to give evidence to his theses. Certainly, I found the writing leaning more into the academic and at times, it became a little difficult to read, despite the chapters being relatively short and compact.
If anything, this had made me even more eager to listen fully to the Sondheim shows that I'm less familiar with (as of writing: Follies, Assassins, Here We Are, Sunday in the Park with George) and explore all these exciting ideas and thoughts that Schoch brings to this book.
"How Sondheim Can Change Your Life" is available from November 14th.
Truly a must-read for any fan of Stephen Sondheim, no matter how gentle or die-hard you might be. Reading Schoch's intimately detailed book replicates what it must be like to take one of his classes, exploring a selection of Sondheim's oeuvre - beginning with Gypsy and ending with the unfinished Here We Are - and planting a philosophical eye upon the subjects and stories of each musical. The 'life lessons' that can be learned from each don't necessarily become important as you read. It's more of a jumping off point for the author to analyse the shows themselves, throwing in an anecdote here and there to give evidence to his theses. Certainly, I found the writing leaning more into the academic and at times, it became a little difficult to read, despite the chapters being relatively short and compact.
If anything, this had made me even more eager to listen fully to the Sondheim shows that I'm less familiar with (as of writing: Follies, Assassins, Here We Are, Sunday in the Park with George) and explore all these exciting ideas and thoughts that Schoch brings to this book.
"How Sondheim Can Change Your Life" is available from November 14th.
November 7, 2024
It wasn’t until I met my wife that I became familiar with the works Stephen Sondheim. Prior to us meeting, all I knew of him was that he wrote the lyrics to West Side Story and Gypsy. But it wasn’t until Sweeney Todd that I fell head over heels for his shows.
So it’s this background that lead me to read How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, a discussion of eleven Sondheim shows and the life lessons they can potentially teach us. As a huge fan of West Side Story, I was disappointed that the show wasn’t included, though Mr. Schoch does explain his reasoning. The author, depending on which production is being discussed, either takes a broad overview, or can get laser focused on a topic, such as his really interesting discussion of Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music. For the most part, I discovered many really interesting insights. For this reader, however, there was also material that was just a bit too philosophical for me, though, fortunately, this wasn’t a common occurrence.
I’m not sure how appropriate this wonderful book would be for the casual Sondheim fan, but it truly is a great addition to the literature about one of America’s finest Broadway composers.
My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.
So it’s this background that lead me to read How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, a discussion of eleven Sondheim shows and the life lessons they can potentially teach us. As a huge fan of West Side Story, I was disappointed that the show wasn’t included, though Mr. Schoch does explain his reasoning. The author, depending on which production is being discussed, either takes a broad overview, or can get laser focused on a topic, such as his really interesting discussion of Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music. For the most part, I discovered many really interesting insights. For this reader, however, there was also material that was just a bit too philosophical for me, though, fortunately, this wasn’t a common occurrence.
I’m not sure how appropriate this wonderful book would be for the casual Sondheim fan, but it truly is a great addition to the literature about one of America’s finest Broadway composers.
My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.
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