In this charming memoir, the great French composer Charles Gounod offers readers a window into his life, music, and creative process. With fascinating anecdotes and personal reflections, Gounod shares his experiences as a musician, his relationships with family and friends, and his thoughts on the nature and purpose of music. This edition includes a selection of family letters and notes on music that provide historical context and further insights into Gounod's artistic world. With its lively prose and vivid storytelling, this book is a must-read for music lovers and anyone interested in the creative life. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.