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Blues for the Muse
A ROMANCE IN ROME...
Blues for the Muse, a comedy-adventure set in modern-day Rome, is an unpredictable blend of film-noir danger, roller-coaster romance, and sweet depths of feeling, with an aging, risk-taking hero who should know better and a fetching Italian siren who definitely does. The story touches chords of love and crime and the redemptive power of art, all done in sonnets that are a breeze to read and chocked with pleasures.
"With the grace of Keats-whose poetic presence gives this volume its lively force-Altman whips lusty and literate sonnets into a sweeping, scary, and sensational masterpiece!" - William Lanouette, author of The Triumph of the Amateurs and Genius in the Shadows.
The story opens and closes in the Roman cemetery where John Keats is buried. In between, it features Italian mobsters and American conmen, Hollywood moviemaking, an unforgettable femme fatale, a high-stakes love affair, concealed identities and unanticipated revelations, the eternal glories of Rome and-almost magically-the presiding spirit of the young English poet who wrote "Bright Star."
Blues for the Muse is a hilarious meditation on life, love, and movie magic, told in whip-smart rhymes that will make you smile with surprise and delight.
Blues for the Muse, a comedy-adventure set in modern-day Rome, is an unpredictable blend of film-noir danger, roller-coaster romance, and sweet depths of feeling, with an aging, risk-taking hero who should know better and a fetching Italian siren who definitely does. The story touches chords of love and crime and the redemptive power of art, all done in sonnets that are a breeze to read and chocked with pleasures.
"With the grace of Keats-whose poetic presence gives this volume its lively force-Altman whips lusty and literate sonnets into a sweeping, scary, and sensational masterpiece!" - William Lanouette, author of The Triumph of the Amateurs and Genius in the Shadows.
The story opens and closes in the Roman cemetery where John Keats is buried. In between, it features Italian mobsters and American conmen, Hollywood moviemaking, an unforgettable femme fatale, a high-stakes love affair, concealed identities and unanticipated revelations, the eternal glories of Rome and-almost magically-the presiding spirit of the young English poet who wrote "Bright Star."
Blues for the Muse is a hilarious meditation on life, love, and movie magic, told in whip-smart rhymes that will make you smile with surprise and delight.
127 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2021
25 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 30, 2022
It was so refreshing to read a deep narrative poem which was intelligently written! I loved it.
December 10, 2021
"Blues for the Muse" by Stephen Altman is truly a unique and remarkable work. Altman's use of sonnets to tell a story creates a mesmerizing portrait of creativity at work.
The tale of Tom Jerome, an aging and less than successful movie director, Italian beauty Vina Fumento and the contributing cast of characters makes for a suspenseful, witty and delightful read. This delectable story diverts us in a most pleasant way from the woes of everyday life. Most importantly, it renews our perspective and appreciation for the English poet John Keats and provides a light spiritual background to the antics of these diverse characters.
I highly recommend this strikingly fine work. The story itself will bring you many smiles, and the color azure will take on a new and fun meaning of beauty and grace.
Don't let this opportunity for a good read flow by you and only be "writ in water."
Jane Blash
Avid fiction reader. "Blues for the Muse" is the first verse novel I've tried.
The tale of Tom Jerome, an aging and less than successful movie director, Italian beauty Vina Fumento and the contributing cast of characters makes for a suspenseful, witty and delightful read. This delectable story diverts us in a most pleasant way from the woes of everyday life. Most importantly, it renews our perspective and appreciation for the English poet John Keats and provides a light spiritual background to the antics of these diverse characters.
I highly recommend this strikingly fine work. The story itself will bring you many smiles, and the color azure will take on a new and fun meaning of beauty and grace.
Don't let this opportunity for a good read flow by you and only be "writ in water."
Jane Blash
Avid fiction reader. "Blues for the Muse" is the first verse novel I've tried.
October 17, 2021
Steve Altman writes a sequence of 202 sonnets to tell an amazing story of Tom Jerome, a Hollywood guy, who visits the grave of John Keats in Rome, Italy at Testaccio. Tom eyes a beautiful woman, Vińa, and wants her to be the muse he has always longed for. The story takes a lot of turns in the 202 sonnets. She is not the person he expected her to be, and he gets himself involved in situations he had not anticipated. Their tale may remind the reader of "La Belle Dame Sans Merci." The story does not end there. Steve introduces other characters and twists and turns to tell this witty, dangerous and successful story. The consistent writing of sonnets to tell the story amazed me. This is worth your time to read. Tom Donlon
October 1, 2021
What a romp! This little book is delightful and surprising - a whole story told in verse that moves cleanly, cleverly, and with great atmosphere.
July 16, 2023
When was the last time you read a story in poetry, not prose?
Keats' grave in Rome. Shelley is also buried here, at the non-Catholic cemetery. References to Dante are here as well--a refresher, in the second circle of Hell are those overcome by lust. These "carnal malefactors" are condemned for allowing their appetites to sway their reason. These souls are buffeted back and forth by the terrible winds of a violent storm, without rest.
This is a homage to Keats, but no, not the stuffy type of poem where everything is "crushing Joy's grape." Here you'll find Roman mafia, restaurants, papa, stilleto heels running on the cobblestones, gelato and "cows of cash." The femme fatale/muse here is named Vina, which means "arts and culture" in Italian.
I wish more authors would do what Altman does and give links to songs used in his story.
Colors of azure:
A quick free read for Kindle from Amazon.
Keats' grave in Rome. Shelley is also buried here, at the non-Catholic cemetery. References to Dante are here as well--a refresher, in the second circle of Hell are those overcome by lust. These "carnal malefactors" are condemned for allowing their appetites to sway their reason. These souls are buffeted back and forth by the terrible winds of a violent storm, without rest.
This is a homage to Keats, but no, not the stuffy type of poem where everything is "crushing Joy's grape." Here you'll find Roman mafia, restaurants, papa, stilleto heels running on the cobblestones, gelato and "cows of cash." The femme fatale/muse here is named Vina, which means "arts and culture" in Italian.
I wish more authors would do what Altman does and give links to songs used in his story.
Colors of azure:
A quick free read for Kindle from Amazon.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews