I had the good fortune on Monday night to attend Judi Hannan’s splendid reading from her powerful memoir, Motherhood Exaggerated, at (le) poisson rouge on Bleecker St in NY. It was unusual for a literary event in that it also included music performance. Judi was joined by cellist, Sebastian Baverstam, performing the Kodaly Sonata for Solo Cello, a multilayered piece that Judi, a classically trained musician herself, selected to depict the many moods and complicated journey of the book.  The reading and concert were a flow of 6 sections –3 passages read followed by 3 movements played–a moving and inspired coupling–uplifting in fact –an unusual accomplishment given the serious often painful material recounted in the book. What magic these two artists made together! Both so accomplished, so graceful, so gifted. Kudos to Judi for imagining this evening and presenting it to us.