Against a backdrop of preparations for a possible invasion of England by the French, Matthew Shardlake investigates the case of two children who became wards of a wealthy landowner. Shardlake is a lawyer whose passions are engaged by the dark secrets buried in the court records and the political corruption that reaches right into Henry VIII’s court. This is the fifth Shardlake novel in a top-notch series of historical mysteries. Sansom brings the 16th Century alive (you would NOT want to live there!). There’s plenty of historical detail, but the history never gets in the way of the mysteries. If you’re in the mood for an gripping historical mystery novel, I highly recommend Heartstone. GRADE: A

Pioneers of Television on PBS tonight will feature crime dramas. I’m looking forward to seeing Desi Arnez (The Untouchables), Bruce Geller (Mission: Impossible and Mannix), Stephen J. Cannell (The Rockford Files), and Art Scott’s hero, Jack Webb (Dragnet). I’ve found the previous episodes of this series full of unexpected facts and stories. Very entertaining and enlightening! Check your local listings for the time in your area.

The Coen Brothers’ version of True Grit differs from the iconic John Wayne version chiefly by being true to the classic Charles Portis novel. The Coen Brothers revel in the black humor that ran through that darkly comic novel and it shows up on the screen. Much of the baroque dialogue is taken directly from the novel. Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross, the 14-year-old intent on avenging her murdered father, and Jeff Bridges as U.S. Marshal Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn dominate the screen. Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Barry Pepper ably assist. If you haven’t seen this new version of True Grit, you’re missing a fine movie. GRADE: A

I want to honor people who do extraordinary things to make our lives better. My first “hero” is David Kleinman who developed the critical battle-field first-aid kit for the Tucson police. Those kits saved lives after the recent shooting incident. Below is a short summary of the National Public Radio story that inspired me to recognize Mr. Kleinman. You can hear the entire story if you click below.
First responders at the Arizona shootings had an unusual tool: a fanny-pack-sized collection of first-aid materials based on gear used to save soldiers on the battlefield. And it allowed Pima County sheriff’s deputies to begin treating the wounded in the crucial minutes before paramedics arrived. Other deputies arrived. They began CPR and opened the kits. Each contained $99 worth of gear assembled by David Kleinman, the medic for the sheriff’s SWAT team. He got the idea to carry the packs after noticing how many police officers were dying from wounds they got in the line of duty.

“It wasn’t necessary for them to perish,” Kleinman says. “Had there been tools like this they probably would have survived.”

The bandage — developed by the Israeli military — looks like an Ace bandage you’d wrap around your knee, with a gauze pad and clips to tighten it. It can be used on any part of the body to cover a wound and stop bleeding; you can even wrap it with a stick and use it as a leg splint. Combat gauze is also in the kit. It’s infused with coagulant to stop bleeding. There are shears to cut away clothing. A black nylon tourniquet. And an Asherman chest seal — a bandage that fits over a gunshot or stab wound and has a valve for fluid to escape. Everything in the kit is designed to be used quickly. That’s because people with severe wounds can die in the precious minutes before paramedics arrive or before it’s safe for them to enter a crime scene or an accident area.

When Patti Abbott  invited me to participate in FORGOTTEN BOOKS some 100 weeks ago, my first posting was Theodore Sturgeon’s The Dreaming Jewels (aka, The Synthetic Man).  Now that I’ve hit the century mark, I figured I should pay homage to Theodore Sturgeon, a great writer who is practically forgotten, and to North Atlantic Books who published 13 volumes of Sturgeon’s complete short stories.  Given the new publishing environment and the rise of ebooks, I doubt if such a project that took over a decade to complete, will be viable again.  I love this marvelous set of books.  Great care was taken in the production, editing, and presentation of these volumes.  All the volumes are still in print, but who knows how long that will last.  Theodore Sturgeon wrote some of the most innovative and empathic fiction I’ve ever read.  While his early work was more conventional, it was always distinctive.  Sturgeon’s later work become more experimental.  He never stopped pushing the limits of his craft.  I highly recommend this monumental series!

