well-written, but nothing new

Few composers have had their lives examined as extensively as Ludwig van Beethoven. And though it does not quite approach chaos as much as the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the private inevitably had much influence on the music.
Undeterred, Lewis Lockwood writes us another book, even following the usual pattern of dividing Beethoven’s life into three distinct periods. On the whole, he hasn’t anything new to provide to someone reasonably already well-read on the man.
But for someone for whom this would be their first read, it helps that Lockwood chose to focus on the private life only as far as the parts have direct effect on the music. And even on the music, he has considerately chosen to not drown us with a deluge of musical scores.
On the whole a very digestible read.