For Your GRAMMY® Consideration
The Tyranny of Desire, A Novel by Morty Shallman
Best Audio Book, Narration, And Storytelling Recording

Novelist and Singer-Songwriter Morty Shallman narrates and performs every character in the audio book version of his comedic literary novel, The Tyranny of Desire. He also wrote and performed the Pop Rock Theme Song that is featured in the recording.

The Tyranny of Desire is the fictional memoir of Puchy Mushkin, a big dreamer—and an even bigger loser—whose spectacular failure as a human being is exceeded only by the enormity of his desire for success.

In a desperate bid to change his fate, Puchy vows to banish all dreams, aims, goals, and ambitions from his life except one: to assassinate desire itself and hang it by its feet like Mussolini.

What follows is the darkly satirical, raunchy, and irreverent tale of one man’s twisted war with himself—an anti-story about an anti-hero whose only motivation is to have no motivation at all.

Praise for The Novel
“A comedic masterpiece.” 
— Reader’s Favorite

“A ribald and incisive provocation.” 
— Booklife by Publishers Weekly

“A lively comic tale.”
— Kirkus Reviews

“Brilliantly written—and very funny.”
—Robert Grossmith, 
Author of The Empire of Lights

005 TOD_Part 01b

003 TOD_Foreword

006 TOD_Part 01c

001 TOD_Opening Credits

012 TOD_Credits

010 TOD_Appendix 1

011 TOD_Appendix 2

009 TOD_Epilogue

For Your GRAMMY® Consideration
Best Audio Book, Narration And Storytelling Recording

Novelist and Singer-Songwriter Morty Shallman narrates and performs every character in the audio book version of his "riotously bawdy" (Booklife) comic novel, The Tyranny of Desire. He also wrote and performed the Pop Rock Theme Song that is featured in the recording.

The Tyranny of Desire is the fictional memoir of Puchy Mushkin, a big dreamer—and an even bigger loser—whose spectacular failure as a human being is exceeded only by the enormity of his desire for success.

In a desperate bid to change his fate, Puchy vows to banish all dreams, aims, goals, and ambitions from his life except one: to assassinate desire itself and hang it by its feet like Mussolini.

What follows is the darkly satirical, raunchy, and irreverent tale of one man’s twisted war with himself—an anti-story about an anti-hero whose only motivation is to have no motivation at all.

Praise for The Novel
“A comedic masterpiece.” 
— Reader’s Favorite

“A ribald and incisive provocation.” 
— Booklife by Publishers Weekly

“A lively comic tale.”
— Kirkus Reviews

“Brilliantly written—and very funny.”
—Robert Grossmith, 
Author of The Empire of Lights

TOD - Sample Chapter

Cellist Matt Haimovitz has earned a reputation as a musical pioneer in today's classical music sphere. Two albums by the internationally renowned musician were recently nominated for GRAMMYs: "Schnittke Cello Concerto No.1" with the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, and  "Jacqueline," Luna Pearl Woolf's opera with soprano Marnie Breckenridge. In this interview with WRR's Brooke Scholl, Haimovitz discusses the joys of playing these works, his special friendship with the late Jaqueline du Pre, and more.

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: This cellist has two albums up for a GRAMMY this year

Singer • Songwriter • Novelist • Creator of LAST OF THE ZACHARYS, the world's first "Novel with Songs." New novel, THE TYRANNY OF DESIRE available now! Learn more at www.morty.org

New tracks tagged #GRAMMYS