Lovers of life as well as music will find an abundance of joy in Walter Aaron Clark’s conversations with legendary Spanish guitarist Pepe Romero. For readers such as myself, who have been listening for decades to the playing of Pepe, alongside that of his father and siblings, that joy is doubled. For here, finally, is the whole man from whom such artistry emanates.

Whether intentional or not, the book’s six parts map onto the guitar’s six strings, each exploring different facets of Romero’s extraordinary six-decade career. This is a thoughtful excavation of what it means to dedicate one’s life to an instrument, conducted through extended question-and-answer sessions that allow Romero’s voice – alternately reflective, passionate and candid – to emerge unfiltered.

Born in Málaga in 1944, Romero represents something increasingly rare in classical music – a genuine dynastic legacy. His father, Celedonio, was his only teacher, and the lessons began as naturally as breathing. By seven, young Pepe was performing Bach and Albéniz in Seville. When Franco’s dictatorship drove the family to California in 1957, they carried with them not just their instruments, but an entire musical philosophy rooted in Spanish...