Johnson's understanding of these things gives coherence to his sprawling narrative, which is why the author can jump from politics to economics to painting to architecture to music to immigration and still keep the reader not only enthralled but also feeling it all fits together.

FORBES: Fact and Comment

"The things that I wanted to tie together into some new kind of music were from painting and experimental music, " says Eno.

BBC: Eno's musical evolution

As a result, it takes Rohmer a long time to reunite the original pair, but from love delayed, he asserts, music, painting, poetry, architecture, and religion are born.

NEWYORKER: The Romance of Astr��e and C��ladon