This story is written mostly as informal diction. Set in Germany, Paris and the US prior to and after WWII and is about a group of jazz musicians whose friendship, persecution, love and forgiveness help them endure a most difficult time in their lives in Nazi Germany.

The story is developed primarily through the characters of Sid and Chip, African Americans who are in Berlin in the 1930s and who meet up with a talented trumpet player Hiero Falk who is a German of mixed race (Mischling) living in Berlin. They are trying to cut a record while trying to stay hidden from the Nazis when things go depressingly wrong.

This is very well-written and the reader seamlessly travels from one country to the next while remaining absorbed in a thrilling story that will leave you asking many questions.

Not having read a John Grisham novel for several years, I picked up the Litigators and discovered a humorous tale of the boutique law firm of Findley & Figg.

Two greedy ambulance chasing partners participate in a class action suit against a huge drug company and are soon involved well over their skill level. An honorable and efficient new associate who happens by chance to join their firm comes to the rescue. The descriptions of the characters and events are so vivid that a movie adaptation plays in your head.

Not high-suspense like the usual Grisham novel, but a great deal of fun to read!

Ran Away is the most recent and the best in the Benjamin January series by Barbara Hambly.

The series is set in 1830s New Orleans where one finds a complex mix of cultures including the French Creole, American, free black, and slave communities. Benjamin January navigates each community with caution and understanding. A free man of colour with training as a surgeon and a musician, he always seems to stumble into a mystery or murder to solve.

In this adventure, Ben is surprised to learn that the Turk, Huseyin Pasha, lately arrived in New Orleans, has been accused of murdering two of his concubines. Because of past experience, Ben knows in his heart that the Turk isn’t capable. At first, the reader is transported back ten years to Ben’s days in Paris with his first wife, Ayasha, and the circumstances of his first meeting with Huseyin Pasha are revealed.

Upon hearing of the Turk’s plight in his present day 1837, Ben sets out to discover the real murderer. Teaming up with his friends Lieutenant Abishag Shaw of the city guard as well as his fellow musician, Hannibal Sefton, he investigates the perplexing mystery. Ben dodges threats to his freedom and his family’s safety as well as risking his life to save Pasha. He must also deal with the painful emotions that arise as the past and present collide.

Hambly, a trained historian, interweaves intricate threads of historical detail throughout her story. Slipping in, as a matter of course, authentic descriptions of everyday life from coffee sellers to apparel to the sights and smells of Paris and New Orleans, she creates complex characters with interesting back stories and their own quirks and foibles. She frames her events in the historical situations of the day, and writes a convincing and historically faithful tale.

Tinderbox by Daniel Halperin and Craig Timberg is the definitive investigative history of HIV-AIDS.

Forty years ago AIDS did not exist in the North American lexicon, but has since come to occupy a frightening place at the forefront of our collective conscience; a modern pandemic, mysterious in origins and deadly in consequences. Outlining the contradictory politics and human hubris underlying the spread of HIV-AID, Halperin and Timberg demystify the disease in this troublesome yet hopeful account.

Halperin, a medical Anthropologist, and Timberg, a Johannesburg journalist, link the disease to colonialism, specifically the equatorial forests of Cameroon in the late 19th century. European companies in search of rubber supplies forced unsuspecting local populations to labour as porters, treading into uninhabited regions of the continent. Short of food and abandoned by their employers, these men took to eating chimpanzees to survive, contracting an early form of HIV from the meat consumed. The nascent disease then followed the new trade routes into burgeoning cities, eventually cutting across the heart of Africa from the Congo to Swaziland and morphing into AIDS by the 1970s.

Tinderbox represents a lesson in macro-politics as well as history. The authors outline national and local strategies of several African nations, including South Africa, Botswana, and Zaire, noting the successes and failures, warts and all, of various AIDS programs. The authors reveal how the post-colonialist mindset of international AIDS agencies, concerned with satisfying donors at home, have co-opted and undermined African solutions.

