"In these pages, we hear only Richter's distinctive voice, unpretentious, ironic, at times defensive, humorous, convincingly sincere, as brutally candid about his foibles, his performances, and his preferences as about the strengths and failings of his colleagues. A man of determined privacy who shunned interviews, he reveals himself almost inadvertently in his recollections. This book is indispensable to anyone interested in a magisterial artist like Richter. For the music lover and record collector, the appendices are extremely valuable."--Beth Archer Brombert, author of "Eduard Manet: Rebel in a Frock Coat"