*When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael Mavin (2018) is a powerhouse. This is a biography of Carlos Santana’s life, told directly to him. For example, the first line is, “When you were born, your tía abuela called you el cristalino, the crystal one.” It’s a desperately difficult life. It begins with listening to his father play the violin. As Carlos grows, he tries several instruments without success. “But it was a way to make money, so your father forced you to learn more songs. Mozart. Brahms. Polkas. Boleros. gypsy music.” Then one day Santana hears a guitar and his parents get one. “It was battered and bruised and beautiful.” And the chronology continues in the rich colors of Jose Ramirez’ illustrations. Ramirez embeds dates into the pictures to help provide a timeline. A thread throughout the story is Santana’s fear of never being good enough for angels to sing in his music. This inner drama finds resolution quite separate from his multiple public awards.