Most startlingly, the authors argue that one simple practice, circumcision, may be most effective in curbing AIDS. They maintain that many in the AIDS research community are aware of the low rates of the disease amongst circumcised populations and are aware of successes in African nations that have adopted this approach. However for reasons of politics, grant funding, and egoism, researchers have undersold its efficacy.

Focusing on the highly politicized nature of AIDS research, Tinderbox is a terrific complement to And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts, published in 2000. For a contemporary point of comparison, read Pierre Piot’s No Time to Lose.

Based on the book Goodbye Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Prisoner, My Friend by the real life James Gregory, The Color of Freedom follows the former prison warder's relationship with the equal rights advocate through Mandela's nearly three decades under arrest in South Africa.

Part history lesson, part personal drama, The Color of Freedom serves as a primer on South African history.

What I liked most about this film was seeing the friendship between Gregory and Mandela growing and maturing even though they were not together. Their friendship symbolized Africa's transition from the oppressiveness of Apartheid to the freedom of a multi-racial democracy.

The bills are piling up and Sally Benedict is at her wits end to meet payments, cut costs and generally find the where with all to deal with money issues and keep her teenage daughter on the happy side.

A favored daughter once married to success, for Sally, money was once just an afterthought.  Sally only came to realize her lack of marketability when she had to take a cleaning service position to make ends meet. The old life is gone as are most of her friends; but at least her boyfriend is solid. She’s not unhappy, but when her daughter gets into trouble with a loan shark, money is needed fast.

Sally finds a solution in housekeeping chores for her unusual neighbour, a guy she discovers is heavily involved in extreme pornography and illegal drugs. When a friend of the family, a local teenage girl, is raped and murdered, Sally becomes highly suspicious of her reclusive employer’s lifestyle. As connections and odd circumstances build, Sally can’t even turn to her detective sister; their estranged relationship over twenty years bars any support. In an interesting twist, Sally herself comes under scrutiny by her own detective sister when the ongoing investigation leads her to question Sally about the murder. What she discovers is that she never really knew Sally at all.

Hayder writes an interesting whodunit that takes the reader on a terrific ride. Her sympathetic exploration of relationships is woven into the plot with ease. Chapters switch between sisters, their circumstances, lifestyles and past histories with the author building detail upon detail. Her intriguing character developments keep the reader guessing with some astounding results particularly near the end when the murder is wrapped up ... or is it? Several truisms resonate in this novel but the one that rings the top note suggests you never really know someone.  

Hayder is a British press favorite for being "absorbing and hugely entertaining" (The Times).  Hanging Hill is Hayder's latest standalone title among her list of thrillers and crime fiction series.   Copies are available at Kitchener Public Library in traditional book and audiobook format.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks of the Eastvale Police Department goes to the "Maze" to check out the discovery of a body of a young woman (Hayley Daniels) found in a leather shop's storeroom. On the same day, Mother's Day, Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot, on loan to the Eastern Area headquarters, is called to investigate the ghastly murder of a quadriplegic woman left out on a cliff. These two deaths, while at first unrelated, become interwoven as the plot twists and turn, leading to a shocking finale.

The 17th in the Inspector Banks series by mystery writer Peter Robinson is sure to impress long-time fans with its complex plot and character development. It is a study of personalities, relationships, and landscape, with excellent musical suggestions.

As with other books in the series, this can be read on its own, but I would recommend that if this is going to be your first foray into the world of DCI Banks, you would be wise to start with Aftermath. Knowledge of that novel will significantly increase your appreciation and understanding of Friend of the Devil.

All novels in the Inspector Banks series are highly recommended for fans of British police procedurals.

If you found yourself completely alone, drifting in the middle of the sea with no way of knowing if you would ever be found, or ever reach land safely, how long would it take before you lose your will to live? This is the big question that I asked myself all through the reading of Adrift: Seventy-six days lost at sea.

