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The Temple of Music
In a starkly divided America, a Republican president seeks reelection in the afterglow of a controversial war. He is bankrolled by millionaires, with every step of his career orchestrated by a political mastermind. While terrorists plot the assassination of world leaders, a lonely, disturbed revolutionary stalks the President. . . .
It all happened. One hundred years ago. ...more
It all happened. One hundred years ago. ...more
416 pages
Published
December 27th 2005
by Three Rivers Press
(first published 2004)
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I took a break from post-modern fiction and went back to another genre that I am fond of: historical fiction. The last time I read one, it was about Japan and the changes that occurred before, during, and after WWII. This time, I picked a novel that is close to home (currently, at least). It is entitled The Temple of Music by Jonathan Lowy, and this is a book that tells the story of the assassination of President William McKinley, right here in Buffalo, New York, back in 1901.
Given tha...more
Given tha...more
From Publishers Weekly
Lowy's second novel (after Elvis and Nixon) is a scattered but compelling account of the assassination of William McKinley at the hands of Leon Czolgosz at the 1901 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. Czolgosz is an enigmatic figure, and Lowy does a good job of filling in the blanks with a failed love affair and moments of anguished alienation that explain in realistically messy terms why a man would commit such an extreme act. Lowy occasionally engages in commen...more
Lowy's second novel (after Elvis and Nixon) is a scattered but compelling account of the assassination of William McKinley at the hands of Leon Czolgosz at the 1901 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. Czolgosz is an enigmatic figure, and Lowy does a good job of filling in the blanks with a failed love affair and moments of anguished alienation that explain in realistically messy terms why a man would commit such an extreme act. Lowy occasionally engages in commen...more
A really interesting novelization of America during McKinley's presidency, including his assassination. Lowy imagines the thoughts and ambitions of assassin Leon Czolgosz, Emma Goldman, and McKinley himself, among others. Every character is presented sympathetically, as the "Guilded Age" takes its toll on Americans in every class of society. The timeframe and structure reminded me of Ragtime, though this one isn't nearly as heartbreaking (despite the knowledge that McKinley's days are ...more
A little too "busy" for me. I didn't like the switching of narratives every chapter. It is historically sound. The author definitely did his homework.
Temple of Music is a historical novel set at the beginning of the twentieth century. It chronicals the movements of Leon Czolgolsz, Emma Goldman, William McKinley, William Jennings Bryant, Eugene Debs, and the capitalists and political wanks behind the McKinley administration. Fun read for historical novel fans, especially those interested in the turn of the twentieth century and the anarchist and socialist movements in the U.S. at the time. It's not a piece of literary genius, but something eas...more
Based on the time and circumstances of President William McKinley's assasination. I found the book interesting. Character development in the novel was good. Historical angle is what interested me the most and I think the author does justice to setting the time period well.
Disappointing. I had hoped for a grand story that would teach me of another time. Disjointed, boring, and decidedly liberal in it's bias. I am more than half way through, but I don't know that I will finish it. It is just depressing to listen to.
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