Whispering Shadows by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Jan-Philipp Sendker has become one of my favorite authors and I was eagerly anticipating his newest work, Whispering Shadows, which is a mystery story set in Hong Kong and mainland China. An ex-pat, but longtime Hong Kong resident, Paul Leibovitz, is asked to look into the disappearance of a young American business executive.  He turns to a close friend, Zhang, a homicide detective in Shenzhen, and together the two of them attempt to learn what has happened. Their search for truth is dangerous, particularly when opposition from local officials leads to some definite tension and suspense.

In addition to the Asian settings, what I like best about Sendker’s writing is the personal reflection and soul searching shared by his characters and that was evident again in Whispering Shadows as Paul and Zhang each battles with an inner voice amid distractions of everyday life.  In this case, secrets and events are tied to happenings from the time of the Cultural Revolution and there is plenty of opportunity to debate the meaning of trust, past choices involving betrayal, and the essence of true friendship. Having been told that this book is intended to be part of a trilogy, I am once again already looking forward to another title from Jan-Philipp Sendker.

Starred review from Booklist; other titles by Sendker: The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and A Well-Tempered Heart.

The Jazz Palace by Mary Morris

Historical fiction set in Chicago, The Jazz Palace by Mary Morris opens with the legendary 1915 Eastland tragedy as the death of 844 people, including three of Pearl Chimbrova’s brothers, is witnessed by Benny Lehrman, a budding musician and gifted piano player. Years pass and eventually Benny breaks with his Jewish family, embraces jazz and comes to play at the speakeasy (The Jazz Palace) run by Pearl’s family. Along the way, he is mentored by Napoleon Hill, a black musician and talented trumpeter who resents being “owned” by the Rooster Club where he works. 

Throughout The Jazz Palace, Morris blends elements to create her own melody, skillfully sharing the story of Chicago, its mob violence, hard-working immigrants, and distinctive neighborhoods, defined by ethnicity and culture.  Cameo appearances and references to famous historical figures include Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, and Al Capone. Multiple characters experience grief at the loss of loved ones, fight racial prejudice and all the while reflect on the nature of music. In fact, one says: "You see, I believe the universe began with a collection of molecules and into these molecules a ripple came, a wave that reverberated like a tone and that tone set everything in motion. It all began with music.”

The Jazz Palace is thoroughly researched; explaining the heritage of terms like “jass” and “hipsters” and has an online reader's guide.  While the tempo of this descriptive, character driven story slows in the middle, it returns with a crescendo before fading away. The Jazz Palace by Mary Morris has special appeal for anyone interested in Chicago history and musical vibe.    

Added 6/2: Author Mary Morris will be at The Bookstall in Winnetka at 6:30pm on Wednesday, June 3rd. 

Reclaiming Travel by Ilan Stavans and Joshua Ellison

Reclaiming Travel is a new scholarly work which seeks to address these questions:

• Why we travel
• How we travel and
• Is there a difference between travel and tourism?

The authors, Ilan Stavans, Lewis-Sebring Professor in Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College, and Joshua Ellison, Executive Editor of Restless Books, frequently quote works of literature to illustrate their argument and that adds depth and perspective to this book. A few favorite quotes? 

• Ralph Waldo Emerson: “He who travels to be amused … travels away from himself.”
• Joseph Campbell: “Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths.”
• G. K. Chesterton: “The traveler sees what he sees, the tourists sees what he has come to see.”

Reclaiming Travel is not so much a guidebook on how to take a vacation or go on holiday, but rather an intellectual journey about what we may have lost and why we would benefit from searching for different ways of relating to work and leisure. By reflecting on what travel has meant from ancient times to the 21st century, Stavans and Ellison offer encouragement (“an invitation to take risks”) to explore and channel our own innate restlessness and curiosity.  I can readily see Senior English electives such as Global Voices and Myth and Mind referring to portions of this text and I will introduce Reclaiming Travel to those teachers. At a minimum, those classes should read and discuss the original essay which appeared in The New York Times in July, 2012.   
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