Steven Callahan, a young ship builder, finds himself adrift when his small sail boat sinks six days after departing from the Canary Islands on a solo trip. Equipped only with an inflatable dingy (less than 6 feet diameter), some tools, a few pounds of food, 8 pints of water and minimal supplies, Callahan's ordeal may be one of the longest solo survival stories. It's a story about overcoming the relentless physical, mental, emotional and spiritual trials that come in this sort of situation. How would anyone stay sane, strategize and ultimately survive such an ordeal? In Robinson Crusoe style, Callahan sets about completing the routine tasks necessary for survival. Like Crusoe, he tracks every day lost at sea, befriends the wildlife and reflects on life's greatest questions. Unlike Robinson Crusoe, Callahan's is a true story and nothing is exaggerated or imagined. It is real.

The story is told mainly through detailed log entries precisely capturing the routine tasks such as hunting, cleaning fish, raft repair, and water purification. Told too are the repeated and harrowing torments of shark attacks, the constant butting of the large, powerful fish (dorados) on the bottom of the dingy, the blistering sun, storms, waves, and the ships passing…just passing, never spotting the small dingy he floats in.

There are fascinating (and dare I say delightful) illustrations by the author throughout, which further underscore the struggle, fear and desperation of this voyage. Callahan uses these log entries and illustrations to accurately record all that is happening to him, both in body and spirit. It is clear this is a necessary task which helps to keep him grounded in the reality of the moment rather than drifting to despair. To fill his time, he documents, he draws, he muses, he experiments, he tinkers and fixes.

At turns the entries are reflective. He reflects on all the sea creatures, who, for better or for worse, accompany him day and night throughout his voyage. The fish, birds and porpoises are all his close friends, even as they torment and challenge. At one point, the author imagines that he may become food for the fish, the fish is caught and he is served up for dinner. The bones, head and tail are composted and he contributes to the life-giving soil.

Far from grim reading, this is uplifting, inspiring and even hugely entertaining drama. It's a true tale of unquenchable human drive and the will to live. From your armchair, you can experience some of the sensations of being part of a great survival tale. Reading it will make you hold your breath in anticipation, your heart will race in fear, and you will lose sleep because you won't want to put it down.

Adrift: Seventy-six days lost at sea is available at Kitchener Public Library in traditional book and e-book format.

An amazing experience for all piano enthusiasts …

Come and celebrate the Verbier Festival's 10th anniversary, which coincided with its founder's 50th birthday. Recorded in the beautiful Swiss Alps, one will witness the dedication, joy and stupendous musical interpretation achieved by playing together piano pieces for 4 hands; 2 pianos; 4 pianos and string orchestra, and 8 pianos.

Enjoy some of the best contemporary musicians: Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Emmanuel Ax, Jimmy Levine, Leif Ove Andsnes, Mikhail Pletnev, Claude Frank, Steffan Scheja and Lang Lang. The outstanding effects are a result of specially coordinated performance, tuning and musical writing.

This DVD proves that music is not only to be heard, but watched, too. Close-ups of the piano reveal the unique interaction between the masters. Interviews mark the fact that this event attracts the best-of-the-best to teach and guide students who attend the Festival Academy.

Piano Extravaganza should be enjoyed many times over and shared with music-loving friends.

Reginald Hill, perhaps best known for his crime series featuring detectives Dalziel and Pascoe, published this stand-alone thriller last year. Set in the wilds of the Cumbrian area of England, the landscape was well known to the author, who lived most of his life in the area and the setting figures large into the story.

In this story of betrayal and revenge, the fairytale-like life of Wolf Hadda, a Cumbrian woodcutter's son, successful businessman, happily married to the girl of his dreams, comes to an abrupt end following a dawn police raid. Accused of child pornography and fraud, yet protesting his innocence, Wolf is tried and convicted. Abandoned by both family and friends, and sentenced to twelve years in prison, he retreats into silence.

The arrival of a young, female prison psychiatrist, Alva Ozigbo, seven years later finally gets him to talk and with her help, gains parole, allowing him to return to his humble rural beginnings. Back home, secrets of Wolf's past are revealed and as he plots to gain vengeance against those responsible for his downfall, Alva works to save him from himself.

