Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould by Canadian philosopher and critic Mark Kingwell, published by Penguin Canada in 2009 as part of the Extraordinary Canadians series. This compact philosophical biography considers the celebrated Canadian pianist not simply as an eccentric musical genius, but as a provocative thinker whose ideas about performance, technology, solitude, and recorded music shaped his life and legacy.

Rather than following a conventional chronological narrative, Kingwell approaches Gould through a sequence of different perspectives or “takes,” echoing the pianist's famously exacting recording methods. The volume includes an introduction by Extraordinary Canadians series editor John Ralston Saul.

This is the first edition and first printing, identified by the “First published 2009” statement and complete number line. Hardcover with dust jacket, ISBN 978-0-670-06850-0.

Inscribed and signed by Mark Kingwell on the title page to Julia, apparently with the words “with best wishes,” and dated 8.XII.09. Several additional handwritten ink notations accompany the presentation. Seller-graded Very Good, with light shelf and handling wear visible to the hardcover and dust jacket and no obvious major exterior damage in the supplied views.