Hello Fellow Reader,

How could I not read this book?  We have all been brought up with the von Trapp family, right?  Or does that just show my age?  Isn’t The Sound of Music a rite of passage? 

In Maria, the prologue is a letter from Maria to Oscar Hammerstein imploring him to make changes to The Sound of Music so that it accurately reflects their lives.  Maria von Trapp requests a meeting so that she can clear up misconceptions and she has suggestions for the script. She understands that the music for the play is not yet complete, and she feels that making the changes is imperative. 

We then meet Fran. Fran is part of the group that revolves around Oscar Hammerstein. She works in his office along with her boyfriend, Jack.  When she arrived at the office on Monday, Mr. Hammerstein asked her to meet with Maria and see what she had to say because he didn’t have time.  He is busy with the musical and trying to finish the last songs. 

Fran meets Maria and instead of brushing her off, she meets with her several times to find out about her life.  Maria explains just some of the basic differences between her true story and the story in the play.  The oldest of the von Trapp children was really a boy; they did escape but not by climbing over the Alps. Also, Maria and Captain von Trapp had three children together.   

Fran can do nothing to help Maria change the plot but she listens to her and writes all the information up for Mr. Hammerstein.  Fran learns the good and bad sides of Maria and her regrets.  At the same time, Fran has great news in her professional life. The great news brings about changes that she didn’t anticipate but seem to work out well.

The book is enjoyable.  I’m sure that if Sound of Music is really a generational thing those who have lived with it as part of their life will enjoy the book.  (Is it still on TV every Easter?) It is not a heavy read at all.  A great light beach read or summer mornings and evenings on the deck. 

Thanks for reading!