Jean-Christophe : Dawn, Morning, Youth, Revolt | 
I finished the 1st volume containing the 1st 3 novels, all about Christophe's early years: his birth in a musician's family impoverished by the father's alcoholism, his work/exploitation as a child musical prodigy, his loneliness, his sexual awakening. I liked Dawn best: there was more empathy for everyone, and Jean-Michel the grandfather is a great character. Youth was infuriating because the MC was an insufferable young man.
#NobelPrize
“She was like a girl of Holbein, in the gallery at Basle—the daughter of burgomaster Meier—sitting, with eyes cast down, her hands on her knees, her fair hair falling down to her shoulders, looking embarrassed and ashamed of her uncomely nose.“
Of course, I had to find the portrait mentioned by Romain Rolland in Youth. I have to say I find the girl quite pretty, and her nose not at all uncomely. 🙄
#NobelPrize
Romain Rolland comes up regularly in Stefan Zweig's memoir which I read earlier this year (they were friends). He is half forgotten these days, but the Jean-Christophe series was a best-seller at the time, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1915. So, I thought I'd try it... It's easy enough: all the books are in the public domain.
#NobelPrize
Pic is Boy Playing the Piano by Bettmann. 1d