Journey of a Thousand Miles

Journey of a Thousand Miles tells the remarkable story of a boy who sacrificed almost everything - family, financial security, childhood and his reputation in China's insular classical music world - to fulfil his promise as a classical pianist. Lang Lang was born in Shenyang in north-eastern China just after the end of the Cultural Revolution. He began piano lessons at three years old and by age ten had been awarded a place at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. In order to continue his studies he moved thousands of miles from home, living with his exacting father in a cramped, shared apartment, while his mother stayed at home to earn the money to pay his fees. At fifteen he moved to the United States to take up a scholarship at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; by nineteen he was selling out Carnegie Hall. His tutor and mentor Daniel Barenboim was perhaps the first to describe him as 'extraordinarily talented'; today his assessment is shared by millions. Now in adulthood, Lang Lang tours relentlessly, delighting sell-out audiences with his trademark flamboyance and showmanship. Journey of a Thousand Miles is a tale of heartbreak, drama and ultimately triumph. His inspiring story demonstrates the courage and self-sacrifice required to achieve artistic greatness.

About the Author :
Lang Lang was born in 1982 in Shenyang, China. He has played with the leading orchestras in all of the major concert halls throughout the world.

Review :
“Lang tells the story of his childhood without self-pity or bitterness, making his success, and the book itself, all the more satisfying.” —"New York Times Book Review " “"Journey of a Thousand Miles" is a fast read, told with the kind of breathless enthusiasm that echoes Lang Lang’s personality . . . Lang Lang’s story, with its trajectory from a chubby prodigy living in a Chinese backwater to a pop star of the classical music world based in America, is full of drama. It’s a tale of astounding talent born to parents who knew and appreciated the arts and recognized their son’s gifts.” —"Chicago Sun-Times " "Lang tells the story of his childhood without self-pity or bitterness, making his success, and the book itself, all the more satisfying." --"New York Times Book Review " ""Journey of a Thousand Miles" is a fast read, told with the kind of breathless enthusiasm that echoes Lang Lang's personality . . . Lang Lang's story, with its trajectory from a chubby prodigy living in a Chinese backwater to a pop star of the classical music world based in America, is full of drama. It's a tale of astounding talent born to parents who knew and appreciated the arts and recognized their son's gifts." --"Chicago Sun-Times "