When Canadian Reader comes for a visit we swap a stack of books! First up this time is a mystery titled Aunt Bessie Assumes: an Isle of Man Cozy Mystery, by Diana Xarissa. It's a cold, wet, miserable morning when Aunt Bessie heads out for her daily walk so it came as rather a surprise when she trips over a body. This is the first in a series and I thought it quite good: quirky characters, and a nice small town feel. I also enjoyed that Aunt Bessie is a 'woman of a certain age' (or beyond). ;-) Sadly our visit is nearly over (they always go too fast) but at least we both have a stack of books to read ... and will start new piles to share at our next visit.

Author and musician Tim Rayborn thinks there is a better way to teach about the history of classical music ... add bits of mystery, mayhem, scandal, and wandering body parts. Beethoven's Skull: Dark, Strange, and Fascinating Tales from the World of Classical Music and Beyond, is all that and more. One reviewer, Tony Morris, put it this way "darkly humorous". :-)

Back to the old sf masters again: 50 Short Science Fiction Tales, edited, and with introductions, by Isaac Asimov and Groff Conklin. Again, this was one I read years ago, but enjoyed it just as much this time as I remember doing back then. Lots of familiar names, plus ones that weren't. Some stories feel dated, others don't and I think that can be the magic of science fiction. :-) Query: If a time traveler is plagiarizing your work, how to you prove it? (see Who's Cribbing, by Jack Lewis).

Reading Hermit With Dog