Longer than the usual thriller, this book comes in at just over 500 pages, it is a wonderfully complex thriller that provides enough twists and red herrings to keep any reader turning the pages to see where the story leads and how the story will be resolved. Hill has a way with creating characters, taking the reader into the mind of his protagonist. This is a thriller that has great plot, excellent writing and well-crafted characters, definitely one not to be missed.

Sadly Hill passed away just months after this release, so fans will miss not having anything new from the British Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger award winner; those new to his work, will rejoice in having almost 50 titles to read from this gifted storyteller.

The tale of King Arthur has been told and retold in a myriad of ways, but never quite like this …

Mists of Avalon is the legend told from the perspective of the women:  Morgaine (Morgan le Fay), Gwenwhyfar, Viviane and Morgause. Morgaine is the protagonist, as opposed to the villain she is often cast as, in the traditional Arthurian legend. Her aunt, Morgause, takes up the mantle of troublemaker and has the darker aspects of the original Morgan Le Fay character.

There is also a greater focus on the pagan traditions of ancient Britain. The roles of these famous women are explored, and we witness their struggles in a male-dominated society. Marion Zimmer Bradley also explores human relationships within tradition, change and faith. The legend of Arthur and his Knights is a powerful story with something for everyone, and this rendition is no exception.

Mists of Avalon is a masterfully written novel which lets readers discover a new story, previously hidden in the depths of a renowned legend.

This book about desperate times, poverty, social injustice and survival is a reminder to anyone who has ties to Nova Scotia, especially Cape Breton, where their roots are, and what it took to eke out a living in a very difficult time in Canadian history.

It tells what people had to endure: men never returning to their young families because of disasters in the mines, broken promises from the governments, and the great hardships of working for the mining companies. The book tells of how these families rose to the challenges and made their lives work despite the problems.

Coal mining, even though it was a dirty and dangerous job, was the life blood of Cape Breton in the late 18th to mid-19th century. This book is a must-read for anyone who has roots in "The Pits" of Nova Scotia.

The album Grace like a River is a treasured collection of performances by the classical guitarist Christopher Parkening. A great influence in his studies was under the direction of Andres Segovia.  Some of the composers found on the album are Bach, Albeniz, Tarrega, Ravel and Ponce.

The CD also includes two live performances of Caselnuovo-Tedesco's Guitar concerto in D and Koyunbaba by Domeniconi, which have never yet been released to the public. Parkening's artistry on the guitar is very refreshing, and a pleasure to hear.

If you enjoy reading Erma Bombek, you may also enjoy this Canadian humourist and author.

Secret Lives begins in the 1960’s when the author is a teenager living in a small town near Victoria, BC.  Her father is absent most of the time, working on the docks in Vancouver, and her mother’s whereabouts are unknown. The author lives with her father’s sister and husband. This was before global warming, pollution and recycling became part of our vocabulary. Life was very naïve and simple then ... well, sort of. Add an assortment of relatives, and the family dynamics becomes an unending source material for the writer.

Later, as a wife and mother herself, the author describes her challenges with a daughter full of teenage angst, and a son who finally moves out – only to move back home 10 days later. The bathroom renovation became a battle of wills with a less than reliable contractor. I thoroughly enjoyed this funny book.

Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change itself, is the new frontier in the field of neuroscience. Previously, the brain was conceptualized as a hard-wired unit, with fixed functions attributed to specific locations in the brain. However, new research has shown that the brain has the capacity to be very plastic, or malleable, with far-reaching implications.

Norman Doidge reviews this research, and presents fascinating case studies of recovery from brain dysfunction, fostered by the application of the principles of neuroplasticity. This has led to new treatment modalities for stroke recovery, phantom limb pain, learning disabilities, cognitive decline in the elderly and more.

If you are a fan of Oliver Sacks, you will especially enjoy this book.