True Adventures of Charley Darwin by Carolyn Meyer
I enjoyed this book. I'd never read anything about him, although I was familiar with his work, On the Origin of Species. This story is told in the first person,

through Charles Darwin's eyes. He is a likable person, and intensely curious about the world around him. Through Charley, I got a real good view of his world; likes and dislikes.

Although very much a part of an upper class family - where scholarly persuits prevailed, Charley preferred to be outside studying and collecting birds’ eggs, feathers, and insects.

Young Charley Darwin hated school - he had reason too; the boarding school within running distance of his home was dreadful. He was pretty conflicted about what his physician father wanted him to achieve.

The story then takes you on his journey around the world at age twenty-one on the H.M.S. Beagle; An exciting journey that took five years. From his studies and the voyage, he gathered indisputable evidence, and set forth a theory on how evolution works, the theory of natural selection.

We learn too of the special bond he had with Emma, his cousin and friend. This was a good read.

The mysteries of Beethoven's hair / Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley- good enjoyable read; A page turner and a real mystery. Reading the book prompted me to download a number of Beethoven pieces from iTunes.I enjoyed the mystery of this particular lock of hair – When it was clipped; who owned and treasured the locket; how it was rescued from the Nazis by an unknown Jewish individual who gave the locket to a Danish doctor. From there, the story recounts how the locket eventually found a home at the Beethoven Center at San Jose State University. Analysis of his hair and pieces of his skull revealed much about the poor health and bouts of temperament from which the great composer suffered.