Violists

Violists by Richard McGowan is a novel set in the early 1990s that explores identity and the pressures of social expectations through intersecting lives shaped by music and academia. The story opens with Gretchen Haviland, a 29-year-old librarian, who reflects on her decision to stay single and protect her independence while confronting anxieties about aging. Her internal search for direction leads to an intriguing growing acquaintance with Bridwell, a young professor, sparked by repeated encounters in the university library and deepened through conversation. The narrative also follows Jurgen, a talented violist struggling to find work after the symphony orchestra he belonged to collapses, highlighting the competing pressures faced by musicians.