The Devil's Violinist

The more I learned about Niccolo Paganini, the more I became convinced that he was Europe's first real rock star. His heyday was 1820-1830, occupying a post-Napoleonic Europe that was for the first time relatively free of banditry and associated hazards of travel.

Suddenly artists could visit far-flung cities, together with their entourages and hangers-on, tour managers and supporting acts. The only substantive difference between then and now was the absence of recording.

This book starts in Hannover, then British, at a moment when Paganini decided to take an English-speaking secretary with him on tour. That was Georg Harrys, who wrote a short book about his experiences and wished he could write more. What, I wondered, if they remained close, and Harrys continued his memoir?

I'm uploading the draft as I go, here.