Robert Schumann lived happily and pleasantly from the time he was a little boy, playing with his beloved cat, Ziff, in his home village in Saxony, until he became the famous composer, friend of Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Liszt. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he had few major problems to overcome. His work, his family life, all brought him the reward of renown and joy. Even the stiff finger which virtually ended his career as a musician was the means...