Mark Salzman – författare

As a young cellist, Renne was hailed as potentially the greatest cellist who had ever lived, until, this is, at age 18 when he lost the gift. For the next 15 years he lost himself in teaching music until two things happened - a summons to jury service, and his agreement to teach a cello prodigy.

In a Carmelite monastery on the outskirts of Los Angeles, life has continued virtually unchanged for centuries. Here, Sister John of the Cross lives in the service of God. She is the only nun who experiences visions and is regarded by the others as a spiritual master. But Sister John is also plagued by powerful headaches and when a doctor reveals that they may be dangerous, she faces a devastating choice. Is this grace merely an illness and will a 'cure' mean the end of her illuminations and a soul dry and searching?

In Iron & Silk, Mark Salzman captures post-cultural revolution China through his adventures as a young American English teacher in China and his shifu-tudi (master-student) relationship with China's foremost martial arts teacher.