Charles Ives is widely regarded as the first great American composer of classical music. But listening to his music is an adventure—hearing how a piece begins may not prepare you for what comes next, or how it ends. Knowing one Ives piece may not prepare you for another.

David C. Paul’s Charles Ives in the Mirror: American Histories of an Iconic Composer examines the ways in which scholars, critics, performers, and the public have understood Charles Ives. Published in 2013, the author discusses the development of ideas about Ives, from the composer’s lifetime through the beginning of the 21st century.