More than 50 years after its initial release, The Sound of Music continues to charm audiences, and its music continues to resonate. What is the secret of its appeal, and who were the real Von Trapps? In Paul Simpson's telling, the Von Trapps' saga proves to be markedly different than the fictional version, although every bit as inspiring. Simpson also recounts how director Robert Wise and songwriter Richard Rodgers put their stamp on the tale, crafting the Oscar-winning musical, which was for years the highest grossing film of all time. Including eight pages of photos, this history also samples other interpretations of the Von Trapps' story, from two 1950s German adaptations to an epic 40-part Japanese anime series from the 1990s.