Konieczny, Vladimir 1946–

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KONIECZNY, Vladimir 1946–

PERSONAL: Born 1946, in Germany; immigrated to Canada, 1951. Education: Earned B.A. and M.A. degrees. Hobbies and other interests: Playing flute and alto saxophone.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Napoleon Publishing/RendezVous Press, 178 Willowdale Ave., Ste. 201, Toronto, Ontario M2N 4Y8, Canada.

CAREER: Writer and educator. Vancouver School Board, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, former English and music instructor; Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, former director of publications and foundations for advancement office and part-time instructor in writing and publishing program; freelance writer specializing in corporate communications.

WRITINGS:

Struggling for Perfection: The Story of Glenn Gould (biography; for juveniles), Napoleon Publishing (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

SIDELIGHTS: An amateur musician, a writing instructor, and a corporate communications specialist, Vladimir Konieczny is an avid fan of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. In his biography for young readers, Struggling for Perfection: The Story of Glenn Gould, Konieczny profiles a musician famous for his tremendous skill at the keyboard as well as his eccentricities. Gould was a child prodigy who went on to have an important concert and recording career. However, his public performances were limited by his dislike of performing with an orchestra, which he saw as competition, and by his desire to perform perfectly. Because of this second preoccupation, Gould made many recordings. He is also known for his habit of humming while playing and for refusing to shake hands because of the possibility of injury.

Konieczny's book, designed for upper-elementary school readers, offers short chapters under headings such as "American Debuts" and "The Last Concert." He also includes a time line, glossary, and a variety of photographs and drawings. Critics described the biography as interesting and readable. The book is "refreshing," according to Booklist reviewer Jennifer Mattson, who particularly enjoyed the wealth of visual material. Writing for School Library Journal, Robyn Walker commented that Struggling for Perfection "stands above others of the genre."