Most music fans know Tammi Terrell from her duets with Marvin Gaye. But Tammi had a solo career at Motown Records that few people know about. This wonderful set collects Tammi Terrell’s hits, but better yet, unreleased songs that have languished in the vaults. Tammi Terrell was talented and poised for stardom, but on October 14, 1967 she collapsed on stage into Marvin Gaye’s arms during a performance. Tammi Terrell was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor which eventually led to her death at the age of 24. Listen to her songs and maybe you’ll ponder (as I do) what Tammi could have accomplished had she not died so young. GRADE: A
DISK ONE
1 If You See Bill 3:00
2 It’s Mine 2:29
3 Voice of Experience 2:11
4 I Wancha’ To Be Sure 2:03
5 Sinner’s Devotion 2:46
6 Make the Night a Little Longer 2:33
7 Big John 2:34
8 I Cried 2:45
9 If You Don’t Think 1:53
10 If I Would Marry You previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:48
11 This Time Tomorrow previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:29
12 I’ve Got Nothing To Say But Goodbye previously unreleased 2:33
13 I Can’t Hold It In Any More previously unreleased 3:03
14 If I Would Marry You previously unreleased 3:26
15 I Can’t Believe You Love Me 2:34
16 That’s What Boys Are Made For Version 3:05
17 Come On and See Me Version 2:21
18 What a Good Man He is Version 3:01
19 Tears At the End of a Love Affair Version 2:58
20 This Old Heart of Mine (is Weak For You) 2:27
21 He’s the One I Love Version 2:38
22 Can’t Stop Now (Love is Calling) Version 2:41
23 Just Too Musc To Hope For Version 2:55
24 Hold Me Oh My Darling 2:40
25 I Can’t Go On Without You Version 2:37
26 Baby Don’tcha Worry Stereo Version / Version 2:53
27 There Are Things Stereo Version / Version 3:11
DISC TWO:
1 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough 2:26
2 All I Do is Think About You 2:59
3 Slow Down 2:49
4 I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back) 3:00
5 Oh How I’d Miss You Demo Version 2:41
6 Lone, Lonely Town 2:55
7 You Ain’t Livin’ ‘Till You’re Lovin’ previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:51
8 Give In You Just Can’t Win previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:40
9 When Love Comes Knocking At My Heart previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:41
10 Memory Chest previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 3:09
11 That’s How It is (Since You’ve Been Gone) previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 3:29
12 More, More, More previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:47
13 Two Can Have a Party previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 2:35
14 My Heart previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 3:04
15 Don’T Let Me Be Lonely previously unreleased / Stereo Version / Version 3:37
16 Kissing In the Shadows previously unreleased 2:54
17 Beware of a Stranger previously unreleased 2:48
18 It’S Been a Long Time Happenin’ previously unreleased 2:32
19 Almost Like Being In Love Live / previously unreleased / Live At the Roostertail 1:52
20 Stage Dialogue With Emcee Scott Regan [ Live / Live At the Roostertail 0:40
21 I Can’t Believe You Love Me Live / previously unreleased / Live At the Roostertail 2:30
22 Medley: What a Difference a Day Makes/Runnin’ Out of Fools/Tell Me the 4:48
23 Come On and See Me Live / previously unreleased / Live At the Roostertail 2:58

In 1985, at the height of his career, performer Bill Withers dropped out of sight. After hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Grandma’s Hands”, “Lean On Me”, “Use Me”, “Lovely Day”, “Just The Two Of Us” this gifted artist retreated from concert touring. The battles with the record company grew tiresome so Withers retreated from public life and began his reclusive existence. Filmmakers Alex Vlack and Damani Baker, a pair of music fans, persuaded Bill Withers to talk about his life and career as part of a documentary. Also included are interviews with Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Graham Nash as well as musical performances of “Ain’t No Shunshine” by Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket and “Who Is He And What Is He to You” by Living Colour lead singer Corey Glover. Still Bill presents an intimate portrait of this wonderful artist. GRADE: A-
SCENE LISTING
1. “Ain’t No Sunshine” [9:10]
2. Sold Out [4:53]
3. Slab Fork [9:38]
4. Born Cool [3:22]
5. A Whole Lotta Life Real Fast [3:31]
6. Sensitive But Tough [6:14]
7. On Your Way to Wonderful [6:14]
8. What Do You Want Your Legacy to Be? [7:43]
9. Desperation Grows Louder [10:18]
10. “Telephone Song” [3:15]
11. “Blue Blues” [4:50]
12. “Grandma’s Hands” [7:05]